Sean-nós Milwaukee Festival
One of the coolest Irish festivals in America celebrating Irish culture, if you’ll excuse my 1970s enthusiasm, is the Sean-nós Milwaukee Festival which takes place on February 16th and 17th, 2007.
Dedicated to the promotion of the Irish language and the sean-nós style of singing, Sean-nós Milwaukee includes concerts, workshops, sessions, archival recordings, and an address on the legendary Joe Heaney.
Sean-nós singing is that unique stylized unaccompanied singing in the Irish language, of which Missouri’s own Brian Hart is a marvellous performer. In 2002, Brian became the first American ever to take First Place in the All-Ireland Fleadh ballad singing competition, senior division, following in the footsteps of Joe Heaney and Frank Harte. You can listen to some examples of Brian singing HERE such as
Neainsín Bhán
- I’ve been keeping them to myself for some time.
Hosted by An Cumann Ceilteach - Celtic Club at the Center for Celtic Studies in the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, this 5th anniversary year of Sean-nós Milwaukee includes several events that are free to the public - notably the lunchtime concert on Saturday, the aforementioned keynote address by Sean Williams on Joe Heaney (Seosamh Ó hÉanaí), and Saturday evening’s session.
Check the full program of events.
I’m told that Milwaukee, Wisconsin is located an hour and a half north of Chicago on Lake Michigan with several inexpensive public transportation options available to the traveler including rail and bus servics.
Here is the great Seosamh Ó hÉanaí singing “Cúnnla” at An Ceoláras Náisiúnta, Dublin, 1982.
See Also:
• Milwaukee Irish Fest 2007
• Video of Liam Ó Maonlaí singing in Kerry
• Irish Glossary of Gaelic Words/Terms
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
Sean-nós Milwaukee Festival