Milwaukee Irish Fest Returns to take-and-make Irish crafts and the the Lakefront August 20-22 for Leprechaun Village. The take-and-make Irish craft toolkits will be available its 40th Celebration throughout the weekend to grab and either make at nearby picnic tables or to bring A few festivals are returning in Milwaukee home with you. Explore the brand-new this summer and we are so thrilled that playground and a variety of interactive Milwaukee Irish Fest is one of them! demonstrations. Be sure not to miss all of Milwaukee Irish Fest is back and will the family-friendly entertainment at the celebrate their 40th anniversary August 20- newly renovated Cedar Crest Children's 22 at the Henry Maier Festival Park along Stage, which features everything from the lakefront. musical performances to puppetry and
more!
Different from years past, this year’s parades will be spontaneous, in order to limit crowding, and will occur on Saturday and Sunday of the festival. Think of it like a flash mob, but parade style! So be on the The three-day festival will feature more than lookout as each parade is sure to catch your 50 entertainment acts ranging from Irish eyes, ears, and imagination! dance to traditional Irish, folk, rock, and even bluegrass music. This year’s festival And if you’re feeling a little hungry, Irish shines a light on the rich musical traditions Fest has over 35 food locations throughout brought over from the Celtic nations across the grounds - from Irish cuisine to American the centuries with its theme: The Spirit of food menu items, plus desserts, such as ice Irish America. View the full lineup at cream, pastries and more! irishfest.com/lineup.
Family Fun at Irish Fest August 5 General Meeting Irish Fest is a family-friendly festival, and Our August 5 General meeting will again be there are many activities and entertainment held at O’Donoghue’s, 13225 W for the whole family to enjoy! While parts of Watertown Plank at 7 pm. Food available the festival may be a little different this year for purchase at the bar. We will have a due to COVID-19 mitigation efforts, there raffle will still be plenty of ways to have a CelticMKE director Mike Mitchell will be memorable festival experience! giving an Irish Fest update. Just past the rainbow and castle are fun The 2021-22 Board will be elected via a activities, such as the Lili-Putt mini golf, voice vote. Don’t forget to show your Irish pride and purchase and view additional ways to save check out the shopping areas at Irish Fest! some green. Slainte! There is something for everyone - Irish- themed clothing, jewelry, home decor, Milwaukee Irish Fest is opening two hours imported goods and treats, official Irish Fest earlier on Friday, August 20, with gates gear, and more. opening at 2:00 pm. The festival is open Friday from 2pm to Midnight, Saturday Health and Safety from 12 pm to Midnight, and Sunday Irish Fest can’t wait to greet you with from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, with a Mass 100,000 welcomes and celebrate their love service starting at 9:30 a.m. at the for Irish and Celtic culture together, in Amphitheater. The South Gate will open at person! Irish Fest wants you to have an 8:30 for the Mass service. More info at enjoyable experience AND feel safe when irishfest.com. visiting! CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF IRISH Irish Fest recommends visiting the Health AMERICA and Safety updates page on their website to at the 40th Milwaukee Irish Fest learn about their health and safety protocols, as well as any significant Milwaukee Irish Fest, the world’s largest changes that will be implemented at the celebration of Celtic music and culture, has festival. For example, Irish Fest is going released its highly anticipated 2021 lineup, cashless this year. Payment options will which features more than 50 entertainment include credit cards, debit cards, Google acts, including several Irish American Pay, Apple Pay, etc. Irish Fest will have 7 artists. The 40th festival will spotlight the cash-to-card machines placed rich music and heritage of Irish America. throughout the grounds so you can convert your cash into prepaid debit cards Thanks to the hundreds of musicians and that can be used not only anywhere inside entertainers performing each year, guests the grounds, but also anywhere in the U.S. are treated to the range of styles within the where MasterCard is accepted. Irish Fest Celtic music genre. Traveling exhibits and will also have several sanitizing stations special shows have brought artwork, installed throughout the grounds and artifacts, and experts in everything from enhanced cleaning protocols in place. View Celtic food to ancient language to the more information at irishfest.com/updates festival grounds.
Irish Fest Admission & Hours This year Milwaukee Irish Fest is Tickets to the festival are $21 per day, highlighting the spirit of the music and general admission. Irish Fest encourages traditions that were brought over from the you to buy your tickets online, in advance, Emerald Isle and other Celtic nations across to avoid crowded areas outside the Gate the centuries with its theme of celebrating ticket windows and to get inside the festival Irish America. Irish America has had a grounds safer and quicker! Children 12 and significant impact on American music and under are free and do not require a ticket for culture and that impact will be showcased entry. Go to irishfest.com/tickets to throughout the festival weekend.
THE MUSICAL BEAT OF IRISH AMERICA Artists from around America, who either moved from Ireland or are American artists playing Irish music, will treat audiences to everything from traditional music to contemporary music. Take a look below at some of the many artists that will be performing at the festival.
Ashley Davis Band They have a deep gratitude for their fans, Think Joni Mitchell meets contemporary but it’s best summed up in the words of Celtic and you’ll get something like the Patrick Murphy: “The fans are the ones that creative force of Ashley Davis, an American have given us this life. We’re here for them.” singer-songwriter whose musical imagination invites the world into her John Whelan and Brian Conway eclectic sphere. Sher launched her career Seven-time all-Ireland champion John under the mentorship of artists like Whelan is one of the world’s best living Irish Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Davis released button accordion players. He has been a fan her first Irish album, “Down By the Sea,” in favorite for over three decades. 2011—a unique iteration of Irish folk Born in 1961 to parents from County Tyrone distinguished by her background in folk. in Northern Ireland, Brian Conway first Cherish the Ladies studied with Limerick-born fiddle player Cherish the Ladies has performed together Martin Mulvihill. as a group almost as long as Milwaukee Brian remains faithful to the rich tradition Irish Fest has been around. Over 35 years handed down to him. of making music together, and now they’ll John Whelan has performed at Milwaukee be performing at the 40th Milwaukee Irish Irish Fest over five times and Brian Conway Fest together. has made a few appearances over the
years. Under the leadership of All-Ireland flute and whistle champion Joanie Madden, named Jimmy Keane and Mick Moloney by The Irish Voice Newspaper as one of the Jimmy’s accomplishments are far reaching. Top 25 most influential Irish Americans of He has achieved astonishing and the past quarter century, these ladies create unprecedented success in competitive an evening that includes a spectacular playing, having won five consecutive All- blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, Ireland titles on the piano accordion. beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements, Dr. Mick Moloney is a traditional Irish and stunning step dancing. musician, originally from Limerick. Mick Moloney combines the careers of folklorist, Gaelic Storm musicologist, arts presenter and advocate, Gaelic Storm has been a part of the festival professional musician, and professor of for over two decades. Their latest release, music and Irish studies. He played a vital Go Climb a Tree, has never sounded more part in the folk-song revival in the 1960s and representative of themselves as musicians later moved to America in the 1970s. and as live performers. Both musicians have appeared multiple times at Milwaukee Irish Fest since the Volunteer For Irish Fest 2021 for 1980s. the Shamrock Club
Rory Makem Want to get in free to Irish Fest? A seasoned performer with over 30 years on the road, Rory has toured extensively We could use your help! We will have a with The Makem Brothers, and the Makem Shamrock Club retail booth and a cultural and Spain Brothers and for 17 years played booth. Many volunteer shifts are available, guitar with his father, Tommy Makem. most about 3 hours. All will include a pass for FREE admission! And after your shift is At his best on stage, Rory captivates his over, you can enjoy the rest of the festival. audiences with charisma, passion for the songs, poetry, history, humor, and skilled Shifts will be 2 pm to Midnight on Friday musicianship. for Retail, 2 pm to 7 pm in Cultural; Noon
IRISH DANCE to midnight in Retail, and noon to 7 pm Milwaukee Irish Fest also features multiple in Cultural on Saturday; and on Sunday, performances throughout the weekend from 11 am to 10 pm for Retail, and 11 am to 6 Midwest dance schools, as dance plays a pm on Sunday for Cultural major part in the history and culture of Use our Signup Genius app to give us your Ireland and Irish America. Enjoy Irish dance times. performances from: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a084ca
● Beglan Academy of Irish Dance fad22a4fb6-shamrock1
● Bellator Academy of Irish Dance Melanie Green Roepke ● Cashel Academy of Irish Dance [email protected] ● Glencastle Irish Dancers
● Kinsella Academy of Irish Dance ● Milwaukee Academy of Irish Dance Color Guard News ● Milwaukee Irish Dance Company The Shamrock Club Color Guard Pipes and ● Trinity Academy of Irish Dance Drums will be appearing at the Irish Fest Mass. The 40th festival lineup features more than We are looking to have a great 50 Irish and Celtic entertainment acts from representation presenting the colors, and across America. In addition to the above, with pipers. you can catch performances at Milwaukee If you would like to join us, please contact Irish Fest from The Byrne Brothers, Eileen me very soon. Ivers, The Moxie Strings, The Screaming Orphans, athas, Tallymoore, Frogwater, Malkin Wallace Derek Byrne and Paddygrass, Tis, Alasdair [email protected] Fraser and Natalie Haas, The Winifred Horan Trio, Seamus Kennedy, and much more. https://irishfest.com
Club Elections in August – Candidate Biographies The election will be by voice vote at the August meeting. Melanie Roepke - Membership Melanie Roepke joined the Shamrock Club
in 2019 with her husband, Jack, and August Birthdays: daughters, Clara and Eleanor. She enjoys 1 - Dayna Danielson the camaraderie of the Club and serving as 5 - Kathy Avery membership chair. It is her mission to 12 -Joe Hughes expand to club to a wider membership this 21 -Ellen Malloy year. Melanie works with students at I met Sharon Murphy at the Feis in July Marquette University and has held volunteer sporting a pink stocking hat keeping her positions in the Irish dance community. She bare head warm. Sharon is dealing with the enjoys traveling, bird watching, and learning chemo for her stage #1 breast cancer and about history. thinking she is on the road to good health. I Kathy Avery - Secretary told her we are all behind her, supporting Hello, I am Kathleen Avery and I am her, not pushing her. running for Secretary of the Shamrock Club. Until retirement, I had worked as an Laurie Lund is recovering from her recent Elementary School teacher and librarian for surgery. More prayers are requested. 34 years. I joined the club at Irish Fest about 6 years ago. As a member, I have Fr. Terry Brennan says his condition is volunteered at the food booth at both the stable, due to all the prayers. And cards. He Holiday Folk Fair and Post Parade Party. I says to send more cards. donated items for the Irish Studies
Debra Hughes, the mother of Erin Rinderle Scholarship raffle. I have also served as and Joe Hughes, Jr, passed away recently. the Membership Chairperson for the Shamrock Club. I look forward to working The Roepkes were traveling the country as the club’s secretary and becoming more with their La Crosse playing daughters. involved with the Milwaukee Area Irish Eleanor and Jack were in Illinois, where she Community. played great defense. Clara and Melanie John Avery – Vice President were in Virginia. Later, the family were all in For many, many years I attended the St. Indiana, where Clara’s team took second in Patrick’s Day Parade held in Milwaukee. I a tournament. always wanted to walk in a St. Patrick’s Day parade. I joined the Shamrock Club Send me your birthdays and your news. We because I thought that this would be my want to hear about you, good and bad. means of walking in the parade. I found out Maggie Blaha that there is more to being a part of the Sunshine Club Chair Shamrock Club than just the parade. I [email protected] enjoy having assisted in assembling the parade float and have volunteered at the post parade party which is providing the city with a great Irish experience. I have Dad's side thanks to my Irish Grandma, volunteered at the Folk Fair in various Lorraine Kreuser (Donlon). I grew capacities like set up, tear down and the up turning everything green on St. food booth. Irish Fest has always been one Patrick's Day with a bottle of green of my favorite weekends of the year. I food coloring. helped with the setup of the retail and I joined the club around 5 years ago at membership booths and volunteered at the Irish Fest because I wanted to further membership booth. I look forward to celebrate my Irish roots. Shortly after increasing my involvement in the Shamrock joining I joined the Color Guard Pipes Club as Vice President. I have yet to walk and Drums, which I love and am hoping has in the parade. a rebirth in the near future. I Megan Walton-Mueller - Parliamentarian I have enjoyed volunteering for Irish was born and raised in Milwaukee. I belong Fest, Folk Fair, Easter Rising Mass and to Mother of Good Counsel Catholic pretty much anything else that came Church, attended St. Joan Antida High along. I look forward to continuing my School, UW Milwaukee and MATC. I am a current role. 2004 graduate of the Funeral Service program and also graduated in 2000 with a degree in Surgical Technology. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, vacationing in Northern Wisconsin, traveling with my husband and stepson, and attending Brewers, Red Sox games and
Milwaukee Bucks basketball. I am the past Dave Knight - Assistant of sergeant at president of the Milwaukee/Waukesha Co. arms - Not on ballot Funeral Directors Association and past My Irish roots come from my grandmother, secretary of the Shamrock Club of Helen Donnelly, who passed Milwaukee. I was recently married in June away when I was 12 years old. My of 2021. family didn’t celebrate our Irish heritage as I Lisa Rott - Treasurer do today. As Treasurer, I will continue to work hard to Adam Bartelt - Trustee keep the Club’s finances organized, bills My involvement in the Shamrock Club Paid, and to work with the board began even before I was an official members on financial information member. After serving as Trustee, about functions the Club has held or I have spent the past two plus years as will hold in the future. vice-president I have been working in the Accounting Brian Witt – President field since 2013. I was an Office Manager of I look forward to serving the Shamrock Club A/R and A/P for four years again as President. This will be an exciting working with all aspects of a small and dynamic year for the organization. business. Deb Kreuser - Sergeant-at-arms Shamrock Club of Wisconsin According to Ancestry I am only 18% 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave Irish. But that 18% runs deep on my Milwaukee WI 53233 President’s Message Don’t forget to sign up a new member, be it Dia Duit: a family member, coworker, or neighbor. Better yet, drag ‘em to a meeting. What a difference a year makes. We are again meeting in person, preparing Continue to include Fr. Terry Brennan and for Irish Fest and planning for the Halfway all who are ill or suffering in your prayers. to St. Patrick’s Day Parade. And it Until we meet again, be smart, stay safe appears the Holiday Folk Fair is a go. and get your shot(s).
Join your friends and fellow members on Josh Walton Thursday night, August 5, 7:00pm at President of the Shamrock Club of O’Donoghues. On the agenda, Mike Wisconsin Mitchell, executive director of CelticMKE, will join us and give the Club a preview of this year’s Irish Fest: what’s new, who’s returning and what we should not miss. As in years past the Club will be the sponsor of the Gaeltacht tent.
At the meeting we will generously offer you the opportunity to volunteer for the retail booth (see Adam) and cultural tent (see Melanie). Please be generous with your The July 2021 meeting at O’Donoghue’s time, after all we gave you last year off. Irish Photo by Mary T. Koehler Fest passes will be included in the raffle.
Also, the election will be held for the Emerald Reflections Copy Deadline upcoming year. Although there are no contested positions, Mike Malloy our Content for Emerald Reflections is due on the 15th of the month (next deadline: parliamentarian says a vote must be held, August 15th to appear in the September which can be accomplished by a voice vote issue.) to cast a unanimous ballot. Copy received after that date will not appear due to deadlines. While we try to include For the September 2 general meeting, the every submission possible, due to space membership will return to the ICHC. limitations, we cannot guarantee that every Instillation of the new board will be held. submission will be included immediately. Planning is underway for a grand return, Email submissions preferred, send to: Brian Witt, Editor details forthcoming. [email protected] Thank you to Brian Witt who on his om Shamrock Club of Wisconsin birthday requested donations to the 2133 W Wisconsin Avenue Shamrock Club. Thanks to Jamie Milwaukee WI 53233 O’Donoghue for hosting the Club the last 2 months. It was good to see Jean Bills in attendance at the July meeting. Shamrock Club State Advisory Board at Irish Fest in August At the May State Advisory Board meeting, the following updates were given: Green Bay – A Halfway-day Party in September, a Picnic in July, a Brat Fry in August but no Golf Outing this year. New Dublin – Had their elections and new Milwaukee Hurling Club president is Ryan Lanning. ND is having a The Milwaukee Hurling Club started league Halfway-Day Ceili on September 17 at play on July 11 at Brown Deer Park. The Crystal Falls. They are having Shamrock Shamrock Club Griffins won their maiden Club day at a Legion ballgame this summer. match of the season with an overtime victory over County Clare. The next week The next meeting will be at Milwaukee Irish saw the Griffins 5-18 (33) over The Brick 3- Fest on August 21, 2021, at 10 am. Board 8 (17). Week was the Shamrock Club 7-6 President Linda Pfaff of La Crosse will (27) over Three Lions 3-12 (21) contact the people there and set it up. Season Standings:
Judi Barrington, Secretary Milwaukee Ale House 3-0 Shamrock Club 3-0 O'Lydia's 2-1 County Clare 2-1 Energy Masters 1-2 McBob's 1-2 The Brick 0-3 Three Lions 0-3 Renew your membership in the Shamrock Join us ion Sundays at Brown Deer Park. Club. Youth games at 9.30 am, Adult at 11 am. Ty Carroll You can also pay online at Shamrock Club Griffins Coach https://shamrockclub-wis.square.site for a secure online payment. Many people have August 1 is Lunasa used this method of payment already, and it works wonderfully. Copy and paste, or type, the URL into a browser to access the site.
Also, give the gift of a membership to a family member or friend. Let them join in the fun of creating Irish American history. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Lugh was the ultimate in Irish and Celtic Melanie Green Roepke gods. Dance through a bonfire in his honor. Membership chair