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Bua
Irish Music Awards’ 2009 “Top Traditional Group” is Bua, a quartet comprised of some of the most talented young musicians in the US. Bua plays Irish traditional music with “a precision and intensity that is rarely heard on this side of the Atlantic.” Their sound stands out among modern bands in the genre by “keeping the music down the path of tradition.” Their 2011 release, Down the Green Fields, finds Bua further down that path where the band explores forgotten sounds and inspirations with a blend of enchantingly stark song arrangements and bold, earthy dance tunes. An early review of Bua’s 2011 release, calls it “a testament, from beginning to end, of the lasting essentials of the Irish tradition.”
Bua has performed at many of the top Irish and folk festivals in North America including the National Folk Festival, the Milwaukee Irish Festival, the Lowell Folk Festival, the Dublin Irish Festival, Celtic Fest Chicago, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival, CityFolk, Catskills Irish Arts Week and Bethlehem’s Celtic Classic.
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Brendan Nolan
Born in the city of Dublin, Brendan's early influences included Luke Kelly, the Dubliners, and the Clancy Brothers. Although he started his musical life as a drummer, he embraced the guitar during the singer-writer boom of the early to mid-seventies and found his real love in folk and acoustic music. In the late seventies, after leaving school, his interest brought him into contact with the vibrant Dublin ballad scene. Now based in St. Pete Beach, Florida, he has been featured as a headlining performer at many of the larger Irish and Celtic music festivals in North America.
Brendan’ performance is spiced with good humor and innovative musicianship on guitar and bodhran, and as Steve Winick noted in Dirty Linen magazine, "a rich baritone voice." On his more upbeat material his playing has a distinctly rhythmic and percussive style, which may be influenced by his years as a drummer. It has been noted by writer Gary Muir of the Brantford Expositor after one of Brendan's shows that "his guitar was never intrusive but helped set the mood needed by each song....he left his audience in a mellow and satisfied frame of mind". Brendan has five solo albums to his credit.
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Téada
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Séamus Begley |
Téada, now firmly established as one of Irish music's leading exponents on the international world music stage, continues to be driven by a fascination with the timeless, expressive force of traditional tunes inherited from previous generations of musicians.
Since 2001, when the freshly-formed band landed a spot on the innovative Irish television show Flosc, Téada, has evolved to frequent headline performances at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Israel and Australia. A notable highlight was a headlining appearance to a 30,000-audience in Brittany during 2006, a year which also saw the band launch a hugely successful CD/DVD 'Inné Amárach', released by Gael Linn and Compass Records.
With lush Irish orchestration, Téada, meaning "strings" in the Irish language revels in the vibrant traditional music of Ireland, deftly playing up its structural intricacies while preserving the timeless energy of the reels, jigs, hornpipes, and other lesser-known tunes in the repertoire.
Last year at CelticFest, piper Pádraig McGovern stood in for box-player Paul Finn (who's hurling team is doing too well to allow him to travel!). This year, the boys are bringing none other than... Séamus Begley!
Séamus Begley comes from one of Ireland’s most musically acclaimed families. He is known for his sean-nós (“old style”) singing, hailing as he does from the Irish-speaking region of West County Kerry. Equally brilliant on the accordion, Séamus plays with astonishing energy and spontaneity, belting out jigs, slides and polkas with rapid sprays of ornamentation. Begley has won numerous awards including Best Folk/Celtic Duo at the 2009 Ireland’s Music Awards. “Begley’s voice is buoyant…a joy” says The Irish Times.
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The Máirtín de Cógáin Project
The Máirtín de Cógáin Project Concert is a group lead by Cork Renaissance man Máirtín de Cógáin, who is an entertainer of unending talent. A crowned All-Ireland Storytelling Champion twice over, a noted singer, a dancer and a heart-beating bodhrán (Irish drum) player, and actor, Máirtín has gathered a stable of the finest Irish-Yank musicians around him to bring the story of Cork to the States.
The show is entitled 'From Cork with Love' and brings the unique view of romance from the south of Ireland. Ballads of love, friendship, betrayal and a love-often-overlooked are often overlooked when they are from one’s own city, and the Project burnishes them to their original luster, all the while time poking fun at either side of the adventure.
The MdC Project's new CD, 'From Cork with Love', was released in December 2010. Members of the Project include Don Penzien and Valerie Plested.
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Éamonn de Cógáin -- Céilí Mór
Éamonn de Cógáin is widely regarded as Ireland's most energetic MC. He has called céilís far and wide across the Emerald Isle and is now devolping a name for himself stateside.
Éamonn is one of the chief organisers of Damhsafest, The Cork International Folk Dance Festival and was once again MC at it's Gala Event, the Dance Extravaganza in Cork City Hall. This past summer he has orchastrated locals and tourist alike at The Flying Enterprize Complex in his native Cork, where thousands have learned the basic steps and movements of Irish Ceili Dancing. His smooth Brog and easy going nature allows people of all ages to believe that they can Ceili dance the night away without difficulty.
The return to Mississippi was an easy choice for both CelticFest organizers and Éamonn himself as he enjoy the Festival so much last year! Éamonn looks forward to seeing you all at his workshops and especially at the Saturday Night Céilí Mór.
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| Additional Music Performers |
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Albert Alfonso, Dallas, TX
Contemporary & trad. bodhran |
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Legacy Jackson, MS / Orlando, FL
Trad. Irish tunes & songs |
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Bridging the Gap
Rankin Co., MS
American-Celtic
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Peg Loyd & John Burleson
Little Rock, AR / Dallas, TX, Irish songs |
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John Burleson Fort Worth, TX
Storytelling
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Sean McGuinness Reno, NV
Edgy Irish songs |
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Donie Carroll & Heather Martin Bixler New York, NY, Cork Ballads and tunes |
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New Orleans Strathspey & Reel Society New Orleans, LA, Scottish tunes |
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Celtic Crossroads Hattiesburg, MS
Celtic songs & tunes |
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Nine-8ths Irish & Friends Dallas, TX
Trad. Irish tunes & songs |
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Chambless & Muse Tuscaloosa+, AL
Scottish tunes & songs |
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N.O. Quarter Shanty Krewe
New Orleans, LA, Songs of the sea |
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Coyne and Reeves Boston MA / Gainesville FL, Irish tunes & songs |
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Siusan O'Rourke & Zig Zeitler
Saginaw, MI, Irish & original songs
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Crossroads Ceili Band New Orleans, LA, Irish tunes |
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Rickey Pittman Monroe, LA
Storytelling & songs |
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Emerald Accent Laurel, MS
Celtic-old time tunes & songs |
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St. Brigid's Jackson, MS
A capella Celtic choir |
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Father of Waters Pipe & Drums, Jackson, MS, Scottish bagpipe band |
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SlipJig Huntsville, AL
Celtic tunes & songs |
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Finvarra's Wren Detroit, MI
Trad. Irish tunes & songs |
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Smithfield Fair Baton Rouge, LA
Scottish & original songs |
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Donna Fitch Bedford, TX
Celtic songs |
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Spirits of the House Jackson, MS
Trad. Celtic tunes & songs |
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Jim Flanagan Hattiesburg, MS
Irish songs (in English & Irish) |
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The Tea Merchants, Austin, TX
High energy trad. Irish tunes |
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Flashpoint Dallas, TX
Irish trad tunes |
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Troen, Selmer, TN
Trad. Irish music |
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Michael Harrison, Fort Worth, TX
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Vulcan Eejits, Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, AL, Trad. Celtic tunes & songs |
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Louisiana Rhymers
New Orleans, LA |
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Jim Waters Bedford, TX
a cappella Celtic songs |
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Wild Irish Roots Baton Rouge, LA / Raymond, MS, Irish-American music |
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| Dance Groups |
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Birmingham Irish Set Dancers,
Birmingham, AL |
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Scoil Rince MacCrossan
Gulfport, MS |
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Irish Dance Club,
New Orleans, LA |
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New Orleans Irish Set Dancers,
New Orleans, LA |
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Jackson Irish Dancers,
Jackson, MS |
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Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance,
Nashville, TN |
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McTeggart Irish Dancers of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA |
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WindDance,
Selmer, TN |
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 Field Displays
Shire of Iron Ox, Jackson's chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, will be on the grounds Saturday to demonstrate mideaval sparring techniques.
Highland Games
Highland games are events held throughout the year in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss.
Heavy Hammer Throw: 22lbs in wt, traditionally a Scottish event now an International Olympic event. What probably began as an informal contest between two young men in front of a blacksmith shop in the highlands of Scotland has grown into the Olympic event. The competitor is judged on the best of three throws.
Light Hammer Throw: 16 lbs in weight.
Open Stone Throw: 18.6 lbs of Georgia Granite thrown for distance. This event is known in Gaelic as the Clachneart and is similar to the Olympic shot put. Each competitor is judged on the longest of three throws.
 Braemar Stone of Strength: 21.7 lbs
16 lb. Sheaf Toss: A sheaf of hay in burlap tossed over a bar with a pitchfork for height. The origins of this event obviously lie in the agricultural regions of Scotland. A 16 pound sheaf of hay enclosed in a burlap bag is tossed with a three tined pitch fork over a bar. The sheaf must clear the bar without touching. Each competitor is given three chances to clear the bar. After each have had their throw, the bar is raised. This continues until all but one has been eliminated.
Light Weight For Distance: 28 lb weight is tossed. These events consist of a three part competition using two metal weights. Both weights are thrown for distance and the 56lb weight is tossed for height. Each competitor is judged on the best of three tries.
Heavy Weight For Distance 56lb weight
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Benefit Events for CelticFest Mississippi
Feeling Lost?
You can read the F.A.Q., or try searching the CelticFest site here.
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