Cleveland’s
Irish Cultural Festival seeks to preserve,
memorialize and document Irish History and
Traditions -- from the gentle stirrings
of the harp, to the boom and pomp of the
pipe bands; from the soft hush of our love
songs, to the thunder of Celtic dancers
and rock bands. Spurred by the vision of
founder John O'Brien Sr., over 300 volunteers
mobilize annually to breath life into the
festival. We are blessed that the culture
we celebrate boasts such a wealth of tradition,
music, literature, and art -- all bound
together by that rich sense of community
which typifies the Irish. Though difficult
to adequately encapsulate, following is
a brief overview of the festival and its
many attractions.
Cleveland’s
Irish Cultural Festival is a non-profit,
annual civic event, benefiting local and
national charities while highlighting the
many aspects of our Irish culture. Attractions
include: 24 performers on nine stages, a
multitude of exhibits, and myriad kiosks
representing some of the finest vendors
in the United States.
Our
festival boasts a wonderful assortment of
family activities, including the following:
§ Tir Na nOg Children’s
Area and petting zoo
§ Byrne McCaffrey Workshops
& Stage
§ Celtic Rock Stage
§ Two outdoor and seven
indoor stages
§ 24
Performers, Pipe Bands and Entertainers
§ An
Irish Coffee House
§ Four
award winning Irish plays each day
§ Fresh exhibits each
year ~ there
is always something new and interesting to
learn about Irish culture
§ Over 50 Irish Vendors
offering authentic Irish goods, foods and crafts
§ An
outdoor Mass on Sunday
§ Native Irish Dog Show
As
a country, Ireland has produced some of the
finest novelists, poets, playwrights and musicians
in the world.
Fortunately,
a good number of her dislocated progeny landed
in Cleveland. The result? -- some of the most
highly acclaimed Irish American artists call
Cleveland home. Taken as a whole, perhaps
Cleveland's greatest contribution to perpetuating
Irish culture has been musical.
From The New Barleycorn, to Brigid’s
Cross, from Tap The Bow, to The Northcoast
Pipe Band and Turn the Corner, we are fortunate
that several of the finest Irish balladeers
and lyricists are also Browns fans.
Like blues, traditional Irish music is a source
of inspiration for many of today's rockand
country artists -- deeply indebted as these
forms are to the melodic and sometimes raucous
influence of Erin's ballads and reels.
Where there is song, there is dance. And
there is song in Cleveland. Long before the
public began worshipping Michael Flatley as
a foot stomping deity, Irish steppers were
battering on in the shadows of popular culture. The current revival ignited by Riverdance
and Lord of the Dance served only
to bring the step form of Gaelic dance to
a broader audience.
In
this regard too, Cleveland is a major player.
Our many dance schools have produced talents
of such caliber that several can today be
found touring with some of the world's most
eminent dance companies.
Given all of the above, it's no surprise
that people from throughout the US and Europe
converge on our festival each year. Many take advantage of the convivial
atmosphere and expansive grounds to hold large
reunions of family and friends. Others come for the dancing, the
history, the pony rides, or food.... But most
of all, people come for the music. Boasting
one of the finest rosters of Irish artists
assembled anywhere, here is just a sampling
of previous festival performers:
Tommy
Makem:
Tommy is often called
the “Godfather of Irish Music.” His lifelong
commitment to lyricizing the struggles and
triumphs of the indomitable Irish has appealed
to generations of music lovers, regardless
of race or nationality.
Tommy is the author of “Four
Green Fields” and many other Irish and
folks songs.
It
is said that Irish music was born in America
when Tommy appeared on the Ed Sullivan show
with the Clancy’s.
His sons, Rory, Conor and Shane have
maintained the family business, forming the
Makem Brothers. Successful in their own right,
excitement peaks when they take the stage
and perform with their dad.
Paddy
Reilly:
One
of the most famous and loved Irish entertainers,
Paddy still sells out venues whereever he
performs; when Irish gather, hearing Paddy's
"Fields of Athenry” is a joyous inevitability.
Joanne
Madden:
The
dynamic and energetic leader of Cherish
The Ladies has performed world-wide, before
princes and presidents.
Cherish The Ladies is an all female group
whose energetic renditions of tradition tunes,
and great interaction with their audiences has
won them fans from the U.S. to Australia, and
everywhere in between. A festival favorite!
Dennis
Doyle:
This renowned Historian and Harpist has performed
at all 17 festivals and is as well known for
his knowledge of Irish history and story-telling
abilities as he is for playing the Harp itself.
A featured performer at the festival mass as
well, Dennis’ performances are both stirring
and educational.
John
Timm:
1993
World Champion Irish Dancer and Teacher, John
continues to thrill his audiences with his skill
and flair. He was Flatley before Flatley!
His brilliant dancing is no less impressive
than his dedication to passing the tradition
to successive generations through his Academy
of Irish Dance in Cincinnati, Ohio.
John
Lynch & The Kilfenora Ceili Band:
This
band has been together for over 110 years! --
a family band, continuously refining their craft
as new generations of musicians arise to repopulate
the stage! With seven current world champions
among the 10 members, they are truly “The Best
of the Best,” and to have them on our stage,
we are just as truly blessed.
Alec
DeGabriel & John Delaney of The New Barleycorn:
Alec
& John reside in Cleveland but are known
throughout the world as members of The New
Barleycorn, an updated version of The Barleycorn
-- a world-renowned band of which John was
a founding member. Both Irish born performers
are stars in their own right, but when they
get together – sparks fly! We are very
lucky and proud to have them call Cleveland
home.
Paul
Baker & Peggy Goonin-Baker of Brigid’s
Cross:
Paul
and Peggy have been singing and performing
all their lives. A classically
trained violinist, Paul was only 8 years old
when he first performed with the world renowned
Cleveland Orchestra. He also plays a
mean fiddle, and has performed in both rock
and Irish bands for many years. Peggy
and Paul were mainstays in Alec & Darby’s
Folk before setting off to chart a successful
music career of their own.
Byrne
& Tom McCaffrey:
Cleveland’s
own, legends Tom and Tom have taught hundreds
of Clevelanders how to play and love Irish traditional
music. They have also performed all over the
U.S. and competed at many Irish Feis (music
& dance contests). Everywhere they
go, these Irish born musicians are recognized
and thanked by performers everywhere for their
contributions to Irish Music and its continued
growth here in the U.S. One
element above all (quite literally) binds
the community of the Cleveland Irish: our
religion. The outdoor Mass held on Sunday
morning is a stirring gathering, where all
are welcome to unite in a celebration of thanks.
The large number who attend, and the many
performers who join in the celebration, exemplify
how deeply rooted the Irish are in their faith.
One of the highlights each year is the stirring
accompaniment to the service provided by Irish
Historian, teacher and renowned Celtic harpist,
Dennis Doyle. Few after hearing him play question
why his is the angelic instrument of choice.
Cleveland’s
Irish Cultural Festival is a wonderful celebration
of all things Irish. We hope you’ve
enjoyed reading a bit about the festival,
and hope as well that you will join us on
the third full weekend in July so that you
can experience first-hand all the history,
tradition, and entertainments the festival
has to offer.
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