St. Louis Tionól 2010

We had a fantastic time at Tionól in St. Louis! We met some wonderful friends from all over the world... (click on the links to see the larger pictures)

...connected with some friends from home...

...proudly watched our students dive right in with the adults...

...made music into the wee hours of the morning...

...learned some new things (our amazing dancing friend Tré Champagne of the Ghrá na Gaeilge Irish dancers took her first bodhrán workshop)...

...played some new tunes...

...told the stories of our lives...

...somebody played in his first Irish session at McGurk's Tavern...

...did a little sightseeing (the Arch!)...

...blended right in with the best of them...

...made time for a little nonmusical fun...

...and stopped for fireworks on the way home (what, didn't you?)

I was very lucky to take a class with one of my fiddle heroes, John McEvoy of Dublin and two of my students took a class with young Irish fiddle dynamo Oisín Mac Diarmada. I can't recommend this musical event more highly. It was a fantastic weekend.

We are already looking forward to Tionól 2011!

Ceili!

Our first Iowa City ceili was a rousing success!

Music by the Beggarmen, step dancing by the Ghrá na Gaeilge Irish dancers, calling by Gerry Bade of the Quad Cities Ceili Club. We had over one hundred people in attendance and many traveled from the Quad Cities, Fairfield and further to attend. We plan to have another ceili at the Center sometime this fall.

Irish Sessions, new day!

We had a wonderful time at the Irish session last Sunday. We have lots of space in the Assembly Room at the Center and, in addition to fiddles, guitars, flutes, whistles, uilleann pipes, washtub bass, and bodhrán, we were very lucky to be joined by the Ghrá na Gaeilge Irish dancers for some of the tunes. We also loved having so much space and access to a beautiful grand piano for some Cape Breton-esque accompaniment by Keith.

Please note that the sessions are moving to the last Sunday of each month from 2 to 4 pm beginning on February 28.

The Center (formerly known as the Senior Center) is located at 24 South Linn Street in Iowa City. Contact Tara with any questions. Hope to see you all there!