News

Black 47, Fenians Join 2006 Great American Irish Fest Lineup

March 14, 2006

UTICA, NY – The acts already announced for the 2006 Great American Irish Festival -Natalie MacMaster, Solas, The Prodigals, Enter the Haggis, Hair of the Dog, The Glengarry Bhoys, Cathie Ryan, Andy Cooney - would be enough for most festivals.
In case anyone hasn't noticed by now, however, the GAIF is not like most festivals.
Not content with that stellar cast, the Great American Irish Festival has added another full festival's worth of world-class entertainment to the previously publicized list for its July 28-29 event.
"This lineup is as good as any festival anywhere and cements the Great American Irish Festival’s position as one of the pre-eminent Irish festivals in the Northeast, if not the nation," promised Festival Director Matthew Sullivan.
Returning to the GAIF stage this July will be the most exciting and provocative band in Celtic rock history, the fiery and irreverent Black 47. Also taking the GAIF contemporary stage will be the electrifying Fenians from California, and the hard-rocking Young Dubliners, as well as award-winning Capital-area favorites, the McKrells, Greenwich Meantime, featuring former members of the Glengarry Bhoys, and one of the hottest acts on the festival circuit, the McCabes.
Joining Solas on the traditional stage will be Scotland's Old Blind Dogs, who have received the "Band of the Year" Award at the Scots Trad Music Awards in the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, and the Juno and East Coast Music Award-winning Irish Descendants, as well as popular Connecticut Irish balladeers the Kerry Boys.
As if this wasn't enough, the festival also boasts the best Irish acts from throughout New York State, from western New York favorites Gerry Dixon and Seanache to the Southern Tier's Pat Kane and West o’Clare and Elmira’s Donal O'Shaugnessy, as well as the area's favorite Celtic performers, The Blarney Rebel Band, Cliudan, John Gilligan, Rattlin' Bog and the legendary Vince Colgan.