Cultural Stages
Stop by the Spoken Word Stage to hear fascinating tales from Irish lore and mythology. Learn about Irish history and participate in hands-on workshops at the Irish Traditions Stage or the Music Workshop Tent will have non-stop instruction throughout the weekend.
BRIAN BORU’S IRELAND
Irish Living History reenacts the time period in Ireland from 950 AD to 1014 AD. It is the time of High King Brian Boru and known as the Viking Age. Crafts, cooking and weaponry that were used in early medieval Ireland are demonstrated.
GENEALOGY
Find information about your ancestors with the help of professional genealogists. Bring your family history information to the Genealogy tent and they will be happy to assist you with your exploration. All genealogical services at the Festival are free of charge.
Irish Families
Irish Families was founded by Michael O’Laughlin, an author and publisher of over 60 books on Irish surname history to help people with their ancestry research. Molly Nickle partnered with Mike for 22 years at the Dublin Irish Festival. She and her assistants continue to keep Irish Families and Mike’s legacy alive.
Franklin County Genealogical and Historical Society
The Franklin County Genealogical & History Society uniquely provides local mentorship, knowledge, and enthusiasm to support the growth and achievements of Central Ohio family historians.
Dwight Radford
Dwight Radford is a professional genealogist from Salt Lake City, Utah. He specializes in Irish and Irish immigrant research. Whether Scots-Irish, Gaelic Irish or Anglo-Irish, Dwight can help identify your Irish relatives at the Genealogy Tent. He consults many databases and provides advice on how to continue your search.
LEGACY OF THE IRISH HARP
Robert Mouland, born in Teaneck NJ, started his musical journey at age 8. By age 9 he was performing with his band at scout meetings and town fairs. This continued through high school and college which he attended as a music education major. He first came to traditional Irish music while teaching in rural Vermont in the 1970’s. With little guidance beyond a few books,
he began to learn on the fiddle which had belonged to his great-grandfather, an old time musician who played the country dances in the NJ Pine Barrens at the beginning of the 20th century. His real study began when he came to the Philadelphia region which had a thriving community of Irish musicians. He was profoundly influenced by his friendship with the late piper Tomas Standeven and years of playing ceilis and sessions at the Irish Center in Philadelphia.
BLACKSMITH
Heritage Forge LLC offers blacksmith demonstrations that show the process of working with metal. Demonstration tools, that will be on display and be utilized during scheduled demos, include an anvil, forge (coal or propane), vice, and various hand tools.
2ND CAVALRY
The 2nd Cavalry Brigade will present a concert of Civil War era Irish music played on original Civil War era instruments using original arrangements. Concert will be narrated describing the music and the relationship between the Irish immigrants and the American Civil War. They will also have a display area near the sports field where guest can learn about the daily life of a Civil War soldier, many of whom were Irish immigrants. Original instruments, reproduction equipment and weaponry will be on display.
Virtual Tours of Ireland
Take a fully immersive virtual reality tour of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Guests will be able to take in the sights and sounds of one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations. The tent will be located near the East entrance.
MUSIC EXHIBITS
Visit artists who make instruments including cajons, whistles and fiddles.
Burke Whistles
Michael Burke began selling pennywhistles in 1998. He was a design engineer and from 1978 until 2011. During that same time, Michael worked on perfecting and marketing pennywhistles. Michael believes that the secret of his success is to never stop trying to reach toward a better design and listening to the advice of the best professionals in the world.
Carbony Celtic Winds
Carbony Celtic Winds creates instruments that blend the advantages of modern carbon fiber technology with the time tested designs of traditional craftsmen. We are committed to the development of quality Celtic carbon fiber instruments including chanters, pipes, whistles, flutes and didgeridoos using composite material. This innovative wood-alternative material resonates stronger than the densest Blackwood. It does not crack, break or rot and is geometrically stable over variable temperature and humidity.
Ryan Hesketh
Ryan Hesketh constructs violins, violas and cellos with Stradivarius acoustical quality. He creates original designs as well as various acoustical experimental platforms to verify, discover or disprove existing theories. Ryan is open to discussions on all topics associated with producing and playing instruments from wood selection to tool making.
STEELTOWN ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS EXPERIENCE
Steeltown Acoustic Instruments Experience is an inter-active and educational exhibit for people to learn more about musical instruments used in Celtic music. For the past several years, Jim and Sue Borowski have been sharing their personal collection of Celtic instruments including violins, viola, mandolin, guitar, banjo, bouzouki, harp, autoharp, lap dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, Squeeze box, Accordion, bodhrans and Uilleann pipes. The SAIE also offers musicians a chance to sing and perform a song or two on the acoustic tent stage beside the instruments exhibit.
VIKING VILLAGE
Lost Viking Hoard consists of Living History enactors who share their love of history and immersion to learn. Patrons are encouraged to interact with the Vikings and learn more about the art and history that should not be forgotten.
WAKE HOUSE EXPERIENCE
The Festival has long celebrated and preserved Irish customs and culture. Music, dance, food and drink are among those customs, but other customs are equally important to those seeking to understand Irish culture, including funeral practices. So, in the midst of all the celebration, music and dance, festival-goers will find a Wake Tent, complete with a facsimile of a corpse and mourners. The Wake Tent at the Festival is an authentic representation of a wake as it might have been in a family home in 1898. The body is laid out, usually on a door, in his best clothes. His coffin is standing by, his tombstone has been prepared and food, drink and tobacco are set out for the neighbors. The traditional Irish wake lasted three days, during which time the body was never to be left alone or left in the dark.
WARD IRISH MUSIC ARCHIVES
This year’s exhibit is the Irish American Entertainment Hall of History. The exhibit is put together by the Ward Irish Music Archives, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as part of CelticMKE. The archives consists of more than 50,000 pieces.
CELTIC COOKING
Learn to cook popular Irish recipes with the Celtic Caterer, Chef Eric McBride.
Schedule
| Friday | |
|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Fried Black Peppercorn Cheddar |
| Saturday | |
|---|---|
| 12:30 p.m. | Irish Asparagus Blue Cheese Salad |
| 3 p.m. | Smoked Salmon Whiskey Cheese Soup |
| 5 p.m. | Irish Spice Beef Brisket |
| 7 p.m. | Orange Chocolate Whiskey Mousse |
| Sunday | |
|---|---|
| 12:30 p.m. | Stilton Bacon & Celery Soup |
| 3:30 p.m. | Potato & Roasted Garlic Gratin with Gruyere Cheese |
| 5 p.m. | Cranachan – Honey & whiskey laced whipped cream with folded in rasberries & toasted steel cut oats |
IRISH PLAY
Dive into the world of Irish Theater with “Moby Dick’s Gone Missing”. This 55 minute play takes you to a small fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Chaos ensues when the whale for the production (Moby Dick) goes missing. The play takes place inside the Recreation Center at the Abbey Theater, admittance is free with your Festival ticket. Preregistration is required.
Showtimes
Friday – 7 p.m.
Saturday – 2 & 7 p.m.
Sunday – 2 p.m.
Festival Map
Plan to immerse yourself in a diverse array of traditional music, dance, food, and cultural exhibits, while also exploring the vibrant marketplace showcasing Irish crafts and goods.
