6th Annual Havertown Irish Festival - FREE ADMISSION
WHERE: Haverford School District Admin Building, 50 E. Eagle Road, Havertown, PA 19083
When: Saturday, June 8, 2024 12pm to 8pm
What: Live music, dancers, 2 outdoor stages, more than 20 performers. Crafter Village featuring more than 70 handmade crafters and artisans. Beer Garden, Food, Vendors, Kid's Fun Zone
MAIN STAGE - The Main Stage will feature top Irish Bands from the US and Ireland including an all sister band from Donegal, “Screaming Orphans.” Also winners of multiple Irish and international music awards, “Runa”; Dublin, Ireland’s “John Byrne Band”; and New York based Irish Celtic band, “Sheridan Rúitín”. And Irish dancers from the Emerald Isle Dance Academy. See bios below.
EAGLE STAGE - The Eagle acoustic stage will offer an acoustic mix including: Michael Tearson, 3hrowback, Taylor Ash, Kate Assirin, Shannon Daly, Hooligan Jack, J.P. Bohannon, Kirsten Irwin and Bob Michel, Alexis Cunningham.
Bagpiper - Brian Fox, US National Anthem - Isabella Box, Ireland National Anthem - Shannon Daly
SCREAMING ORPHANS Screaming Orphans are a chart-topping all-sister Celtic folk and pop band from Donegal. They are known worldwide for their award-winning sound combining original pop songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music. From an early age, the Diver sisters entertained international audiences around Ireland accompanying their mother, legendary céilí singer Kathleen Fitzgerald. 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. As of this year, the band has released 15 albums, encompassing both original pop and folk/Irish music, as well as one Christmas album. Their albums Taproom, Life in a Carnival, and Sunshine and Moss have topped Billboard, iTunes and World Music charts. Photo-R.Laine https://screamingorphans.com/
RUNA RUNA breathes fresh life into traditional Celtic music by digging into the songs and tunes to find the universal thread that binds past to present. Celebrating 14 years together as a band, Celtic-American Roots music “super group”, RUNA, continues to push the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music. Seeking to preserve and continue a traditional culture in a modern age, RUNA creates the backbone of its signature roots sound from the musical and geographical diversity of its individually established band members. Their strive for excellence and creativity blazes a trail for the future of folk music, earning them the
reputation as one of the most innovative Irish folk groups of this generation.The group has been honored internationally, winning Top Group and Top Traditional Group in the Irish Music Awards and three Independent Music Awards including Best LIVE Album, Best World/Traditional Song, and Best Bluegrass Song. https://runamusic.com/home
JOHN BYRNE BAND The John Byrne Band is led by Dublin native and Philadelphia-based John Byrne. Their debut album, After the Wake, was released to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 2011. With influences ranging from Tom Waits to Planxty, John's songwriting honors and expands upon the musical and lyrical traditions of his native and adopted homes. John and the band followed up After the Wake in early 2013 with an album of Celtic and American traditional tunes. The album, Celtic/Folk, pushed the band on to the FolkDJ Charts, reaching number 36 in May 2015. Their third release, another collection of John Byrne originals, entitled "The Immigrant and the Orphan", was released in Sept 2015. The album, once again, draws heavily on John's love of Americana and Celtic Folk music and with the support of DJs around the country entered the FolkDJ Charts at number 40. Critics have called it "...a powerful, deeply moving work that will stay with you long after you have heard it" (Michael Tearson-Sing Out); "The Vibe of it (The Immigrant and the Orphan) is, at once, as rough as rock and as elegant as a calm ocean..each song on this album carries an honesty, integrity and quiet passion that will draw you into its world for years to come" (Terry Roland - No Depression); "If any element of Celtic, Americana or Indie-Folk is your thing, then this album is an absolute yes" (Beehive Candy); "It's a gorgeous, nostalgic record filled with themes of loss, hope, history and lost loves; everything that tugs at your soul and spills your blood and guts...The Immigrant and the Orphan scorches the earth and emerges tough as nails" (Jane Roser - That Music Mag) https://www.johnbyrneband.com/
SHERIDAN RUITIN Sheridan Rúitín was born in The Spring of 2020 in a Congers, NY detached garage converted "Sheridan's Pub." In the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, as more pubs and restaurants were shutting their doors, Billy Houlihan became more and more of a regular at his next door neighbor's (Sheridan's) pub. Sheridan's pub was complete with a speaker system, Guinness on tap (ran through G-mix), and portraits of the 1916 rising Irish rebel leaders. It was everything you'd imagine a suburban New York garage would look like if it was owned by a man from Kildare. Billy would bring his banjo over to the pub every day after working his construction job, and him and Sheridan would drink beer and have a laugh playing all sorts of Irish ballads, rebel songs, and jigs & reels. They eventually invited over Billy's cousin, Shannon Cokeley, to sing and play guitar and soon enough she found herself a regular in the pub after working as a school teacher during the days. Billy's brother, Johnny Houlihan, was sent home from college in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, only to become jealous of the fun Billy, Shannon, and Sheridan would have in the garage pub every night playing music. This led Billy to purchase a used accordion on the internet, hand it to Johnny and say "learn it." As Johnny became well accustomed to the buttons on his (new to him) accordion, Shannon's husband, Tommy, had begun learning how to play a bodhran. This led to many fantastic jam sessions and 3 part harmonies of old traditional Irish songs. See the rest of the story at https://www.sheridanruitin.com/
EMERALD ISLE DANCE ACADEMY Under the direction of Kate O'Brien, Emerald Isle Dance Academy holds classes in multiple locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and has taught students for over 15 years! Our dancers compete locally, nationally, and internationally. We are a participating member of An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG). Our dancers perform locally at many pubs, festivals, corporate events, weddings, parties, and more! https://www.emeraldisleacademy.com/
CRAFTER VILLAGE - Over 70 juried Crafters have been approved. Crafters apply https://kellycenter.org/crafter-village-application/
VENDORS & SPONSORS - Apply to CONTACT US
Thank you to our Sponsors:
PA Lottery, Independence Blue Cross, Gallagher, Adam Mechanical, Wawa, Bewley Irish Imports, Stretch Funeral Service, Haverford Dems, Renewal by Andersen, Green Star Exteriors, Certa Pro Painters of the Main Line, Green Mountain Energy, Harrisburg Area YMCA, Global Home Improvement, AYR Wellness, Emerald Isle Academy, Cardinal Hollow Winery, Jiffy Lube, BHCU, NRG Energy, Passanante's Home Food Service, Delco Ponds & WaterScapes, The Handy Mainline Man, Power Home Remodeling, Volpe Enterprises, Havertown Animal Hospital, JT's Irish Apparel, Jiffy Lube, Mister Softee, Sherri's Crab Cakes, Wilson's Secret Sauce, MADI LLC, Taff Treats, R & D Specialty Foods, Sabatino's Mobile Pizzeria, HOSTS for HOSPITALS, DELCO Gaels, Haverford Twp Farmers Market Assoc. Bubble Tea, Leonard Insurance Group,Casemate Publishers, NovaCare Rehabilitation, Porter Family Exteriors, Donegal Importers.,The Davey Tree Expert Company, Wendy Black, Where Eagles Fly the Musical, Heiler Painting LLC, T-Mobile, O'Leary Funeral Home, Ltd. University Lodge No. 51, Cassia-Mt Horeb No. 273, Mozart No. 436, Window Nation
DONATE TO SUPPORT. https://kellycenter.org/contribute/ or Venmo @Kelly4music select "Business". Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
THIS MUSIC FESTIVAL is a FREE admission event. The day will be filled with live music, dancers food, beer garden, crafters and children’s activities.
FREE Parking. Unmetered curbside street parking is available in the neighborhoods around the site. Please do not block driveways. Grace Chapel on the corner of Eagle and Darby Road will permit limited free parking for the event. Parking in the metered municipal lots is free after 6 pm. Uber, Lyft rideshare is suggested to minimize long walks to the event.
Kelly's Pub Beer Garden will offer beer and seltzers for sale next to the stage on E. Hathaway Lane. Outside alcohol is not permitted to be brought in. Alcohol is not permitted on the field or elsewhere on the school property. Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol. ID required.
Bikes and anything with wheels must be parked in a designated area by the main entrance while you go inside to enjoy the festival. Bicycles, skateboards, skates, scooters and pull behind carts and wagons are not permitted inside the festival grounds. Push from behind baby strollers are permitted.
Pets are not permitted on festival grounds.
Seating - Bring your own chair.
Tax deductible donations to support this community event are encouraged. Credit card or Paypal https://kellycenter.org/contribute/ or Venmo @Kelly4music Indicate FESTIVAL with your donation in the notes.
Kelly Music for Life is a non-profit 501c3 pure public charity that supports Music Education, the Arts, and other community initiatives. We operate the Kelly Center at 4 E. Eagle Road in Havertown - a performance venue at night. https://kellycenter.org/
Joel Perlish is the official photographer for Kelly events. Images and video clips may be found at JOELPERLISH.SMUGMUG.COM in the KELLY Events folder.
