Irish Music & Dance Association · 2020. 12. 14. · 2 ---MN.orgMN.orgMN.org Irish Music & Dance...

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Irish Music &

Dance Association 30th Year, Issue No. 1

January 2012

Eanáir

The mission of the Irish Music and Dance Association is to support, coordinate, encourage and promote high quality activities and programs

in Irish music, dance, and other cultural traditions within the community and to insure the continuation of those traditions.

Since last year, the Irish Music and Dance Association has:

♣ Hosted more than 6,000 people at our 30303030ThThThTh St. Patrick's Day Irish CelebrationSt. Patrick's Day Irish CelebrationSt. Patrick's Day Irish CelebrationSt. Patrick's Day Irish Celebration and 9999thththth Day of Irish DanceDay of Irish DanceDay of Irish DanceDay of Irish Dance at Landmark Center.

♣ Hosted IMDA Honors Lar Burke IMDA Honors Lar Burke IMDA Honors Lar Burke IMDA Honors Lar Burke in November; an evening celebrating and honoring the contributions of a writer, actor, and founding member of Na Fianna Irish Theatre Company.

♣ Honored 10 dedicated Irish dancers from four Irish dance schools with the IMDA IMDA IMDA IMDA Decade of DanceDecade of DanceDecade of DanceDecade of Dance award. This was the 6h year of the award, with a total of 68 dancers receiving the award to date.

♣ Awarded an IMDA Educational GrantIMDA Educational GrantIMDA Educational GrantIMDA Educational Grant to a young bagpiper to allow him to continue his study of the bagpipes at the famed Balmoral School of Piping’s weeklong summer session.

♣ Sponsored the IMDA Music Workshop TentIMDA Music Workshop TentIMDA Music Workshop TentIMDA Music Workshop Tent at Irish Fair MN in August. In 2011, workshops offerings included bodhrán, whistle, harp, guitar and singing workshops.

♣ Continued our partnership with the Great Northern Irish Pipers Club by hosting of the quarterly Celtic Music Open Celtic Music Open Celtic Music Open Celtic Music Open Mic Mic Mic Mic evenings, providing a showcase for new bands and musicians and giving established musicians a venue for trying new things.

♣ Continued our partnership with Irish Fair Minnesota by organizing the “Best Legs in a Kilt Contest”“Best Legs in a Kilt Contest”“Best Legs in a Kilt Contest”“Best Legs in a Kilt Contest” at the Fair. Enthusiasm for this event continues to grow bringing additional participants as well as great visibility for Irish Fair.

♣ Supported the Celtic Junction by participating in the Grand Re-Opening Halloween Bash doing face painting.

♣ Represented Ireland in the Street Fair preceding the musical “Steerage Song” at the Fitzgerald Theatre in June, promoted the event and worked with Theatre Latte Da to secure discounted tickets for IMDA members.

♣ Promoted Irish music and dance to the larger community through the calendar and events information on the IMDA IMDA IMDA IMDA website,website,website,website, updated weekly to reflect the dynamic nature of live music in the Twin Cities.

♣ Promoted Irish music and dance to the wider community through the IMDA Facebook PageIMDA Facebook PageIMDA Facebook PageIMDA Facebook Page. The IMDA Facebook Page currently has 556 “fans”, including fans in Ireland, Canada, England, Australia, France and Norway as well as across the United States.

♣ Kept our members informed about Irish happenings and community news through the IMDA Monthly Newsletter IMDA Monthly Newsletter IMDA Monthly Newsletter IMDA Monthly Newsletter and Music Calendarand Music Calendarand Music Calendarand Music Calendar.

♣ Served the greater community by providing information about Irish music and dance groups, céilís and other Irish events through the IMDA Community ResourcesIMDA Community ResourcesIMDA Community ResourcesIMDA Community Resources List, List, List, List, which is available year round on the website and distributed at our St. Patrick’s Day festivities and at Irish Fair Minnesota. This list continues to grow, including an ever-expanding list new bands, merchants and venues.

♣ Provided a referral servicea referral servicea referral servicea referral service to community members wishing to book Irish musicians and dancers for their own events

♣ Served as fiscal agentfiscal agentfiscal agentfiscal agent for individuals & community organizations seeking grants and raising funds.

♣ Sponsored a hotel packagehotel packagehotel packagehotel package for Milwaukee Irish Fest in August.

The Irish Music and Dance Association would like to thank our sponsors and donors

for their generous support in 2011:

Kivel Electric ♣♣♣♣ Reflections ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ St. Paul Irish Dancer Our many volunteers at St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the year

Inside this issue:

Tune of the Month 2

Gaelic Corner 3

January Calendar 8-9

An Leabhragán 12

Cu Ceoil 13

The Ceili Calendar 14

Smidirini 15

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�une of �he on�h by Amy Shaw The Chicago-based band Bua, featuring our own Brian Miller on guitar, has released an excellent new CD titled Down the Green Fields. If Santa didn’t bring you a copy for Christmas, you really must go straight to Irish on Grand and buy one! And you won’t want to miss Bua’s concert at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul on February 3rd (watch http://thecelticjunction.com/ for details). The Milliner’s Daughter has been a favorite tune of pipers. Francis O’Neill collected it from piper Bernard Delaney and it has been widely recorded since. It certainly makes a great fiddle and flute tune, as Bua demonstrates. Usual disclaimers: Any transcription errors are my own. The notation here is not meant to be a substitute for listening. It is simply an aid to learning the tune.

The IMDA Board is: President: Lisa Conway

Treasurer: Mark Malone

Secretary: Jan Casey

Board Members: Suin Swann Ruth McGlynn Patrick Cole Editor: John Burns

IMDA Board Meetings are open to the membership. The Board meets regularly on the First Tuesday of each month at 6 pm at Perkins in HarMar. Members are encouraged to verify the time and location shortly before, as meeting times and locations can change.

Contact Information Write to:

Irish Music and Dance Association 236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

Call: 612-990-3122 E-mail: [email protected]

Newsletter Submissions We welcome our readers to submit articles of interest, news, and notices of events to be published in the newsletter. The deadline is the 20th o f the preceding month.

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Irish Music &

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Recently, at our regular conversation group meeting with Nancy Stenson (a brilliant teacher who, bless her, got me into this whole Irish language thing in the first place), we were reading a recollection of what Christmas was like in the Aran Islands during the boyhood days (early 1940's) of bilingual writer Breandán Ó hEithir. He mentioned, in passing, that it was the custom to speak English to horses and dogs, but to speak Irish to cattle and cats. And that is not the only odd thing about, as Dr. Doolittle might say, talking to the animals. Although we don't think about it much in a modern, urban environment, talking to animals is something all of us have done, and we know that there are different calls for different animals. So if someone shouting, “Come! C’mon, boy!” there's a good chance there's a dog involved. And even us city-dwellers can imagine chanting, “Here, chick, chick, chick” when it is time to feed the poultry. In rural Ireland of some time ago, naturally, people who spoke to the animals enjoyed, shall we say, a more diverse audience. The call of Pis! Pis! ("pish! pish!") is used to get a cat's attention. It is no coincidence that the words pisín("pish-een") or piscín ("pish-keen") mean "kitten." But a dog was more likely to hear Sas! Sas!("sahs"). At least in the old days, there were fine distinctions among the farmyard birds as well. Tiuc! Tiuc! (close to "chuck") might be used to gather the chickens, but the ducks got Fíní! Fíní!("fee-nee"), while the geese heard Beadaí! Beadaí!("baddy"). And what do these creatures say back? English-speaking ducks clearly enunciate "Quack! Quack!", as everyone knows. But Irish-speaking ducks are more likely to say Vác! Vác!("vawk"). Now, in English, both goats and sheep "bleat." But in Irish, they apparently bleat with somewhat different accents. When that cute little lamb is bleating away,

that is méileach. But when a goat is bleating, that's meigeallach. (And a man who is wearing a goatee is also referred to as meigeallach, meigeall meaning a "goat's beard" whether it is on a goat or on a human.) So if you have tried talking to the animals and had little success, maybe you have simply been using the wrong

vocabulary. Thanks to everyone who took part in our annual Christmas Dinner --our 30th -- in late December. In addition to our instructors and students, it is

always a special delight to welcome the family and friends who support everyone's efforts, as well as to see old friends of Gaeltacht Minnesota who pop in and make things a little merrier. Speaking of which, that merry old elf Martin McHugh brought along a couple of friends to give us some tunes, and we had great entertainment from our in-house thespians and singers. A huge thank-you to Suin, who does so much of the work needed to pull off this event. And congratulations to Shari, who became the first person in our history to take home the fabled traveling trophy for a second time. We are aiming for our annual January fundraiser on the last Sunday afternoon of January, the 29th, but we have not confirmed the details as of press time. Please stop bywww.gaelminn.orgor e-mail [email protected] if you need information about this event, or want to donate. This single fundraiser sustains our activities throughout the entire year. Or stop by our web site, sign up for our free e-newsletter, The GaelMinn Gazette, and your January 25 issue will confirm the fundraiser details. Is fearr marcaíocht ar ghabhar ná coisíocht dá fheabhas.

Riding on a goat is better than the best walking.

Will

�he �aelic �orner By Will Kenny

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MINUTES Irish Music and Dance Association – Annual Membership and Board Meeting

Dec. 3, 2011 – 2:00 PM Merlins Rest, Minneapolis, MN

Attending: Mike Casey, Jan Casey, Patrick Cole, Tom Klein, Mark Malone, Ruth McGlynn, Suin

Swann

Approval Minutes of November Meeting. Approved as written. Patrick moved, Suin seconded.

Treasurer’s Statement – Mark Malone, Treasurer Mark’s report was distributed.

IMDA Highlights 2011 – Jan Casey, Secretary A summary of IMDA activities and accomplishments in 2011 is attached.

Election of Board Members and Officers Lisa Conway, Jan Casey, Patrick Cole and Mark Malone were elected unanimously to

the Board for 2 year terms.

The following Board members were nominated as officers: Lisa Conway, President Suin Swann, Vice President Mark Malone, Treasurer

Jan Casey, Secretary The slate of officers was elected unanimously.

Open Discussion of issues raised by the membership

Tom Klein raised a question about IMDA’s role in co-hosting the Celtic Music Open Mic Nights with the Great Northern Irish Pipers Club. These events are now pretty well established. IMDA would like to continue to be involved as the effort is consistent with IMDA’s mission and provides us with information about potential additions to our events. IMDA could be

a source of volunteers to help staff the event. The next one is Jan. 28.

Mike Casey asked about the role of IMDA’s Volunteer Coordinator, Paul McCluskey. Mike commented that Paul does a great job organizing volunteers for our Landmark events and

has the resources to fill that role for other IMDA events (IMDA Honors, staffing our booth at Irish Fair, etc.) Conclusion – we need to add Paul to our planning early in the process.

Tom Klein raised a concern about missing membership renewal reminders now that he (and

others) receives their IMDA newsletters by e-mail. Mark does send a reminder to e-mail subscribers the month before they expire. This discussion is a reminder that it’s important. Future discussion – should there be another process for membership reminders?

General discussion about making the newsletter more accessible. This was discussed at our Strategic Planning Retreat and is a goal for 2011/2012. Putting older issues up on our website is a project that Lisa Conway has agreed to take on, but may not be able to work

on this in the near term. Mark suggested contacting the website developer who worked on the Irish Fair website for a bid on what it would cost to have him/her do the work. Jan is also willing to work on this. No conclusion.

Discussion on IMDA doing the bar for Celtic Junction events. Mark needs to see the

insurance proposal to finalize these arrangements. We will want a table banner like the

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Irish Music &

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one that the Center for Irish Music uses to let guests know who’s benefiting from the

bar. Action Item: Jan to research what a table banner will cost, circulate the

information for board review.

IMDA Honors Lar Burke - Jan

The evening was a success for the recipient and it appeared that everyone had a great time. Final bills for the hall rental and bar supplies are not in so no final accounting is available yet. For future events, we need to be more formal in our planning so that

budget and other commitments are understood. (Everyone understands that this was a bit unusual because of the hand-off in planning due to Lisa’s health concerns.)

Planning for St. Patrick’s Day 2012

Entertainment committee met immediately before this meeting. Planning for entertainment is proceeding, with a goal of finalizing everything within weeks.

Ruth will move forward to reach out to merchants. Suin suggested that we need to find a way to take credit card payments at Landmark

Center for artists sales. She will work on the details. She will also refine the procedure for accepting CDs from artists for sale.

IMDA website for St. Patrick’s Day and Day of Irish Dance has been mostly updated.

Action Item: Lisa to change the graphics on those pages – to update them.

New Business Patrick raised the question of whether our board is big enough. General discussion

about the need for new ideas and energy. Mike Casey suggested forming a

nominating committee of three members (Mike would be willing to chair plus one board member and a community member) who would brainstorm a list of potential board members. They would bring that list to the board for review and then reach

out to those people that the board felt would be good additions. Discussion included the suggestion of asking potential board members to attend a meeting or two before joining the board. The board agreed to have Mike form a nominating committee, to begin work after St. Patrick’s Day.

Meeting adjourned at 2:56 pm. Patrick moved, Ruth seconded. Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 3 – 5:30 PM – Perkin’s in Har Mar

Respectfully Submitted, Jan Casey, Secretary

Dec. 13, 2011

Note: This item from the July meeting minutes were not covered and should be added to the agenda for a future meeting.

Approval Minutes of Strategic Planning Retreat/ Meeting

Deferred to the next meeting as most attendees have not reviewed John’s notes.

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Irish Music &

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Check Out the Friends of St. Patrick—MN Chapter The Friends of St. Patrick--Minnesota Chapter will host an informational and fundraising event for their

2012 Young Ambassador Program on January 22. The event will be held in the Poet's Room at Kieran's

Pub in Minneapolis from 3:00 to 6:00 PM.

The Young Ambassador Program sends Minnesotan young adults to Northern Ireland to experience the

history, culture, and traditions of the region. These Ambassadors focus on topics related to their

educational and career goals. Examples of past projects include: a study of the linguistic aspects of 17th

century Ulster; an examination of the coverage of the Troubles and reconciliation efforts by the local

and county newspapers; and an exploration of the role of the Gaelic Athletic Association across the

communities of Northern Ireland. Minnesota Young Ambassadors will be presenting what they learned

through their cultural projects at the January 22nd event.

The two week summer program is financed entirely by the Friends of St. Patrick and The St. Patrick

Centre in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland. The MN Chapter typically sends two Ambassadors but as a

result of budget cuts this year, current funding will allow for only one Minnesotan Ambassador for the

first time. Our chapter goal is to raise $1,500 to send an additional Minnesotan to participate as an Ambassador in 2012. Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated. Donations will be collected on the 22ndbut may also be sent to Friends of St. Patrick-MN Chapter at 4533 Majestic Oaks

Place, Eagan MN 55123.

The mission of the Friends of St. Patrick--Minnesota is to provide young adult Minnesotans with unique

cross-cultural experiences in Northern Ireland for the purpose of building lasting relationships and

sharing insights gained to educate our community about Northern Ireland's reconciliation process and

vibrant cultural diversity. For information on the program and other chapter activities, attend this event

or contact Barb Donnegan at [email protected] .Young adults age 20-25 who are interested in

participating in the Young Ambassador Program may apply at www.youngambassadorprogram.com .

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Irish Music &

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Keegan’s Pub Hosts Fifth Annual

Women’s Christmas January 8 One more party for the season! Sunday, Jan. 8, noon to 4 pm at Keegan's. The past few years have been a blast ... exclusively for women to celebrate the Irish tradition of “Women’s Christmas.” As usual, there will be prize drawings for women. Locklin Road will perform from 1 to 4 p.m.

So, what is this about?

Keegan’s Pub started the celebration in 2007 after learning that Women’s Christmas is a popular event in Ireland—particularly in Cork. On Women’s Christmas—celebrated on the feast of the Epiphany, the traditional end of Christmas season (aka the twelfth day of Christmas)—the custom is for Irish women take the day off, and for men to take on the household duties. Women fill the pubs, and go out and celebrate with their girlfriends. Gifts are given to women. Almost too much fun for a Sunday afternoon in January.

Keegan’s brunch menu will be offered until 2 pm with the dinner menu thereafter. Following the Women’s Christmas event on Jan. 8, a traditional Irish Session will begin at 6 p.m.

For more information, contact Keegan’s Pub, (612) 252-0880 or go to www.keeganspub.com.

Musicians May Apply for McKnight Fellowships

With the generous support of the McKnight Foundation, MacPhail Center for Music awards fellowships which recognize and provide support for mid-career performing musicians. A McKnight Fellowship can help an artist set aside periods of time for study, reflection, experimentation, and exploration; take advantage of an opportunity; or work on a new project. These prestigious fellowships are intended to reward artistic excel-lence and to support performing musicians who have reached a critical point in their career development.

If you are a performing musician, MacPhail Center for Music invites you to apply for a McKnight Fellow-ship for Performing Musicians. MacPhail awards four $25,000 fellowships to outstanding solo musicians or small ensembles. All finalists receive a $1,000 honorarium. For the winners this is considered part of their $25,000 award. Ensembles that are recognized as finalists and/or fellowship recipients will split awards be-tween members; individual ensemble members will not each receive the full award amount. Awards are sub-ject to state and federal income tax guidelines. These unrestricted fellowship funds may be supplemented with an optional project grant of $2,500 for Fellows to pursue a community-based project of their own de-sign. Eligibility • Musicians in any genre are encouraged to apply. • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. • Applicants must have been legal and continuous residents of Minnesota for at least one year prior to applying. • Fellowship recipients (soloists and ensemble members) must maintain residency in Minnesota during the fellowship year or forfeit their award moneys. • Recipients of 2009, 2010, & 2011 McKnight Fellowships in any discipline are not eligible. • Students enrolled in a degree granting program are not eligible. • Artists may not apply to more than one McKnight Fellowship discipline per year. For more information, go to http://www.macphail.org/MCKNIGHT-FELLOWSHIPS/index

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IMD

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Janu

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2012

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day

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ay

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atu

rday

1 2 7:30pm 1st Monday

Shanty Singing

Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

3 5:30pm Irish Hour

Merlins Pub

7pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

St. Dominic’s Trio

Nye’s, Mpls

4 7pm Traditional Irish Session

The Contented Cow, Northfield

7pm Ceili Dancing

Conway Rec Center, St Paul

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7:30pm Set Dance Lessons

Tapestry Folk Dance Ctr, M

pls

7:30pm Ceili Dance

9:30pm ?


5 6:30pm Pub Quiz

8pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

6 7pm Hounds of Finn

Charlie’s Pub, Stillwater

7pm Todd Menton

Paddy Ryan’s Pub, Hudson WI

8pm Celtic Session

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7 10am/11am Willow Brae:

Fam

ily Series

MacPhail Ctr for Music, M

pls

7pm Hounds of Finn


7pm Locklin Road

Am Legion Post, Le Center

8pm Two Tap Trio

The Celtic Junction, St. Paul

8 Noon: Traditional Session

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

Noon: 5th Annual Women’s

Christmas w/ Locklin Road

4pm Learners Irish Session

6pm Advanced Irish Music

Session

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

9

10

5:30pm Irish Hour

Merlins Pub

7pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Nye’s, Mpls

11

7pm Traditional Irish Session


7pm Ceili Dancing




pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7:30pm Ceili Dance

9:30pm ?


12

6:30pm Pub Quiz

8pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

13

7pm Todd Menton


8pm Celtic Session

Merlins Rest, Mpls

8pm Hanneke Cassel w/ Dave

Wiesler in concert

The Celtic Junction, St Paul

9:30pm Wild Colonial Bhoys

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

9:30pm Spring-heeled Jack

Dubliner Pub, St Paul

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8:25am

-4pm Scottish Music

Workshop

7pm Scottish Country Dance


8pm Tom Dahill & Ginny

Johnson

McGarry’s Pub, M

aple Plain

9:30pm Wild Colonial Bhoys

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

15

810am-Noon Scottish Music

Workshop


Noon: Traditional Session

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls



Session

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

16

7pm 1st Monday Pub

Singing

Merlins Rest, Mpls

17

5:30pm Irish Hour

Merlins Pub

7pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Nye’s, Mpls

18



7pm Ceili Dancing


7pm Shanty/Pub Singing

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Kieran’s Pub, Mpls



pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7:30pm Ceili Dance

9:30pm ??

Dubliner Pub

19

6pm Tom Dahill & Ginny

Johnson

Sharrock’s, St. Paul

6:30pm Pub Quiz

8pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

20

7pm Todd Menton


8pm Celtic Session

Merlins Rest, Mpls

7:30pm Tom Dahill & Ginny

Johnson


9:30pm Reverse Cowboy

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

21

7pm Twin Cities Ceili Band

Ceili Dance


9:30pm Hounds of Finn

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

9:30pm Hounds of Finn


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Irish Music &

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29


Kieran’s Pub, M

pls


Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Session

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

30

31

5:30pm Irish Hour

Merlins Pub

7pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Nye’s, Mpls

1 7pm Traditional Irish Session


7pm Ceili Dancing


7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls



pls

7:30pm Ceili Dance

9:30 pm Live Music


2 6:30pm Pub Quiz

8pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

3 7:30pm Dunquin: 10th

Annual Scottish Island

Concert

Olivet Congr. Church, St. Paul

8pm Celtic Session

Merlins Rest, Mpls

9:30pm The Irish Brigade

McCormick’s Pub, W

ayzata

4 9:30pm The Irish Brigade

McCormick’s Pub, W

ayzata

22


Kieran’s Pub, M

pls


Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Session

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls

23

24

5:30pm Irish Hour

Merlins Pub

7pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls


Nye’s, Mpls

25



7pm Ceili Dancing


7:30pm Pub Quiz

Merlins Rest, Mpls



pls

7:30pm Ceili Dance

9:30pm Live Music

Dubliner Pub

26

6:30pm Pub Quiz

8pm Pub Quiz

Keegan’s Pub, M

pls

27

7pm Todd Menton

Paddy Ryan’s Pub, Hudson

WI

8pm Celtic Session

Merlins Rest, Mpls

9:30pm St. Dominic’s Trio

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

9:30 pm Wild Colonial

Bhoys

O’Donovan’s Pub, M

pls

10:30pm The Tim Malloys

Nick & Eddie, M

pls

28

5pm Ross & MacKenzie: TC Scottish Club

“Burns Night”

Ram

ada MOA, Bloom

ington


pls

7pm Open Mic Night

The Celtic Junction, St. Paul

9:30 pm Wild Colonial Bhoys


pls

9:30pm St. Dominic’s Trio

Kieran’s Pub, M

pls

10pm

Kilt Night at Keegan’s

Tom Dahill & Ginny Johnson Keegan’s

Pub

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Irish Music &

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Introducing the Scottish Music Workshop and Concerts The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society-Twin Cities Branch is extremely excited to announce a very special series of events scheduled for the weekend of January 13-15, featuring two special guest musicians from the east coast: fiddler Hanneke Cassel and pianist Dave Wiesler. Boston-based Cassel was the 1997 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and is a rising star in the International Celtic music scene. Wiesler, who makes his home in the Philadelphia area, is one of the nation's premier pianists for country and ballroom dance, as well as a prolific composer of tunes and songs.

The weekend will include: ♣ Concert by Hanneke and Dave on Friday night, 8pm @ The Celtic Junction in St. Paul ♣ Scottish music workshop on Saturday and Sunday @ The Celtic Junction in St. Paul ♣ Scottish country dance on Saturday night, 7:30pm @ TBA, Minneapolis or St. Paul location

Hanneke and Dave will perform a concerton Friday night at The Celtic Junction, 8pm. Tickets are available from the Celtic Junction (http://www.thecelticjunction.com/tickets) for just $15 in advance or $18 at the door (a ticket is included with registration for the full workshop). We will be hosting our first ever Scottish Music Workshop on January 14-15. Learn from two of the best in the country! Any musician with at least a basic knowledge of their instrument is enthusiastically encouraged to participate. No previous experience in Scottish music is required, though an interest is key. The focus will be on Scottish dance music. There will also be a class open to non-musicians with an interest in learning about Scottish music. Classes will be held Saturday from 9am to 4pm and Sunday from 10am to 12:30pm. Partial registration available. Hanneke and Dave will play for an informal Scottish Country Dance on Saturday night at 7:30pm. There will also be some guest appearances by workshop participants. Location for the dance is still being finalized. Don't miss this opportunity to dance to the music of some of the best SCD musicians in the world -- no exaggeration! See http://bit.ly/scot-music for details, including tickets and registration. Tickets are just $15 in advance or $18 at the door. Please note that experience with SCD is assumed (it is not a beginner's program).

Lessons offered by Laura MacKenzie ~ Lessons offered by Laura MacKenzie ~ Lessons offered by Laura MacKenzie ~ Lessons offered by Laura MacKenzie ~ Traditional Irish and Scottish Techniques and Repertoire

On Whistle, Flute and Scottish Smallpipes. From January 2012, at Laura's new office/studio space at

The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave N., St. Paul. Lessons offered for all ages - Beginners Welcome!

Inquiries: [email protected] or 651-398-5055

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Irish Music &

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Saturday, February 25th 5:30 - 10:30 p.m.

The Center for Irish Music and Kieran Folliard, Honorary Event Chair, invite you to attend a semi-formal fundraising event at

The Celtic Junction.

At 5:30 p.m., sit down with Kieran Folliard, the CIM Instructors , and the Advanced Youth Ensemble as we kick off the evening with a dinner by Cara Irish Pubs. The Dinner and Concert tickets are $50.00 per person. For $500.00, sponsor a dinner table with seating for 10. Special thanks to all who gather a table of friends in support of CIM!

Following the program, dinner guests will be joined by concert-only guests in the Silent Auction Recep-tion. Concert-only tickets (7:00p.m.) are $20.00 per person and may be purchased in advance or at the door on February 25th.

To make dinner and/or concert reservations visit the Ticket Reservations Page or submit a completed Res-ervation Form. For catering purposes, Dinner Tickets must be reserved by Friday, February 17th. We are gathering a wide assortment of Silent Auction items, including a new Great Experiences section, to support the mission of handing down the tradition of Irish music.

Éigse [eg-shuh] is an Irish word used for festivals celebrating traditional Irish arts and culture. It is in this spirit that we gather for a sparkling evening to raise funds for The Center for Irish Music and their mission of handing down traditional Irish music.

The Center for Irish Music is

a non-profit, 501(c)(3) community music school

dedicated to handing down the tradition.

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Irish Music &

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The Piping of Patsy Touhey

NPU CD 001, 2005. Na Píobairí Uilleann. Remastered from various sources by Harry Bradshaw.

Every now and again I give a listen to an historical collection (originally released on cassette in the 1980s) of the surviving works of the piper and showman Patrick J. (Patsy) Touhey. Patsy Touhey (1865 - 1923) was an Irish-born American uilleann piper whose musical virtuosity and primacy in his day were beyond dispute. The collector Francis O'Neill was personally well acquainted and very fond of him and said of Touhey’s artistry "…it is contended by many that he has no equal anywhere". O'Neill includes many transcriptions of Touhey's piping in his The Dance Music of Ireland.

The hallmark of Patsy's playing was highly ornamented chanter playing punctuated by an often syncopated and harmonious regulator accompaniment. Pipers in the U.S. at the time were profoundly influenced by Touhey's playing, creating what has become known as The American Style of piping. Hallmarks of the American Style are the frequent integration of legato passages with very tight finger work, (especially runs, staccato triplets, and backstitches) woven into the melody. Although this style seemed to be de rigueur among the more well-documented pipers of the day, it has fallen from favor since then. Today's greatest exponent of the style is Sean McKiernan....who just happens to own Tuohey's famous set of pipes.

Touhey's recording career reached just into the era of commercially viable recording technology. From 1901 until 1919 he recorded one-off, single-issue wax cylinders of his solo piping that he sold ($1 per cylinder and $10 for a dozen tunes) at shows and via subscriptions (one could choose from his catalog of 150 tunes). From surviving cylinders NPU culled and cleaned up the better tracks, releasing them on "The Piping of Patsy Touhey", a cassette of 14 tracks, in the mid 1980s. Additional remastered material was added to the contents of this release, and in 2005, a compact disc of the same title was issued containing a total of 36 examples of Touhey's best documented playing.

As for the quality of the listening experience...well…be under no illusions here, gentle reader; this is not easy listening. The ear is subjected to a withering hail of whitenoise, while being peppered by clicks, pops, scratching sounds and arrhythmic thumps. But rising above this tortured aural landscape are Touhey’s remarkable performances on his iconic Taylor Bros. pipes. Want a taste? Selections from each of the tracks from this recording may be found here:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-piping-of-patsy-touhey-r2118595

You will notice a great deal of drive and lift in this music. In my opinion, in the intervening years since Touhey’s time, there has been a noticeable “flattening” of the internal rhythm of forms such as the reel and hornpipe. The mass-production of recordings (78s) of the likes of Coleman and Morrison did much to set in the mind of the performing populace a certain rhythmic approach that is at odds with the once swingy and pullsy reel of Tuohey's day. Had Touhey’s recording career lasted but ten years later into the 20th century, much of Irish traditional dance music today might have a noticeably different feel to it.

If you are intrigued by the playing on this release (my...you are made of tough stuff!) do seek out the companion book to the cd (currently out of print). Editors Pat Mitchell and Jackie Small have painstakingly deciphered and reveled all

(Continued on page 13)

�u �eoil " Music to the Irish is a living delight, a mysterious key to a host of undiscovered emotions hoarded in the

secrets of the soul." Mairtin Byrnes

Our music hound this month is Tom Klein, local piper extraordinaire.

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Saints and Sinners by Edna O'Brien

paperback, 2011 Back Bay Press

Saints and Sinners is the latest short story collection by the prodigious author Edna O'Brien, grande dame of Irish literature. Ms. O'Brien explores interior life on a smaller scale, revealing hidden secrets and revelations of the human heart with artistry and precision. A ten-year-old going to a tea party given by her social betters at the Big House, a woman who realizes her new love is being hunted by the IRA, a daughter returning home for the funeral of an estranged cousin: all the stories reveal the fragility and nobility of the human heart, magnificent even in its failures. Small dignities and confidences take on significance and power in the hands of this master storyteller. Edna O'Brien said in a recent interview, "words themselves are animate; and grouped together, have an alchemy to them". This bijou collection proves her assertion in spades. Ms. O'Brien is a seasoned and worldly writer with a lifetime of crafting magic, turning ordinary flax into spun gold. Freely acknowledging Irish folk tales and classical mythology, as well as the legacy of James Joyce and Samuel Becket, she invents language of power and poetry at once ancient and of the modern world. Edna O'Brien's prose is not for the faint of heart. The back roads of desire, disappointment and resolution twist and turn, revealing vistas of heartbreak and beauty. Colum McCann calls her "the advance scout for the Irish imagination". I say: read Edna O'Brien and make your own description; you will be richly rewarded and find echoes of your own life revealed in her work.

Reviewed by frequent contributor Sherry Ladig, Irish trad musician and former reviewer for the Hungry Mind's

newsletter, Fodder. Sherry welcomes suggestions for books for her to review in a future column---or write one

yourself! You may reach her at [email protected]. Happy reading!

An LeabhragánAn LeabhragánAn LeabhragánAn Leabhragán (The Bookcase)

of Toughey's pyrotechnics, as well as some fascinating biographical and historical details of this golden age of Irish American traditional music.

If you are curious about Touhey and other prominent performers of his day, you will find more information on a stunning website dedicated to the Dunn Family Collection of Francis O’Neill cylinders:

http://archives.irishfest.com/dunn-family-collection.htm

This beautifully designed site was created to offer access to a recently discovered treasure trove of thirty-two cylinder recordings produced by Francis O’Neill around 1904. Here you are remastered recordings of Touhey as well as other prominent musicians of that time, such as Bernard Delaney, Edward Cronin, John McFadden and James Early (of Boil the Breakfast, Early fame). It's well worth the time to explore this engaging resource.

Tom Klein

(Continued from page 12)

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�eili �orner By Bhloscaidh O’Keane First Saturday Afternoon Céilí - Dubliner Pub, 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul, from 2:00 to 5:00. The suggested donation is $2.00 per person. The dances are taught and called by Paul McCluskey. Third Saturday Night Céilí - The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave., No, St. Paul.

Irish Dance Classes:

Céilí Dancing - Wednesday Nights

Dubliner Irish Pub - 2162 University Avenue in Saint Paul. Learn Irish dancing in a genuine Irish pub with a wooden floor that has known a whole lot of dancing feet. Steps and dances are taught by Súin Swann. Basic beginning steps are taught beginning at 7:30 (please note the time change), with advanced lessons and dancing continuing until 9:30 PM. Year-round; no children, and must be of legal drinking age to remain past 9:00 PM. Free.

Conway Recreation Center - 2090 Conway Street in Saint Paul. This class is held in a park and recreation gym, and is taught by fine dancers/instructors who will provide plenty of special attention for your particular level of experience. The class runs from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Year-round and open to all ages. Free.

The Center for Irish Music

Come check us out at

The Celtic Junction 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

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Just 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

Name: Today’s Date:

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(Mark all that apply)

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IMDA Membership Want to know what’s going on in the local Irish scene? Interested in music, dance, theatre and culture? Be the first on your

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

♣ Comhghairdeas léi (Congratulations) to Irish dancer Taylor Best who was awarded a 2011 Cyril McNiff Memorial Scholarship by the Irish Dance Teacher’s Association of North America. These scholarships recognize accomplishments of dancers who excel both in the classroom and in the dance studio. Taylor dances with O’Shea Irish Dance.

♣ Maith sibh! (Good on you!) to the Langer’s Ball whose new live CD “Drunk, Sick and Tired” and the Wild

Colonial Bhoys whose new CD “Heads or Tails” – both were named to the list of the Best of Celtic Rock and Punk for 2011 by Chicago based PaddyRock.com.

♣ Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) Brian Miller. Roddy Campbell, editor and creator of Canada’s number

one Roots Music Magazine Penguin Eggs, included Brian’s Minnesota Lumberjack Songs CD in his list of Top 10 albums of 2011!

♣ Save that date: February 25 is the evening set aside for the Center for Irish Music’s Éigse, a Gaela Event and

fundraiser. Details on the CIM events tab on the website (www.CenterforIrishMusic.org).

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