Gaelic Mishap

Gaelic Mishap is Maryland’s premier Celtic Rock Band.

Formed in 2010, this group blends unmatched vocals and iconic fiddling into Celtic rock, shanties, and traditional Irish tunes. Whether young or old, at a festival or in the pub, Gaelic Mishap will “wow” you with their original music while throwing surprises, or “mishaps”, into the hits and covers you know and love.

Gaelic Mishap has performed at a variety of venues across several states, including: the Annapolis Irish Festival, The Hamilton Theater, the Philadelphia Fleadh, the Martinsburg Irish Festival, Washington DC’s Shamrockfest, and many more.  They’ve played alongside or opened for some of the largest national/international acts in the Celtic Scene, including Carbon Leaf, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys and Gaelic Storm.

Gaelic Mishap Video

Poehemia

Shaped by the rocking traditions of Baltimore and the thriving music scene in Glasgow, Poehemia delivers the absolute best in Traditional, Celtic Rock and countless hits from many other of your favorite artists!Since 2012, Poehemia has performed hundreds of high-energy electric and acoustic shows at pubs, wineries, weddings, breweries, festivals, and special events throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.  Band Members: Ted Koch, Michael Kerr, Andy Anderson, Greg Giannetti.  Sláinte Mhath!

The ShamRogues

The ShamRogues have been entertaining crowds all over the East Coast since 2009 with their unique brand of Irish music and dance. From Washington D.C. to Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the famous Irish venues of New York City, the band has attracted fans of all ages and walks of life wherever they travel with their show. Having performed a series of sell out shows in Ireland over the past several years, the band has blasted onto the International scene in a blaze of electric fiddles and banjos.

Formed by banjo player and County Laois native Jim Phelan, the band features Adam Wyatt on Vocals and Bodhran, Billy Jack Mast on Guitar and Vocals, Sarah Stepanik on Fiddle, Jeff Havens on Bass, Evan Phillips on Drums and the World Class Irish Dancing Duo Katie Fox and Katie Whitman.

Not a band to stand around on stage blasting out song after song, The ShamRogues like to involve their audience in a fun, lively evening of songs and stories of Ireland, and God help anyone who forgets to clap along !!!

McHale School of Irish Dance

The McHale School of Irish Dance has been teaching Traditional Irish Dancing in Baltimore for over 25 years. The school started with adult Ceili and set classes, later classes grew to adult step dancing and children’s step dancing. About twelve years ago in an effort to cut back and make less more, it was decided to only teach the children’s step classes. Today classes are stronger than ever. Traditional steps, group dances and specialty choreographies are the school’s focus.

Our School is certified by An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha (Irish Dancing Commission) Dublin, Ireland.

We take great pride in the fact that we stand out from other high pressure dancing schools. We want our students to enjoy their journey into Irish Dancing which is much deeper then competitions, wigs and flashy costumes.  Competition is not for everyone, but Irish Dancing is!

Dancing can be fun without added pressure.  We believe in a positive learning environment which we hope will help students develop self-confidence and discipline while learning the fundamentals of Irish Dance, along with life lessons that we hope will be with them long after the classes have ended and the stage is dark.

Brendan Pelan

Brendan Pelan, Singer and Guitarist, born in Belfast Ireland. Seven years ago, he began playing as a solo performer in the Washington, DC and Baltimore area. This is truly where he is the most comfortable and enjoys bringing both Irish traditional and popular acoustic music to my audience. His musical interests span from the Wolfe Tones, Clancy Brothers, Christy Moore, and Furey Brothers to The Beatles, Jimmy Buffett, The Drifters, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Roy Orbison.
My goal of playing Irish music full time has been realized and I have the privilege of performing for some of the best Irish organizations and restaurants in the area. Over the past three years, I’ve been invited to perform at the Maryland Irish Festival, and in 2006 and 2007, I played several venues in Derry, Belfast and Dublin, Ireland.
To close, it is a privilege to be able to play my music and to meet such marvelous people and friends along the way. I receive instant gratification when the audience sings along with me or I receive feedback for a song that I played having special meaning for someone.

Seamus Kennedy

Video of Seamus Kennedy

Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been entertaining audiences all over the United States for almost four decades. An accomplished guitarist with a ready wit and a vast store of songs, he travels the country performing for thousands of people each year.

With a thorough knowledge of the traditional and contemporary songs of Ireland and Scotland, he is equally proficient with American music, whether it be folk, country, bluegrass or a little Western Swing. For more than four decades on the Irish/Celtic festival circuit, he was first influenced by the legendary Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and from them he learned the importance of not only being a solid musician and singer, but also of being an all-round entertainer.

Seamus is at home in venues ranging from intimate house-concerts and folk-clubs to concert halls and festivals; from Alaska to Florida, from Maryland to California, he makes folks laugh, sing and forget their cares for a while.

Kennedy’s ability to combine a total command of the music with humor makes him unique in the industry. His strong interactive entertainment skills and his participation with his audiences have helped him create an exceptionally loyal fan base everywhere he goes.

Kate Spanos, Irish Dance LLC

Video of Kate Spanos

Kate Spanos, Irish Dance LLC presents exciting choreographies that combine modern and traditional Irish dance styles. Performances especially showcase festival style Irish dance technique from the Belfast area, with an emphasis on strength, control, musicality, and stage presence. Festival style is known for its slow and elegant slip jigs and set dances.

Kate Spanos is a dancer and dance scholar from the DC area with a Ph.D. in dance and performance studies from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in traditional Irish dance performance from the University of Limerick (UL). She started dancing at the CCÉ céilís in Fairfax in 1990 and the O’Neill-James School of Irish Dance in 1992, going on to dance at the World Championships in 2000. She has studied a wide variety of Irish dance styles, including competition/feis style, sean nós, old-style step dance, Molyneaux style from North Kerry, and festival style from Northern Ireland. She currently studies festival style with Lauren Smyth of County Down and teaches weekly classes in Rockville, MD.For more information, visit www.thekatespanos.com

Celtic Corridor

Video of Celtic Corridor

Celtic Corridor is a traditional Irish band out of Baltimore, MD. Laura Byrne, Joanna Clare, Eileen Estes, Donna Long, and Billy McComiskey play a large roll in riling up any crowd.

Laura Byrne is highly regarded on both sides of the Atlantic for her mastery of the Irish traditional flute and whistle. Laura studied at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore where she earned Bachelor’s degrees in both flute performance and music education. Though classically trained, she chose to devote her musical career to Irish traditional music, committing herself to the playing of the older generation of musicians through her many trips to Ireland and from close study of the emigrees to the United States.

Joanna Clare is an acclaimed Irish fiddler and violinist having won numerous awards for her talents as a fiddler and as a composer. Like Laura, she began with a classical style, and committed to Irish fiddling as a student of Brian Conway. As well as performing with her other musical groups The Good Folk and The Mount Clare Connection, she teaches Suzuki Violin and Irish fiddle to people of all ages at her home and through The Baltimore Irish Music School and the Baltimore Music Company. In 2022, Joanna released her debut album, To Keep the Candle Burning, which has received accolades from both sides of the Atlantic.

Whether performing at home or touring, Eileen Estes has thrilled audiences for years with her extraordinary voice, which effortlessly combines vocal power with subtle emotional expressiveness. She also works as a studio musician and a vocal coach. Eileen is a former faculty member at Blue Ridge Irish Music School, where she is still a visiting instructor, and travels to teach Master Classes in the United States and abroad.

When she was five years old, Donna Long began taking piano lessons with her father, Byron Long, a jazz/classical pianist who instilled in Donna a love for music. As a child, Donna was exposed to many different genres of music, including players from the old and new Jazz eras, Classical, Scottish, Indian, and African. In 1978, she moved to the Baltimore/Washington, DC area and heard fiddler, Brendan Mulvihill playing Irish music. He inspired her to pick up the fiddle and gave her a solid foundation in style and playing. She then began to accompany him on the piano and now Donna is considered one of the finest pianists playing Irish music and toured with the acclaimed female group Cherish the Ladies.

Billy McComiskey holds four All Ireland Championship titles, two (gold and silver) with Brendan Mulvihill for their superb duet playing, and two (gold and silver) for his work as a soloist. Billy won the coveted All Ireland Championship for the Button Accordion in 1986. He is the recipient of the 2011 Irish Echoes Traditional artist of the year award, and has received one of the highest honors a traditional musician can be awarded: the 2016 NEA National Heritage Fellowship. He’s made quite a few recordings and has performed around the globe with some of the mightiest musicians playing Irish Music today, including the Irish Tradition, Trian, Green Fields of America, and the Pride of New York.

Brian Gaffney

Video of Brian Gaffney

Brian Gaffney singer/songwriter was born in Tralee, County Kerry.  Youngest of 4 kids, Brian didn’t take long to pick up a love of music from his older brothers.

By age 13, Brian was playing in pubs around Kerry with accordion player Kevin Cronin.  They formed a band in Christian Brothers School and won the all Ireland “Slogadh” in 1974.

Brian played all kinds of music, to include traditional Irish music and rock ‘n roll and found his nitch as a solo performer.

During the late 70’s, Brian was the resident Saturday night opener at Horan’s Hotel in Tralee where he stayed for 5 years.  Playing at Horan’s gave Brian an opportunity to play with renowned Irish groups such as The Furey’s, Moving Hearts and the Dubliners, just to name a few.

Brian continued to play all over Ireland until 1985 when he immigrated to America.  Brian’s first port of call was Boston, Mass. where he was immediately snatched up to fill in with the band “Dublin Sound” with Dessie Higgins and Sean Garvey.  In 1986, Brian partnered up with Alan Loughnane and toured all over America with the group “Claddagh” for 3 1/2 years.

Brian then joined Fergus Kennedy, then Steve Morris in the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia areas in the band “Brendan’s Voyage”.  They toured all over America as well and released 2 very successful albums “In Full Sail” and “Close to the Wind”.

Brian became the proud father of Kelly Gaffney in 1992.  In April of the following, he opened Nanny O’Brien’s Irish Pub in Washington, DC along with the Lyons family.  Nanny O’Brien’s quickly became known as a local landmark for Irish music.  Many Irish musicians passing through Washington, DC played Nanny’s stage.  The Monday night trad sessiun that Brian started in 1993, still goes on in the backroom today and is the longest running sessiun in the Washington metro area.

Since Nanny O’Brien’s opened in 1993, it gave Brian an opportunity to pursue his passion by playing traditional music.  Brian teamed up with all star fiddle player, Brendan Mulvihill with whom he performed every Wednesday night at Nanny O’Brien’s.  Brian has also had the opportunity to play with such traditional greats as: Finbar Furey, Paddy Keenan, Billy McComiskey, James Kelly, Andy Irvine, Andy M. Stewart in concert and others during is weekly Monday night fireside seisun’s.  Past artists included:  Eileen Ivers, Matt Molloy (Chieftains), Martin Hayes and many others.

Chris Marsheck

Chris Marsheck delivers an energetic and eclectic mix of everything from traditional Irish music, to contemporary acoustic rock, with a few original songs thrown in “for good measure”.

Chris is available for solo performances, and session work.

In addition to being a consummate guitarist and vocalist: Chris is also proficient at the Mandolin, Bodhran, Tin Whistle, Harmonica, and Ukulele.

Brendon Kennedy

Video of Brendon Kennedy

Hi, my name is Brandon. Thanks for taking a moment to learn about me. I’m a life-long student and practitioner of music and travel. I spent several years studying at the Washington, D.C. Conservatory of Music at Glen Echo Park. I hold degree’s in songwriting at both the BA and MA level from Berklee College of Music. I have studied music abroad in Ireland several times and am an adamant believer in the power of music and community to impact change and its importance relevant to “the human condition”.

There are few times I find myself to be more at peace then when I am playing music. Playing a haunting slow air as the snow falls in winter, or a set of reels as a crowded audience claps together in a pub, these are the moments I feel most alive and connected to my fellow man and the world around me. Nothing exists outside those present moments, the creation of something meaningful is all that matters.

Having traveled to Ireland and Scotland, I was fortunate enough to experience the music of those countries, and to see how it is such a communal event, it was different then everything I had seen until then. Before my travels, there had always been an “us” and “them”, the audience and the performers. There was a sincerity and honesty about the sessions of these countries that I would love to see manifested in my own culture. My greatest lesson from these experiences is that the performers should not be separated from the audience even if they happen to be on a stage, we are all performers and audiences together, at the same time, whether we happen to be making the music or just tapping our foot to the beat of it while we drink a pint, we are bonded in these moments and whatever is manifested, we built it together.

Robert Mouland

Join Robert as he entertains us with his many music instruments and his famous sand his Jig Puppets in the South Hall.

Robert Mouland is a multi-instrumentalist who performs a wide variety of unique presentations in both historical and Irish music. His most popular offering over the past few years has been Dancers On A String which presents a cast of different characters called marionettes a laplanchette, or jig puppets. But he still has been known to do performance lectures with 18th century instruments, background music for corporate events (which he did for years at Philadelphia’s City Tavern and Carpenters Hall), storytelling with or without his rolleaux transparent (modern people renamed it a crankie) and stage presentations such as his Legacy Of The Irish Harp. He can be found playing Irish traditional music with friends at sessions around the Philadelphia area when his full time music career doesn’t have him travelling about.

Robert Mouland’s link

Dancers on a String link

The Bard and the Bird

The Bard and the Bird are a musical outfit with an album on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon and Deezer. After years of playing separately as an upbeat pub singer and a folk singer-songwriter, Chris as the story-telling Bard and Holly with her beautiful voice as the Bird have found their musical niche that makes for a diverse set of singalongs, originals, and even sea shanties.

Originally from Georgia but currently living in Maryland, the duo have created an eclectic sound of Americana/Bluegrass/Folk/Irish/ and Country that always puts up an entertaining performance for pubs, clubs, and festivals.

The Bard and the Bird Music Video

Teelin Irish Dance Company is known for performances that accentuate the energy of Irish dance with cutting edge choreography. From the graceful beauty of jigs and reels to the thundering beat of percussive dance, a performance by this company leaves audience members at the edge of their seats, wishing for more!

Based in Columbia, Maryland, the Teelin Irish Dance Company has graced stages locally, nationally, and internationally since 2001. Some of these stages include The Kennedy Center, Lyric Opera House, Meyerhoff, Weinberg, Carrol County Arts Center, Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York, and Jacobs Pillow. They have also performed alongside many other artists including The Young Irelanders, Cherish the Ladies, Gaelic Storm, and Eileen Ivers. In addition to numerous performances at public, private and corporate events, Teelin Irish Dance Company is also well known for its original productions of feature-length stage shows: Portraits of Ireland (2006-2011), StepDance (2012-2013), Sláinte (2014), and Celtic Storm (2016-2019).

Whether interested in tradition or innovation, the high energy of a performance by the Teelin Irish Dance Company is sure to capture any audience.

Baltimore Irish Music Dance

At The Baltimore Irish Music School, we are led by our three core values: Community, Tradition, and Craic. We strive to instill all these values in our curriculum and inspire our students to live these out every day.

Our students are part of a larger musical community. Irish traditional music is, at its heart, a social style of music. BIMS students will be provided with opportunities to be a part of that community.

Tradition lies at the heart of Irish traditional music. The music tradition is something that is passed down through generations and is independent of race, religion, or creed. Our students will have opportunities to connect with experienced Irish musicians and to learn the value of continuing the tradition.

Craic is all about having fun and engaging with other musicians in a positive environment. BIMS students will be provided opportunities to have fun with their peers and will learn the value of the music beyond the competition stage or recording studio.

The Baltimore Irish Music School believes that all young students who desire to learn Irish music should be able to do so in a supportive environment at an affordable cost. We aim to create a gateway to growth opportunities from festival classes to Fleadh competitions and beyond. Our instrument library allows students to try any instrument they are interested in without the financial burden of buying every instrument they are inspired to try.

It is the duty of the community around us to help these children access these opportunities. BIMS acts as a conduit to bring funds from the community and turn them into classes, scholarships, and instrument access for the students.

Celtica ᚻᛰV⟑  (Celtica Nova)

Celtica’s history started in 2009 when several European and American musicians got together in Phoenix, AZ to record their first CD “Rising” and headed to Grand Canyon and Monument Valley for their first video shoot. The combination of the traditional sound of Scottish bagpipes with the power of a Rock Band promised to become a recipe for quick success. During the summer touring season of 2010 they played most of Europe’s major Celtic and/or Scottish themed festivals, as well as many local Music and Art Festivals, taking them to Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, and Austria, just to name a few. Their first CD “Rising” becomes a “Celtic” favorite on European radio stations and a hot seller on Internet Music outlets.

It only took a few years for Celtica to be invited to play the world’s biggest Metal Festival: W.O.A. in Wacken, Germany. Sharing stages with Judas Priest, Rob Zombie, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  The fall of 2021 saw the rebound of the live music scene, and with bookings all throughout 2022, Celtica continued to entertain their fans at US festivals. Notably, band member Jane Espie was recruited to star in ITV’s U.K. version of “Game of Talents” (Episode 7), airing on a Saturday prime time slot to 1M+ simultaneous viewers.  The 2022/23 season brought a full touring rebound, with bookings in CA, TX, AZ, NM, OK, HI, WI, NY, CT, PA, AK, and FL.  Now playing at the Maryland Irish Festival, Timonium, Maryland.

Celtica Nova’s Music Video

 Eagan & Huseman

Jim (right) was born in Baltimore in 1979 and continues to reside there. He fondly recalls being enchanted by the violin even at a very young age. “My father began taking violin lessons when I was five, and soon thereafter, I started taking Suzuki classes from the Baltimore Talent Education Center.” (It should be noted that Jim’s parents, Earle and Donna Eagan, are well-known and much loved by their fellow Baltimoreans for their unstinting devotion to Irish music in general and their son’s music in particular; they can be counted on to appear at virtually any local event at which he is performing.)  Jim’s roots in Irish tradition truly sprouted from Irish step dancing, which he began studying from that same early age. Initially a student of Annette Cribben, who resided in Baltimore, and later a student of Kevin Broesler, who commuted from the New York area, Jim qualified for the World Championships in Dublin in 1991. This exposure to the jigs, reels, and hornpipes while learning his steps was instrumental in developing his desire and ability to play Irish traditional fiddle.

Jim Eagan (fiddle, banjo) and Brandt Huseman (vocals, bouzouki, bodhran) are neighbors. They are also a celtic folk duo who play trad tunes and classic songs with a modern twist.

Jamison

The Irish music scene in Philadelphia is bursting with bands and musicians who perform all over the area to keep the roots of Ireland alive in their songs. None of these performers are quite like Jamison though- a high-energy six-piece that can take traditional Irish tunes and turn them upside down, blending in rock, reggae, modern pop, and hip-hop along the way. Crowds can’t help but get to their feet as Jamison takes Irish music to the next level with original songs and eccentric versions of covers or festival favorites.  Each Jamison show is different from the last. Whether it’s a large festival stage in front of thousands or a favorite pub crowd ready to unwind from a long week, you’ll be drawn into a unique experience with the band’s contagious good vibes. Their sets mold to fit their audiences, making Jamison one of the most versatile bands in the business. Fans will leave a Jamison show reenergized, out of breath and asking, “when’s the next one?”  Frank Daly – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Tin Whistle, Mandolin; John O’Callaghan – Vocals, Electric Guitar, Tin Whistle, Mandolin; Sean Hicks – Electric Guitar, Vocals; Alice Marie – Fiddle, Viola, Vocals; Ant Lusi – Bass; Jason Massey – Drummer

Simon Lace Trio

Video of Simon Lace

Simon Lace is a traditional Irish musician based in Boston, MA. Hailing from Northern California, he got his start in music learning rock and jazz but was exposed to Irish music from an early age through the traditional music community of his hometown, Nevada City. While studying composition and jazz at San Francisco State University, Simon honed his guitar and banjo skills in the SF Bay Area trad community. Since moving to Boston, his sophisticated banjo and guitar playing has made him a fixture in the Irish music scene, and he can be regularly heard playing at pubs such as The Burren, The Druid, Emmet’s, and more. In addition, he has taught at programs such as CCÉ Boston Music School and Lark Camp Online, and won 1st place at the 2023 and 2024 Mid Atlantic Fleadh on banjo, mandolin, and accompaniment. Simon has also toured the US and Australia as featured guitarist with A Taste of Ireland Dance Company.

Simon regularly collaborates with other musicians in the greater Boston Irish music scene, and is available to provide live Irish music for any occasion. He also provides lessons for guitar, banjo, mandolin, music theory and more out of his home in Somerville, MA

Screaming Orphans

The Screaming Orphans are four sisters with the good fortune to have been raised in the magic of Bundoran in County Donegal, Ireland.  There is a great tradition of music to be found in Irish homes.  Our home was no exception. From when we were young, we’ve been singing and playing traditional Irish music, but when we hit our teenage years we knew it was time to start our own pop rock band.   The Screaming Orphans are a chart-topping all-sister Celtic folk and pop band.  They are known worldwide for their award-winning sound combining their original songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music. The band has always defied being pigeonholed, having masterfully developed their own unique fusion of folk and pop.

The sisters’ trademark spine-tingling four-part harmony and mastery of their instruments combined with their highly energized performances take audiences of all ages on an exhilarating and emotional musical journey. Screaming Orphans’ pitch perfect harmonies have led them to many collaborations on recordings and stage with artists such as Sinéad O’Connor, Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell, Baaba Maal, and Afro Celt Sound System. The band continues to tour and play extensively across America, Canada and Europe.

Screaming Orphans Music Video

Baltic Celtic – Kaitlyn Likas & John Bimbiras

Baltic Celtic is comprised of Kaitlyn Likas and John Bimbiras.  Their music and dancing reflects their shared Irish/Lithuanian ancestry.

Kaitlyn Likas is an award-winning fiddler and Irish/Scottish Highland dancer based in the Washington, DC area. From an early age, her mom, Peggie, ingrained in Kaitlyn and her siblings an awareness and appreciation of their cultural heritage.  Kaitlyn is a self-taught fiddler with humble beginnings as a classically trained violinist. After playing classical for over 10 years, Kaitlyn took on the new challenge of teaching herself the fiddle. Since then, she has not looked back!

John Bimbiras is a guitarist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, MD.  He has been active as a performer since the age of twelve, playing at prestigious venues throughout the DMV, NYC, and Austin, TX.  His influences draw from a vast array of genres and styles including rock, jazz, blues, folk, Celtic, and Latin music. Currently, Bimbiras is also a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Matt Ward

Matt Ward is a fan favorite who performs with various Ceili groups, and has a an Irish Ballad Sing-A-Long this year.

Video Link for Matt Ward

O’McPub Band

Joe Basso and Ryan-Allen McKinney are O’McPub Band, a Maryland based Irish folk duo that specializes in pub tunes, rebel songs, and Celtic inspired folk/rock/pop music. The charismatic pair is known around the Mid-Atlantic as “probably the best guitar and bodhrán Irish duo in the DMV” (DC, Maryland, & Virginia).

We are eager to share our love of Irish culture through music and have continuously grown our repertoire of pub tunes, rebel anthems and Celtic-infused pop melodies.   O’McPub Band is known for tailoring their performances to the unique atmosphere of each event, whether it’s an intimate acoustic set or a high-energy show in a bustling venue. Their versatility and experience allow them to adapt to any audience and establishment. The band enjoys taking requests and hearing the personal stories that patrons associate with certain songs.

“The Pub,” the heart and soul of Irish life, symbolizes community, togetherness, and the spirit of shared experiences. In the warmth of these public houses, stories unravel, history is rewritten, wisdom is exchanged, and laughter is abundant. Our goal, wherever we play, is to conjure the spirit of ‘the pub’ – a community of people gathered to embrace life and one another.

O’McPub Band Music Video

Joanna Clare, native to Syracuse, NY, is an eight-time All-Ireland Fiddle Championship qualifier. This past summer, she was awarded runner-up for the Fleadh Fest Slow Airs competition in Sligo, Ireland. She started the Suzuki Method and folk style fiddling when she was three and began lessons with Sligo fiddle master Brian Conway at age 11.  As well as a violinist/fiddler, she is also awarded in Irish dance, Irish music composition, or “tune-smithing” as she prefers to call it. She teaches classical violin and Irish fiddle lessons virtually and in person and helps teach a children’s pick-up band at multiple events run by the Philadelphia Folk Songs Society. Joanna has performed at The Springwater Fiddlers’ Fair, The Syracuse Irish Festival, The Rochester Irish Festival, The Maryland Irish Festival, The New York Trad Fest, The Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Friendly Gathering, East Durham Irish Festival, and many churches, libraries, schools, and nursing homes in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Baltimore, MD is her home-away-from-home where she attends Johns Hopkins University. 

Waking Finnegan

Waking Finnegan’s fresh take on Celtic rock combines the edge and drive of electric guitar with the soul and depth of the upright bass, topped with haunting accordion, fiery fiddle, and powerful vocals. All tied together with rockin’ drums designed to get you out of your seat.  Band members: Corey Walden, Eve Pierce, Matt LaCroix, Will Brewer, Patrick “Rakish Paddy” LaCroix, & Andrew Adams.

Expect to hear a few old favorites done in a new way, from fast and furious fiddle and whistle tunes to powerful theatrical vocals, Waking Finnegan is guaranteed to entertain young and old alike!

Waking Finnegan Music Video

Barleyjuice

With eight albums and a double CD collection in their sporrans to date, these five spirited yanks have made themselves one of the most beloved Celtic rock bands in the US. They’ve been heard in popular television shows, films, and tons of Celtic radio programs worldwide.

Besides rocking up Irish traditionals with gravelly authenticity, Kyf Brewer pens the majority of the group’s originals and covers lead vocals, guitar, accordion, harmonica, mandolin, bouzouki, piano and bagpipes. He originally piped in the Loch Rannoch Pipe Band and performed in Edinburgh’s Millennium March for Prince Charles.The ayes have it – Barleyjuice is a grand group of talented tunesmiths and prodigious performers, and the absolute best time you can have at a concert without removing your kilt.

Barleyjuice Music Video

West of Galway

West of Galway have been entertaining Irish / Celtic music loving crowds since 2003 in Pubs and on the Festival circuit up and down the East Coast of the USA.

The band members are friends who met through music and shared stories of growing up with Saturday Night Kitchen Parties with their families. The Irish / Celtic Music and Family tradition is the same all over the world. West of Galway is proud to carry on and share that very same tradition. Through the years our fan base has grown with the love and passion shared for Irish / Celtic Music throughout the USA.

Our goal since we started is to re-create the atmosphere inside a Pub in Ireland. Since 2003 we’ve been accomplishing that goal. We love to share that feeling every week with our fans.

West of Galway Music Video

The Hooligans

A staple at the Maryland Renaissance Festival over the past two decades, The Hooligans are an Irish band with a heavy emphasis on the “-ish”. Known as much for their shenanigans and tomfoolery as they are for their tight harmonies and fast tempos, The Hooligans bring a very nontraditional feel to traditional Irish folk music, creating a show that makes you feel like you’re partying with four of your closest friends.  Band members: Matthew Schleigh, John Kelso, John Wakefield, and Patrick Hughes.

The Hooligans Website

Cas Ceol

The members of Cas Ceol are friends with a shared love of Irish music. Melissa Hagy of The Celtic Martins plays fiddle; Mary-Kate Spring Lee of Seasons is a champion harp player; and Cushla Srour of Irish Blessing is a wonderful flute and whistle player. Together they put their own unique stamp on this beautiful collection of tunes.

Their repertoire features both beloved tunes and those less well known (but no less gorgeous) on fiddle, whistles, piano, harp and concertina. The group had their inaugural performance at The Maryland Celtic Festival and has performed at the Penn Mar Irish Festival and the Susquehanna Folk Festival!

Ministry of Folk

When the world shut down in March 2020, we were devastated to see so many friends lose months of income as tours were canceled, tickets refunded, hotel rooms and plane tickets rendered unnecessary. The cost was not just financial: with these cancellations, our community lost many opportunities to gather to share music, to derive inspiration and joy from one another through concerts and workshops and jam sessions.

In April of 2020, we set out to create an online environment that could provide teaching and performance opportunities for the folk music community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We came to love attending virtual concerts and playing along with weekly virtual sessions, and we tried to keep our community strong.

We built the Ministry of Folk platform to stay connected—to build relationships, share ideas and tunes, and support music that feeds our souls—despite the physical distance. Since 2020, we’ve maintained a community of 125+ folk musicians and hundreds of patrons who support their success.

Every fall, we take the virtual to the personal and gather as a group in Mohnton, PA for an artist retreat we lovingly call Ministry of Folk Outdoors. Get in touch if you’re interested in joining us!

Ministry of Folk Website Link

OH’ Gills Irish Dancers

OH! Gills is our Irish Dance Team.   We are not a traditional Irish dance school, and we perform large group dances which are a modern interpretation of Irish dance. Our dance team has performed in the York Saint Patrick’s Day parade, Harrisburg Saint Patrick’s Day parade, and in Disney world. We also perform at schools, restaurants, pubs, or any other function that would like some lively entertainment! ​Please contact Keely at ohgills.irishdance@gmail.com

OH! Gills Irish Dancers Website Link

Annapolis Percussive Dance

Annapolis Percussive Dance offers percussive dance lessons for children and adults in Annapolis, MD.  Percussive dance is any dance form that uses the feet as a percussive instrument.  Annapolis Percussive Dance currently offers weekly classes in old-style Irish step dancing, sean-nós dancing and American tap dancing.  Special workshops are held throughout the year offering lessons in clogging, flatfooting, and varying styles of step dance from Canada.

Annapolis Percussive Dance Website Link

Catherine O’Kelly

Pix

Bio

The Harbor Trio

Sean McComiskey is among the most innovative young performers on the button accordion, with a unique harmonic style that has earned him a spot in the pantheon of Irish accordionists far beyond his native Baltimore. As the son of legendary button accordion player and National Heritage Fellow Billy McComiskey, Sean has been surrounded by Irish Traditional music his entire life and has developed a deep appreciation for the tradition of which he is a part. This has helped Sean establish a reputation as a highly regarded teacher and promulgator of Irish music and earned him teaching positions with the Catskills Irish Arts Week, the Augusta Heritage Center’s Irish Arts Week, the Chris Langan Traditional Irish Music Weekend in Toronto, the CCE Musical Arts and Dance (MAD) Week in Washington, DC, the Baltimore Irish Trad Fest, and the Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival.

In addition to being a highly regarded teacher, Sean has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. He was recently honored as a silver medalist in the Senior All-Ireland Melodeon competition. He’s recorded albums and toured with groups including NicGaviskey and the Old Bay Ceili Band. In 2014, Sean formed the Baltimore-based acoustic roots group, Charm City Junction, with Patrick McAvinue on bluegrass fiddle, Brad Kolodner on Appalachian old-time clawhammer banjo, and Alex Lacquement on upright bass. In 2015, they released their self-titled debut album and in 2016 were nominated for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Band Momentum Award. This collaboration has enabled Sean to bring his unique style of Irish button accordion to the old-time and bluegrass music communities as a featured performed at venues including the Grand Ole Opry, the Kennedy Center, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, the National Folk Festival, and numerous other folk and acoustic music festivals, concerts, and performing arts centers around the country. They released their third studio album, “Salt Box,” in 2024 which hit number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts.

When Sean isn’t playing the button accordion, he is the owner and clinic director of a private practice physical therapy office in Baltimore City called Birch Tree Physical Therapy and Wellness. In his work as a PT, one of his areas of special interest is the treatment and rehabilitation of injured musicians and artists suffering from repetitive stress injuries.

Sean’s Website Link

Sarah Collins

Sarah Collins is a fiddle player based in the Baltimore/DC area with deep roots in the Boston traditional music community. After spending part of her childhood in Edinburgh, she grew up immersed in the Scottish music scene, and her playing today blends influences from Irish and Old-Time fiddle styles.

Sarah has taught at a number of fiddle camps, including Hanneke Cassel’s Pure Dead Brilliant Fiddle Weekend, Katie McNally’s Boston States Fiddle Camp, Baltimore’s Irish Trad Fest, and the CCE Musical Arts and Dance (MAD) Weekend in Washington, DC. Sarah regularly hosts Irish sessions in both DC and Baltimore, creating spaces for musicians to gather and share tunes.

Sarah currently performs with several bands. She plays an Irish trio with David McKindley-Ward and Marty Frye, and a duo with 5-string banjo player Jonathan Vocke. She also fills in with the Scottish band Old Blind Dogs and the Irish band The East Coasters.

In response to the isolation of the pandemic, Sarah co-founded the Ministry of Folk, a project dedicated to keeping folk music alive through community engagement. She also co-produces monthly concerts for the Baltimore Folk Club with Richard Osban, supporting Baltimore’s local folk scene.

With a passion for both music and community, Sarah continues to make her mark in the folk and traditional music world.

Link to Sarah’s Website