Irish Music & May 2018 Dance Association Bealtaine

The mission of the Irish Music and Dance Association is to support and promote Irish music, dance, and other cultural traditions to insure their continuation.

Inside this issue:

Bands! Musicians! Poets! Festival of Nations 2 Actors! Dancers! Summer Camps & Classes 2, 4, 5 Irish Festival Preview 7 JOIN US FOR THE IRISH MUSIC & DANCE ASSOCIATION’S NEXT

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 -- 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm Black Dog Café, 308 Prince Street, St. Paul (Near the Farmers Market and the St. Paul Saints’ CHS Field)

For more information, or to indicate your interest in performing, contact the IMDA at [email protected] or call Kevin at 651-983-6384

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 2 Dance Association

The IMDA Board is: President: Julia Rogers Vice President: Jan Casey Treasurer: Rob Thomas Secretary: Jean Bergstrom Board Members: John Concannon Kevin Carroll Kathie Luby The International Institute’s annual Festival of Nations is Amber Ladany the most diverse, oldest and longest running multicultural Maureen Engelhardt Aja Beers festival in the Midwest. Since 1932, its goal has been to inspire Editor: Kathie Luby Assistant Editor Kevin Carroll people to discover more about our world and embrace the rich IMDA Board Meetings are open to the membership. cultural diversity in our community. Nearly 100 ethnic groups The Board meets regularly on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm at the Dubliner Pub, St. Paul. Members are encouraged to verify the time and loca- will come together for a unique, 4-day experience that tion shortly before, as meeting times and locations can change. celebrates cultural heritage through dancing, performances,

Contact Information exhibits, demonstrations and cuisine. The Festival is a department of the International Institute of Minnesota, whose E-mail: [email protected] mission is to “help New Americans achieve self-sufficiency Newsletter Submissions and full membership in American life.” We welcome our readers to submit articles of interest, news, and notices of events to be published in the newsletter. The deadline is the 18th of the preceding month. As the Minnesota cultural landscape expands to include Send to: [email protected] more immigrants, our community benefits culturally and economically. By providing a platform to showcase diversity and a stage for new artists we share and document this most precious heritage. The Festival evolves each year by welcoming new ethnic groups and by offering programming that reflects the cultural fluidity of our community.

Irish on Grand will be part of the International Bazaar and Irish and Celtic cultures will be represented through performances by the Irish band (Siobhan Dugan, Tom Juenemann, Chad McAnally, and Mary Vanorny), O’Shea Irish Dance, Knocknagow Irish Dancers and Mooncoin Céili Dancers.

The Festival of Nations is held at RiverCenter in downtown St. Paul on May 4 thru 6 beginning at 4:30 pm on Friday. Thursday and Friday day hours are reserved for student groups. Advance tickets are available on the festival website. Free transportation is available through MetroTransit by downloading a free pass through the Festival website - www.festivalofnations.com.

Rince na Chroi Summer Dance Camp

The Rince na Chroi Irish Dancers, celebrating their 15th anniversary this year, will hold their beginner- level summer dance camp from July 23-27 at Concordia University in St. Paul. This is a great way for kids to try out Irish dancing, to learn about Irish culture, to make new friends and to have a lot of fun!

The registration deadline is June 1. For more information and to register, please visit http:// rincenachroi.com/summer-dance-camp/.

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 3 Dance Association

The Gaelic Corner By Will Kenny

As I was listening to the wonderful sean- Many other living creatures are collected with - nós singing of Máirín Uí Chéide lann words. If you are a at the Celtic Junction recently, I beekeeper, you keep many thought about the range of events a beach, or "bee" in and activities that take place your beachlann. Put a lot of there. And I thought that the "birds" (éan) in one place, and Junction was a true cultúrlann, a you have an éanlann or "aviary," cultural center. (My thanks, by the way, to the just as you find "deer" (fia) in a "deer park" (fialann). Traditional Singers Club for sponsoring this event, not only bringing us a great performance, but with Other uses of -lann are less transparent. Amharc is the loveliest Conamara accent to her Irish as well.) a word for "sight" -- the ability to see things, but also

The suffix -lann indicates a collection or interesting sights, things that are seen. And you can gathering of something. When you gather the see a series of interesting things, or "scenes," in elements of cultúr in one place, you have an amharclann, or "theater." a cultúrlann. Meanwhile, a feithealann is a "waiting room." Feith is a verb that means to "wait for" or "expect" something. There are plenty of interesting -lann words, many And a réadlann -- réad for "star" -- is not a place of which are quite straightforward. Bring books where you store or gather stars, but where you see (leabhar) together, and you get a leabharlann, which them, an astronomical observatory. is a "library." You store arms or weapons in an armlann. Earra is the word for "goods" or The word dia was once used to mean "day," "merchandise," which you store in an earralann, or although it isn't used that way anymore. Still, "warehouse." A long is a "ship," so a longlann is a your dialann, your "collection of days," is your diary "dockyard." When you are looking for the kind of or journal. cultural enlightenment you find in a "museum," you Finally, the Irish would understand why our "Land go to an iarsmalann, an iarsma being a "relic" or the of 10,000 Lakes" boasts such a strong Scandinavian remains of something. heritage. Their word for a Scandinavian or You find various kinds of "food" (bia) in "Norseman" (also for "marauder") is Lochlannach. A a bialann, the word in Irish used for "restaurant." For Dubh-Lochlannach, "dark" one, would be a Dane, and the specific food "cream" or uachtar, go to a Fionn-Lochlannach, a "fair" one, would be a the uachtarlann or "creamery." Norwegian!) The heart of that word, lochlann, would refer to a place where many lakes (loch) are to be You can also collect various types of people in found. these -lann places. Othar is the Irish word for "patient," so put a bunch of them in an otharlann and Although I like the idea of a Gaeilgeoirlann, a you have yourself a "hospital." Irish uses the "collection of Irish speakers," there is unfortunately word gealt for what we might call a "lunatic," and no such word. Instead, we use the word Gaeltacht, you will find them in the "asylum," or gealtlann -- and Gaeltacht Minnesota has been gathering Irish which cannot be used for asylum in the sense of, say, learners and Irish speakers for more than 35 years. "political asylum." Dílleachta refers to an "orphan," See what we are up to at www.gaelminn.org. so naturally an "orphanage" is a dílleachtlann. A place where you collect "dead" (marbh) people is Ní mar a shíltear a chríochnaítear a marbhlann or "morgue." And since a drúth is a "It's not as is thought that things finish up," that is, "harlot," you would use drúthlann to refer to a "The best laid plans go oft astray" "brothel."

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Concerts at the Celtic Junction Arts Center

Jamie Gans with Dáithí Sproule, May 6 Music starts 7 pm. Advance tickets $17, $22 at the door. Youth 18 and under free!

Old time and Irish fusion! For this very special concert, great Jamie Gans will be accompanied on by his old friend, Twin Cities guitarist and singer, Dáithí Sproule, who is looking forward to playing some songs with Jamie from their old repertoire. Special guests will include Jamie’s musical partners of yore – local legends Martin McHugh and Laura MacKenzie.

Sophie & Fiachra, May 19 Music starts 8 pm. Advance tickets $15, $20 at the door. Youth 18 and under free!

Quebecois and Irish fusion! Described as “Invigorating” by The Irish Times, Sophie & Fiachra take the Traditional Music of Quebec and Ireland and mate it in a unique way, remaining true to their roots while creating a new and original sound. Their sound is rooted in the Fiddle playing and singing of Quebecoise Sophie Lavoie, the uilleann piping and playing of Fiachra O’Regan from Ire- land. Their sound is sweetened all the more by Gaelic and French Canadian song arrangements.

Classes in the Eoin McKiernan Library

Introduction to W.B. Yeats and Irish mythology. 7:00-8:30 pm. Monday, May 7, 14, 21, and 28 (4 sessions). Class fee: $80 or $72 if you email the instructor Dr. Patrick O'Donnell to preregister:[email protected]

Learn how the multi-talented genius, William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), employed Irish mythology as inspirational source material to spark into being the Irish Literary Renaissance from 1885-1939, to write profound mystical Irish po- etry, and to craft plays of heroic dignity. The course will broadly survey the key narrative cycles of Irish mythology highlighting such central figures as Balor of the Evil Eye, Lugh of the Long Hand, the Children of Lir, Deirdre of the Sorrows, Cuchulainn, Maeve, Finn McCool, and the Sons of Uisneach. It will then focus in on the specific mythic char- acters that illuminate the writing of Yeats. [Course text: Over Nine Waves: A Book of Irish Legends by Marie Heaney. [Any edition]]

Unlocking the Mystery of Sherlock Holmes. 12:00-2:00 pm Saturday May 12 & 19 (two sessions). Fee: $48. Email instructor Jacqueline Hesse, MFA to pre- register: [email protected] Explore the fiction (particularly "A Study in Scarlet" and "The Sign of the Four,") cultural assumptions (and blind spots!) and biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his most famous creation Sherlock Holmes in this class for read- ers and lovers of classic Victorian literature. Crime fiction and mystery writers will enjoy the craft elements of this class as we discuss and dissect the climactic tension that makes these stories work.

Introduction to Drawing Celtic Mythology. 7:00-8:30 pm Thursday May 17, 24, 31, and June 7 (4 sessions). Class fee: $60 or $54 (if you email instructor Car- rie Finnigan to [email protected] Learn how the haunting and magical gods, goddesses, heroes, magicians, and landscapes of the Celtic realms can be given creative expression and re-interpretation in a class for beginners and enthusiasts at all levels. The principles of formal composition and color theory will be applied to this inspirational mythic and iconic imagery. [Note: students should bring paper, or a drawing notebook and preferred drawing materials (pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, etc.) Due to the delicate nature of the library, paint, charcoal and pastels are not permitted.]

Finding an Immigrant’s Place of Origin. 10:30 am. - Noon May 19. Instructor Tom Rice. What are best strategies and sources to uncover this most important key to extending a lineage back to the birthplace in the mother country? www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 5 Dance Association

Center for Irish Music Summer Camps & Classes

Summer camp and class registration is now open at www.centerforirishmusic.org. Please contact us at [email protected] or (651) 815-0083 with questions.

Exploring Irish Music - Ages 4-7 June 11-15 | M-F | 9:00 am-12:00 pm (3 hours/day) Cost: $149 before June 1st / $165 after June 1st Instructor: Becca Michaelson This camp is designed specifically for early music and movement development. Campers will be introduced to the wonderful world of Irish music and tradition through stories, song, dance and play. The week will be filled with activities that ignite imagination, foster creativity, and build skills for future musicians. With an opportunity to try real instruments, campers will showcase their new skills for parents at the end of the week.

Introduction to Irish Music - Age s 11-14 August 13-17, M-F, 9:00 am-12:00 pm (3 hours/day) Cost: $149 before June 1st / $160 after June 1st Instructor: Danielle Enblom

A one-week music immersion where kids who share a passion or curiosity for Irish music come together to explore melody, movement, and rhythm. The instructor, Danielle Enblom is a music and dance teacher, as well as an elementary school teacher at the City of Lakes Waldorf School. Her children's programs are de- signed to engage students in learning opportunities that will indulge and excite their creative spirit while teaching skills that build well rounded musicians. Throughout the week campers will explore Irish song, vari- ous forms of step dance, the Irish bodhran, and the Irish

Introduction to Irish Harp - Ages 8-12 July 16-20 | M-F | 9:30 am-11:30 am (2 hours/day) Cost: $130 before June 1st / $150 after June 1st Instructor: Mattie Ernst

Learn all about the harp, one of Ireland's oldest instruments! This camp is for new and current students with no prior harp experience. Students will learn to play tunes and accompany songs while learning about the history of the instrument. Music, games and other fun activities will provide an opportunity to learn basic technique as well and rhythm and ear-training skills valuable to any Irish musician!

Ensemble Summer Camp - Ages 10-18 July 23-27 | M-F | 9:00 am-1:00 pm (4 hours/day) Cost: $195 before June 1st / $205 after June 1st Instructors: Norah Rendell, Mary Vanorny & more! Calling ALL youth ensemble members and anyone who is interested in being in one some time in the future at the Center for Irish Music! This camp will include sessions, a new tune each day, guided listening, trad youtube videos and more sessions....! Bring your bag lunch and we'll take a jaunt over to New- ell park for lunch each day, weather-permitting.

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 6 Dance Association

An Leabhragan (The Bookcase) Danny Who? Four Decades in Irish Music Tom Dahill Celtic Collaborative Press 2017

Tom Dahill, balladeer, piper, fiddler, longtime survivor in the ranks of , is a man who knows everyone, past and present, in the Irish music world. Well, maybe there are one or two famous musicians living or dead that he does not know, but his book reads like a Who's Who of all the music legends associated with the Irish traditional music revival from the 1970s and beyond: Patrick Hill, "Cuz" Teahan, Patrick Flanagan, Charlie Piggott, and on and on. If they played the music, they're probably in here. It's a great book to read if you know several of the local characters: Ann and Chuck (aka Charlie) Heymann, Daithi Sproule, Paddy O'Brien, Marty McHugh, et al. But it would be a robust and rollicking read even if you know nothing about the Twin Cities and the 1970s Irish music revival here.

Tom Dahill's adventures as a troubadour, oil rigger, fisherman, sailor, builder, traveling minstrel: it's all like something out of a Mark Twain novel. Tom's life has been so colorful and varied and full of wild shenanigans that he couldn't make this stuff up. As I read this page-turning biography, I realized that few of us know the whole history of how the tradition was passed on in the Rare Old Times: the transmission of music knowledge was person to person (sometimes cassette-to-person, with cherished living room recordings made in the murky, smoke-filled hours of early morning sessions).

In the old days we didn't have the Center For Irish Music, knowledgeable teachers, good instruments easily obtained, structured classes. Finding and learning trad music was a quest involving lots of travel, patience, and pure luck (the story of how Tom's cherished uillean pipes came to him is a story worth the price of the book alone). Reading this engaging book is witnessing the bridge built between history and the present, with Tom Dahill a major part of the span. For those of us who were there, and for generations who followed, this saga will remain as an enduring testament to the music, to adventure, to those who went before and who follow after. Thanks, Tom; good on ya!

Sherry Ladig , Saint Paul-based trad musician, is a former reviewer for the Hungry Mind Bookstore's newsletter, Fodder. Sherry welcomes books of Irish or Irish-American interest for her to review---or, write a review yourself! Sherry may be reached at [email protected].

Happy Spring reading !

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Irish Festival Preview – Save these dates!

The festival season will soon be here – don’t let the late Spring fool you!

Chicago Gaelic Park Irish Fest, , IL – May 25-28. Four days of great music, theatre and storytell- ing on 6 stages at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest. Featured bands include Emmet Cahill, American English, Rory Makem, Sophie and Fiachra, The Dancing Noodles, Rocks Off, The Fitzgeralds and more. Details at chicagogaelicparkirishfest.org/

Oshkosh Irish Fest, Oshkosh, WI – June 15-17. The Oshkosh festival is held in a comfortable setting at the Leach Amphitheater in Riverside Park, downtown Oshkosh. Featured are Gaelic Storm and Skerryvore plus Tallymore and more. Details at www.oshkoshirishfest.com. (Oshkosh is 280 miles from St. Paul – about a 5 hour drive.)

Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival, Cleveland, OH – July 20-22. This is the 36th year for the Cleveland fes- tival held at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. Eileen Ivers, the Fitzgeralds, Gaelic Storm, The Druids, Scythian, and Derek Warfield & the Young Wolf Tones are some of the bands plus Irish schools and pipe bands! Details at clevelandirish.org.

Dublin Irish Festival, Dublin, OH – Aug. 3-5. “Celebrating the Homeland from the Heartland.” Sharon Shannon, Gaelic Storm, We Banjo 3, The Willis Clan, Eileen Ivers, The Stepcrew, Tannahill Weavers, Young Dubliners, Scythian, Open the Door for Three, The Go Set, and Doolin’ are just a taste of the bands that will help you experience a world of music! Details at www.dublinirishfestival.org.

Iowa Irish Festival, Waterloo, IA – Aug. 3 – 5. The Elders, The High Kings, Derek Warfield & the Wolfe Tones, The Gothard Sisters,, The Fitzgeralds, The Screaming Orphans, and The Dublin City Ramblers are some of the groups that you can enjoy in a lovely, relaxed park setting just a few hours from the Twin Cities! Get the whole story at www.iowairishfest.com. Irish Fair of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN – Aug. 10-12. Altan , Doolin’, Gaelic Storm, The Screaming Orphans, We Banjo 3, plus lots of our wonderful local bands! Get the whole story at www.irishfair.com.

Milwaukee Irish Fest, Milwaukee, WI - Aug. 16 thru 19. Experience the World’s Largest Celebration of and Culture with an entertainment line-up featuring artists from , Ireland,, Scotland, & the U.S. Here’s a bit of a taste: Mary Bergin, Cúig, Greenfields of America, Natalie MacMas- ter Donnell Leahy & Family, Socks in the Frying Pan and our own Hannah Flowers. And here are some of the new groups: Cóig, Daoiri Farrell, Doolin’, Hank Cramer, Jiggy, Scott Macmillian and Colin Grant, Seo Linn, and Shannon Quinn. A four-day pass is available on-line until Aug. 1. Be sure to check out the website at www.irishfest.com to plan your weekend.

Indy Irish Fest, Indianapolis, IN – Sept. 14- 16. Indy Irish Fest is held in historic Military Park in down- town Indianapolis. Aoife Scott, The Narrowbacks, The High Kings, Chance the Arm, and Ennis Clare are some of the artists. Check in for more at www.indyirishfest.com.

Michigan Irish Music Festival, Muskegon, MI – Sept. 13 – 26. The Entertainment Schedule is “in the works” but Michigan Irish Music Festival will not disappoint and Muskegon will welcome you! Muskegon is just across Lake Michigan from Door County. Leave your car and take the ferry for a great weekend of music! Details and updates are posted at www.michiganirish.org.

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 8 Dance Association

The Center for Irish Music Presents The Harvest Home, September 22, 2018

Featuring Trian

Join the members of Trian - , Billy McComiskey and Dáithí Sproule - for a day of Irish music workshops, interview, community lunch and a Saturday night concert. We welcome all instrumentalists, singers and music enthusiasts to join in this wonderful one-day celebration of traditional Irish music and cul- ture.

For more information, a full schedule of events, and to register, visit www.centerforirishmusic.org.

Workshops, 9:00am-4:00 pm Fiddle, , guitar, song, and repertoire workshops. All ages are welcome! $35/workshop when you register by August 31st $40 after August 31st

Interview with Liz Carroll, 2:30 pm $15 when you register by August 31st $18 after August 31st

Saturday Night Concert, 7:30 pm Don't miss this opportunity to hear Trian in concert, featuring compositions by Grammy-nominated fiddler Liz Carroll, songs by Dáithí Sproule of award-winning band Altan, and the virtuosic accordion playing of Billy McComiskey. $20 when you purchase your tickets by August 31st $25 after August 31st $10 youth tickets for ages 18 and under

Weekend Package Deal Take your pick of workshops/interview and come to the whole weekend! $99 before August 31st $119 after August 31st

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Artist Biographies Liz Carroll Liz Carroll is an award-winning Irish-American fiddler and composer. Born in Chicago to Irish parents, she began learning traditional tunes when she was five years old. In her teens, she competed at the , eventually earning prestigious title of senior All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, the second American to have ever completed this achievement at the time. Liz has toured as a solo artist and with the Greenfields of America, Trian, , and as part of the duo Liz Carroll & John Doyle. She's featured on eleven albums and has appeared on many more. Liz is a recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship Award (1994), a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Art. In 2009, she became the first Irish-American musician nominated for a Grammy, and in 2011, she be- came the first American-born composer honored with the Cumadóir TG4, Ireland's most significant tradi- tional music prize. Liz's newest album, String Sisters: Between Wind and Water (2018) features six of the world's best fiddlers and has been called an "album that’s as fascinating in its scope as it is exciting in its de- livery" (FolkWords Reviews.)

Billy McComiskey “Billy McComiskey is the finest and most influential B/C box player ever to emerge from the US. In that sense, Billy’s place within the transatlantic pantheon of Irish button accordionists is both high and secure, and Outside The Box will only strengthen that judgment.” – Earle Hitchner, The Wall Street Journal / Irish Echo Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Billy McComiskey grew up in a family steeped in traditional Irish heritage and music. He began playing button accordion at age six, inspired by his uncles’ playing and his mother’s love of the music. Billy won the All-Ireland Senior accordion title in 1986 and has recorded three albums with the Irish Tradition (a trio featuring Brendan Mulvihill and Andy O’Brien) and two with Trian, as well as two solo CDs for Green Linnet / Compass. Billy also composes in the Irish traditional idiom, and has had the honor to have several tunes accepted into the living tradition, including collection into Josephine Keegan’s new collection of Irish Traditional Tunes, A Drop in the Ocean. He won the Irish Echo’s Album of the Year for his 2008 Outside the Box and was their 2011 Traditional Artist of the Year. Billy teaches musi- cians all over the world, as well as in his home state, as a master through the Maryland Traditions appren- ticeship program. He has been invited to share his outstanding talents at the , the Kennedy Cen- ter, and throughout the U.S., Ireland, and beyond. In 2016, Billy was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow.

Dáithí Sproule Dáithí Sproule is a native of Derry who has lived for many years in Minnesota. He is one of Irish music’s most respected guitar accompanists, and one of the first guitarists to develop DADGAD tuning for Irish mu- sic. Dáithí started out his career in the influential group, Skara Brae. He has performed and recorded with many great traditional Irish musicians, including James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien, Liz Carroll, Billy McComis- key, Tommy Peoples, Seamus and Manus McGuire, Randal Bays, James Keane, the Kane Sisters, and Dermy and Tara Diamond, and is a longtime member of the internationally renowned Irish band Altan. Dáithí’s original compositions have been recorded by Skara Brae, the Bothy Band, Altan, Trian, Liz Carroll, Aoife Clancy, Loreena McKennitt, the RTE Concert Orchestra, 10,000 Maniacs, and others. His song, “The Death of Queen Jane”, was featured in the 2013 Coen brothers film, “Inside Llewyn Davis”. He is known for his innovative arrangements of traditional songs, and in 1995 he released his first solo album, A Heart Made of Glass, with songs in English and Irish. In 2008 he released an instrumental guitar album “The Crow in the Sun”, featuring 13 original compositions. “Lost River, Vol. 1.” followed in 2011, In addition to performing and recording, Dáithí is a sought-after teacher at the Center for Irish Music (and all over the world) and lec- turer in subjects ranging from guitar styles and song accompaniment to Irish traditional music, language, myth and literature. www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 10 Dance Association

Coming to the Cedar

BAILE AN SALSA with Sister Tree May 7, 7:30 pm. Tickets $12 Advance, $15 Day of Show.

This is a standing show with an open floor.

Based in , Ireland, Baile An Salsa brings together an international mix of world-class musicians to deliver a distinctive blend of Latin rhythms and traditional Irish Music - a fusion which they call "Salsa- Trad." The musicians seamlessly blend their influences from Latin American Afro Music and Irish Tradi- tional to create a contemporary twist of original tunes and compositions. Vocals in English, Spanish and Irish meld with a vibrant combination of instruments, creating a full, rich sound. Their positive message of diversity and unity contributes to their growing appeal. They have thrilled big crowds at concerts and festivals in Ireland and abroad, including the Kansas City Folk Fest, Kansas City Irish Fest, Galway Oyster Fest, Dublin's Temple Bar TradFest, Cork Gathering Festival, Galway Guinness Festival, and the well-established Philadelphia Folk Fest, where they had listeners dancing all the way up the hillside at the Main Stage.

Powerful and engaging, Baile An Salsa's energetic and entertaining stage performance makes it nearly impossible for their audience to stay in their seats!

* * * * *

The Tannahill Weavers with The Northerly Gales May 24, 7:30 pm. Tickets $18 Advance, $20 Day of Show

As they approach their 50th anniversary in 2018, the Tannahill Weavers are one of Scotland's premier traditional bands. Their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied mu- sical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consist- ently over the years for their exuberant performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can't get better...yet continue to do just that.

Over the years the Tannies have been trailblazers for Scottish music, and their tight harmonies and pow- erful, inventive arrangements have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes. In 2011 the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, and in 2014 they are joined by innovative piper Lorne MacDougall. Lorne comes with a high pedigree, having arranged and performed pipes for the Disney Pixar movie “Brave”, along with a long list of other accomplishments.

The Tannahill Weavers are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to foot stomping reels and , the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 11 Dance Association

May Events

Wed May 2, 2018 THE DUBLINER PUB 9 pm St. Paul, MN

Fri & Sat May 11 & 12, 2018 CHARLIE'S IRISH PUB 7:30 pm Stillwater, MN

Greenwood Tree will be back in May at the Lumberyard Pub (formerly the Sail Away Café - 5/5 in Af- ton), the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival (5/12 and 13 at the Washington County Fairgrounds), and the Prior Lake Farmers Market (5/26).

www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 12 Dance Association

Northwoods Songs: Irish Songs from Lumberjacks and Great Lakes Sailors By Brian Miller

Northwoods Songs features a new song each month pulled from my research into old songs collected in the pine woods region that stretches from New Brunswick west through northern Minnesota. In the 1800s, a vibrant culture of singing and song-making developed in lumber camp bunkhouses and on Great Lakes ships. The repertoire and singing style were greatly influenced by Irish folk repertoire and Irish singing styles. Many singers in the region had Irish background themselves.

Each installment of Northwoods Songs is also published online at www.evergreentrad.com along with a video of me singing the song of the month. My hope is that others will learn some of these songs and make them their own as I have. -Brian Miller

SWEET MARY JANE

My true love’s name was Mary Jane, Her epitaph reveals the same, Her grace and charm I will proclaim, Through all my days moreover, Where could you find a fairer dame, And search this wide world over.

“My love and I we did agree, That when I would return from sea, We’d go straightway and married be, And live a life of leisure, No more to face the stormy sea, In quest of gold and treasure.

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“But I had not gone across the main, When cruel death had my companion slain, The pride and beauty of the plain, In her cold grave lay moldering, And our fond plan was all in vain, Amid the ruins smoldering.

“I am distressed what shall I do, I’ll roam this wide world through and through, I’ll sigh and sing for sake of you, My days I’ll spend in mourning, And in my dreams I’ll wander through, The lane that knows no turning.

A sad and beautiful song this month that was collected from several singers in eastern Canada and that was also in the repertoire of Minnesota singer Michael Dean. In most Canadian versions, the lost lover’s name is “Phoebe” (or “Bright Phoebe”). In Maine, singer Carrie Grover learned it as “Sweet Caroline” while in Minnesota, Dean sang “Mary Jane” and printed it as “Sweet Mary Jane” in his 1922 songster The Flying Cloud.

The above melody is my best effort to transcribe the richly ornamented version sung by New Brunswick singer Angelo Dornan. We do not know what melody Dean used but most collected melodies, including Dornan’s, show a resemblance to the famous “Greensleeves” melody. Dornan’s striking twists and turns make his air refreshingly unique. For text, I subbed in Dean’s first line and made a couple small changes of my own but otherwise stayed close to Dornan’s version including its unique six-line poetic structure (most other versions have four-line stanzas). Dornan sang two additional verses to what appears here and a transcription of his full version appears in Helen Creighton’s Maritime Folk Songs.

Visit a full archive of all Northwoods Songs columns and songs online at www.evergreentrad.com

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 14 Dance Association

Smidirini* (*Irish for ‘Bits and Pieces’) By Copper Shannon

. Comhghairdeas léi (Congratulations) and Best Wishes! to our friends at Landmark Center. Landmark Center was named Best Historic or Cultural Venue for 2018 by the readers of Minnesota Meetings + Events Magazine. We certainly agree! Landmark Center has been the beautiful venue for IMDA’s St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration and Day of Irish Dance since we began! We’re delighted to be partners with Minnesota Landmarks in these events!

. Comhghairdeas léi (Congratulations) and Best Wishes! to Laura MacKenzie, recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish American Center. The award was presented by Neil Johnson of the Scottish American Center, and MN Tartan Day Cooperative at the 2018 Scottish Ramble at Landmark Center, as part of Tartan Week in Minnesota.

. Keep your ears tuned for news of a new recording of the music of Turlough O'Carolan from Chad McAnally, Cory Froelich and Mary Vanorny. Most of us are familiar with the tunes – but O’Carolan wrote some beautiful songs as well. Chad and Cory presented the background of their research in a seminar at IMDA’s Day of Irish Dance. Look for more news soon.

. Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) Patrick Curry, long time bartender at The Dubliner Pub and Café, named the “Best Bartender” by City Pages! City Pages tells us “Think of him as an old-school Renaissance man. Yes, he delivers your drinks with swiftness. And, yes, he can perfect-pour a Guinness with shamrock atop. But he’s also the quintessential welcoming face behind the command post, a bartender capable of waxing with wisdom on everything from literature to the highest issues of the day. He’s kind, thoughtful, and empathetic, packaged in a live -and-let-live personality.” We’ll drink to that!

. Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) Merlins Rest, named “Best Pub” by City Pages! Here’s the scoop: “Did you know our National Anthem takes its tune from an old drinking song? You would if you were hanging out at Merlin’s Rest one recent night, as a packed house passed out lyric sheets and tried their merry best on pub standards of yore. (Note: Not all tunes are suitable for kids. In fact, all the best ones aren’t.) Gather strength from a menu filled with flaky meat pies and pasties, Stilton cheese, and gravy, plus... several other kinds of cheeses and gravies. You shush your mouth about counting calories. This next song’s about to start.” Great spot for food and drink – and for singing!

The Center for Irish Music

Come check us out at The Celtic Junction Arts Center 836 Prior Avenue, St Paul MN

Please check the website for information on our full range of instruction in traditional Irish music, language , culture and fun.

For class schedule and other information call or email 651-815-0083 [email protected]

Or visit our website

www.centerforirishmusic.org

Dedicated to Handing Down the Tradition www.IMDA-MN.org Irish Music & 15 Dance Association

Ceili Corner By Bhloscaidh O’Keane Check www.lomamor.org for all up-to-date Irish folk dancing information.

IMDA Membership

Demonstrate your support of live Irish music, dance and cultural activities by becoming a member of the Irish Music and Dance Association. Become a supporting member by making a financial contribution. Member bands, businesses and organizations receive priority listing in the IMDA Community Resources List. All IMDA members receive the newsletter by e-mail. ’ Name: Today s Date:

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Tear out the above form and send it with a check made out to “IMDA” to: The IMDA Membership Coordinator c/o Jan Casey 400 Macalester St. St. Paul, MN 55105

Or visit the IMDA website (www.imda.org) to pay electronically.

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