Media Page
The purpose of this page is to give the media access to quality photos, press releases and schedules about the CT Irish festival that they can download for their stories.
Photos
For quality downloads of photos of
Tommy Makem & The Makem Brothers, click here:For quality downloads of photos of
The Prodigals, click here:http://www.alrpr.com/prodigals
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Photo Caption - Pipers New Haven Gaelic Highland Pipe Band members George Thomson (L) of North Haven and Richard Mount of Milford practice for their upcoming performance at the CT Irish Festival to be held June 25 & 26 in North Haven, CT. Photo by Bill O'Brien |
Photo Caption - Harpist Kate Mahoney of Bristol plays the Irish harp, the national symbol of
Ireland. She will perform at the CT Irish Festival to be held June 25 & 26 Photo by Bill O'Brien |
Photo Caption - Celtic Story Teller Celtic story teller CJ May of New Haven, dressed in 12th Century garb,
will mesmerize children of all ages at the CT Irish Festival to be held June 25 & 26 Photo by Bill O'Brien |
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Photo Caption - Group Shot (Left to right) Irish harpist Kate Mahoney of Bristol, Celtic story
teller CJ May of New Haven, Gaelic youth footballer Liam McCaffery of Cheshire, Highland
Games athlete Roy Bogue of Hamden and piper George Thomson of North Haven will perform and
compete at he CT Irish Festival to be held Photo by Bill O'Brien |
Photo Caption - Men in Kilts Ugh! Ryan McCarroll of East Haven, Rob Hamelin of Wallingford, Dan Bourque and Roy Bogue, both of Hamden, display the caber (tree) that they will individually toss during the Highland Games Competition during the CT Irish Festival to be held June 25 & 26 in North Haven, CT. Photo by Bill O'Brien |
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Press Release
For press release, schedule and sidebars on festival bands and the Highland Games, scroll down
Connecticut Irish Festival, Feis & Agricultural Fair
North Haven Fairgrounds, Washington Avenue
Saturday, June 25, 12:30 - 11 pm; &
Sunday, June 26, 8:30 am - 7:00 pm
THE BEST OF IRISH MUSIC, DANCE, SPORTS & CULTURE
Professional Athletes Make This Year’s
Highland Games a World Class Sporting Event!
One of the Largest Irish Dance Competitions on East Coast;
Music Line-up Featuring the Legendary Tommy Makem;
5K Road Race; Gaelic Football; Story Telling & Cultural Activities
North Haven, CT (May 31, 2005) – The Connecticut Irish Festival, Feis & Agricultural Fair will once again highlight the best in Celtic dance, music, sports and culture as it turns the North Haven Fairgrounds into “Little Ireland” on June 25 & 26.The Connecticut Irish Festival, Feis (pronounced “Fesh”) & Agricultural Fair is presented by the Irish American Community Center in East Haven.
“The focus of this event is to provide an entertaining and enjoyable weekend, not just for the Irish community, but for the greater community as well,” said John O’Donovan, Chairman of the festival.
The annual festival features a mix of: the best traditional and contemporary Irish music; Highland Games with professional athletes; Irish football, including games in the 10-and-under-league, a 5k road race; cultural, children’s and agricultural activities – pony rides, sheep sheering & sheep herding; Irish shopping village & baked goods; and, with nearly 1,000 competitors, one of the largest step dancing competitions in the Northeast.
This year, the festival is pleased to announce that four world-class, nationally ranked professional athletes will join the competition in The Scottish Highland Games on Saturday, June 25. The Highland Games, which have turned into a spectator favorite since it was introduced at the festival three years ago, are played by burley, kilted men who compete in a series of events designed to test strength, agility, athleticism and endurance. The competition is in Caber (Tree) Toss, Open Stone Toss, Braemar Stone Put and the Hammer Throw.
The musical line-up, presented continuously in two tents on both days, includes Irish legend Tommy Makem & The Makem Brothers, Tony Kenny (Direct from Ireland), The Prodigals, The Highland Rovers, The Screaming Orphans, Liz McNicholl, MacTalla Mo’r, The Fighting Gollarney Brothers, Damien Connolly and Friends, Music in the Glen, Gaelic Highland Pipe Band, Pete Kelly Ceili Band, Marty Swiatek, Larry Ace, The Curlews and the St.Patrick’s Pipe Band.
On Sunday, June 26, nearly 1,000 competitors in spectacular Irish Step Dance costumes will converge on the Fairgrounds in one of the largest step-dancing competitions in the Northeast. The competition, which is a training ground for Riverdance-caliber events, is one of the last regional competitions prior to the national and international dance competition season.
Other Feis competitions on Sunday will be in language, singing, arts & crafts and Irish bread.
For the third year, the Irish American Community Center is presenting the Annual Connecticut Irish Festival 5K Road Race to benefit the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association. The road race, which is on Saturday, June 25, also features a .7 mile kids’ fun run and a 2-mile fitness walk. The race starts at 11 a.m. (Sign-ups begin at 9 a.m.)
Admission: adults $10 (advance tickets $8 by calling (203) 288-8347), children under 16 free.
For more press information, call Mike McCann at (203) 787-7997
Please use the following number and web address in your stories:
For more festival information, call (203) 281-3563 or click on
(No dogs allowed on the fairgrounds)
CT Irish Festival, Feis & Agricultural Fair
Please note these times may be modified between now and the festival.
The 5k Road Race to Benefit ALS begins at 11:00 am.
Sign-up begins at 9 a.m.
(Kids Fun Run .7 miles begins at 10:30 am.)
The Highland Games begin at 12:30 pm. A must see!
MAIN TENT
12:30 MAC TALLA MO’R BAND
01:30 MULKERIN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE
02:00 MAC TALLA MO’R BAND
03:00 THE LENIHAN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE
03:30 THE SCREAMING ORPHANS
04:30 O'KEEFE SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE
05:00 THE SCREAMING ORPHANS
06:00 TONY KENNY (DIRECT FROM IRELAND)
07:00 CELTIC DANCE INTERLUDE,
LENIHAN/O’KEEFE SCHOOLS
07:30 TONY KENNY (DIRECT FROM IRELAND)
08:45 THE PRODIGALS BAND
CEILI TENT
12:30 THE CURLEWS
01:00 LARRY AYCE
03:00 LIZ McNICHOLL
04:30 MARTY SWIATEK & RBO POLISH &
AMERICAN MUSIC
06:30 ST. PATRICK’S PIPE BAND
07:00 PETE KELLY CEILI BAND
Please note these times may be modified between now and the festival.
The 2005 Feis (pronounced “Fesh”)
At 9:30 a.m., more than 1,000 competitors in spectacular Irish Step Dance costumes compete on various stages throughout the Fairgrounds in one of the largest step-dancing competitions in the Northeast!
SPORTING EVENTS:
01:00. – Youth Gaelic Football (under 10) New Haven vs. Fairfield
02:15 – Ladies’ Gaelic Football, New York vs. Boston
03:30 – Men’s Gaelic Football, Fairfield vs. New Haven
04:30 – Tug of War
MAIN TENT
08:30 CELEBRATION OF MASS
09:30 FEIS DANCING COMPETITIONS
12:00 FIGHTING GOLLARNEY BROTHERS
01:00 MAC TALLA MO’R
02:30 GAELIC HIGHLAND PIPE BAND
03:00 HIGHLAND ROVERS
05:15 TOMMY MAKEM & MAKEM BROTHERS
CEILI TENT
09:30 FEIS DANCE COMPETITIONS
02:00 DAMIEN CONNOLLY and FRIENDS
03:30 MAC TALLA MO’R
05:00 MUSIC IN THE GLEN
(CEILI MOR & WALTZ COMPETITION)
07:00 FESTIVAL ENDS
Throughout the Day, members of the Celtic Learning Project – who will be in 13th Century Celtic Garb - will be on hand to tell tales of Celtic lore
Agricultural, Cultural and Children’s’ Events
SHEEP SHEARING, SHEEP HERDING, THE PETTING ZOO, PONY RIDES, CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS AND CHILDRENS ACTIVITIES WILL BE HELD THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND
12:30 pm.
This year, the festival is pleased to welcome some world-class, nationally ranked professional athletes to the Scottish Highland Games. The professional participants are passionate athletes who love to interact with and get the crowd involved. The increased level of competition will not go unnoticed by those who attended in previous years.
The main competition is in Caber (Tree) Toss, Open Stone Toss, Braemar Stone Put and the Hammer Throw. A new event has been added known as the "Portland Stone". It is a 100lb stone thrown with a run up to a wooden trig/toe board and thrown for distance. Each competitor gets three attempts to hurl the huge rock. The longest throw wins! This event will be contested inside the grandstands at the festival for a closer look by spectators.
Athletic Director and Head Official Art McDermott, Former Highland Game Professional and World Strongman Competitor, will keep the crowd excited and informed throughout the afternoon.
The Professionals:
Harrison Bailey - PA, Has competed in Canada, US , and Brazil, former World record holder in the 56lb weight for height. He is eager to retain this title. He needs to clear 19'6", his current best is 19' - Current U.S. ranking: 3rd
Dave Barron - Brooklyn NY, has competed in Canada, US, and Scotland. He is last years runner up to the World Champion (2nd place) at the World Championships held in New Hampshire. He is 2002 World Caber Toss Champion, 2000 Amateur National Champion. Current U.S. Ranking: 11th
Will Barron - Syracuse , NY - Extremely talented and intense competitor, Current national rank 10th.
All 3 of the above in the top 20 in the world! Other talented competitors:
Roy Bogue - Hamden, CT - Former Amateur World record holder in the weight for height, Winner of 3 Professional titles in the U.S., 3 Time NCAA All American Hammer Thrower Current U.S. Rank 17th
Dan Bourque - Hamden, CT - 2 Time National Champion NCAA Hammer Thrower, 5 time All American in same event. Professionally ranked in top 20.
Rob Hamelin - Wallingford, CT - All American NCAA Hammer Thrower, current Professionally ranked in top 20
Mike Zolkiewicz - Springfield , MA - All American NCAA Discus Thrower. Current Professionally ranked in top 20.
Tommy Makem has been known for many years as the modern day Bard of Armagh and is regarded around the world as "The Godfather" of Irish music. Armed with his banjo, tinwhistle, poetry, stagecraft and his magnificent baritone voice, Tommy has been mesmerizing audiences for more than four decades. Together with the Clancy Brothers, Tommy appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Tonight Show and on every major television network show in the United States,and they soon became the four most famous Irishmen in the world. They played to SRO audiences from New York's Carnegie Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall to every major concert venue in the English-speaking world.
The Prodigals are one of the most successful bands to emerge from the East-Coast Irish scene. The band members grew up largely in Ireland; their original songs blend a funky and anarchic energy that is pure New York with a genuine passion for the traditional music of Ireland. They have played throughout the United States, from Los Angeles and Las Vegas to Chicago, Boston and Maine, as well as abroad in Canada, Germany and Ireland, but they remain firmly rooted in Manhattan.
Tony Kenny (Direct from Ireland) was Ireland’s 1998 “Entertainer of the Year” and has thrilled audiences from around the world with his powerful, expressive delivery, his dynamic stage presence and his innate ability to create a magical milieu at his live performances, which are marked by laughter, tears and thunderous applause. Tony has achieved phenominal success as a recording artist. His release “The Very Best of Tony Kenny’s Ireland” has achieved Platinum Disc status while his latest recording, “Sentimental Irish” is receiving widespread airplay on mainstream radio stations around the world.
The Highland Rovers Band combine a huge harmonic vocal sound with extreme energy. In 2004, the Highland Rovers Band released their third CD titled “Unusual Days,” which has earned the band accolades on an international level and allowed the band to embark on their first European Tour in Early 2005.
Screaming Orphans are the dynamic multi-instrumental Diver sisters who deliver an infectious blend of edgy melodic rock, close harmonies and electric live shows. The Screaming Orphans, who have carved a considerable reputation as a captivating live band, served as backing singers for Sinead O’Connor on her 1977 tour.
Mac-talla Mo'r has been called "the best Celtic Fusion band I've heard", by Irish critic Joe O'Shea. Mac-talla Mo'r is quickly becoming one of the most talked about and sought after Traditional Celtic, Rock, Blues and Jazz bands on the the scene
Liz McNicholl brings music to life. She combines Irish traditions with the excitement of contemporary folk styles, all presented in her own lovely sweet voice. In 2002, Liz released her debut album, "Grand Central Station", in which Liz showcases her wonderful rich voice. Her unique style and versatility shines through in the diverse collection of Irish & folk songs.
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