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Hello AmeriCeltic Reader,

• New! Review: on Friday, June 19th, at 6:00 PM, the United Irish Cultural Center will host a multi-media work, entitled Ulysses Meets Sgt Pepper, which will be presented by Michael Fallon in the St. Francis Room at their large facility in San Francisco, CA. The event producers, Wazoff Productions, have generously provided co-founders Tony and Celia Becker with a preview of their show, and they have written a descriptive Review for the edification of AmeriCeltic readers. (See Below)

• On Sunday, June 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, Delaney McCormack will present, online via Zoom, the fourth episode of her 6 part lecture on Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin. This is one of the foundational texts in 19th Century Irish Gothic literature. The series is sponsored by the Celtic Arts Center, and runs Sundays, through July 12th, excepting July 5th, Independence Day weekend. (See Details)

• New! On Friday, June 12th, at 5:00 PM, Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter perform at Del Norte Public Library, in Crescent City, CA, followed by a show on Saturday, June 13th, at 7:00 PM at Fortuna Public Library in Fortuna, CA and Sunday, May 3rd, at 4:00 PM in Inverness, CA. (See Details)
• On Friday, June 12th, at 8:00 PM, Natalie & Brittany Haas perform at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, in Santa Monica, CA, to be followed by a show on Saturday, June 13th, at 7:30 PM at rim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, CA. (See Below)
• Friday, June 12th, at 7:00 PM, Colm Gannon and Sean Gavin perform at the The Side Door, in Sacramento, CA, to be followed by four more shows around Northern California. (See Below)
• On Saturday, June 13th at 4:00 PM through Sunday, June 21st at 11:00 AM, Alasdair Fraser hosts Sierra Fiddle Camp, a week of Workshops and Ceilidhs near Grass Valley, CA, including a Community Concert and Fundraiser on Saturday, June 20th, at 7:30 PM in Pioneer Park, in Nevada City, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, June 13th at 4:00 PM, the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco hosts their Irish Traditional Music Fast Sessions in the Emerald Pub. On Tuesday, June 16th, UICC-SF hosts a gathering for Ulysses/’Bloomsday’ Readings & Conversations in the P.J.Dowling Library. Then, on Saturday, June 19th, at 6:00 PM, UICC-SF hosts a multi-media work, entitled Ulysses Meets Sgt Pepper, in the St. Francis Room. All these events happen at the UICC’S large facility in San Francisco, CA. (See Details)
• New! On Sunday, June 14th at 4:00 PM, the Irish Literary and Historical Society will host Board Chair Emeritus Patrick Goggins in conversation with current Board Chair David Vela discussing The History of the Irish Forum, at the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On Sunday, June 14th, at 4:00 PM, the Community Music School of Santa Cruz begins their summer series of Redwood Music Camps with the Teen edition, in Aptos, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Monday, June 15th, at 7:30 PM, The Saint Andrew’s Society of San Francisco invites all Scots and those of Scottish affinity to their regular monthly members meeting, which will conclude with performance by The Story Wrens at their historic Engine Company No. 31 Firehouse in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• Continuing Thursday, June 18th, and continuing on the following Thursday, Sean Murphy will present a weekly 1st course episode covering the History of County Waterford, from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Pacific Time, followed by a 2nd course episode covering Ancient Ireland up to the Arrival of the Celts from 4:30 – 6:00 PM Pacific Time, for four Thursdays in total, both offered Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Friday, June 19th at 12:00 PM Pacific, Jim Lucas and Linn Phipps will host another Themed Shanty Sing, with the theme Mexico, accessible from anywhere, Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Saturday, June 24th, at 5:00 PM, Suzuki Cady and Jimmy Murphy perform at the Rio Nido Roadhouse in Rio Nido, CA (See Below)
• On Saturday, June 27th, at 7:00 PM, the Gaelic Muses with Michael Mullen, will perform at the Wheelhouse on Lincoln Avenue in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, July 3rd, at 6:00 PM, the Katie Jane Band performs at Dullahan Irish Pub, in Lake Oswego, OR. (See Below)

• On Fridays, from 5:00 PM on, Pub Scouts, plays great tunes at Duffy’s Tavern in Chico, CA. (See Below)
• There are several monthly Chantey Sings hosted by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. On the 1st Saturday of the month from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM in person at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco, CA. On the 2nd or 3rd Saturday of the month, another in-person Chantey Sing is held at the Mare Island Coal Sheds in Vallejo, CA. Lastly, on the 4th Saturday of each month, at 11:00 AM, the San Francisco Virtual Chantey Sing at 11:00 AM happens Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Sundays, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, there is a Turf in the Bog performance at Yosemite Wine Tails in Oakhurst, CA. (See Below)
• On the last Sunday of each month, join Alexandra Annen for a Irish traditional instrumental music session at Sayla Music Academy in Lodi, CA. (See Below)
• On First Sundays, Grass Valley based Three Times Through plays at Grass Valley Brewing Company in Grass Valley, CA, plus several other weekend dates around the Gold Country of California. (See Below)
• On the first Sunday of the month, from 11 AM – 1 PM Pacific / 2 PM – 4 PM Eastern time, Lynn Noel hosts the Mermaid’s Tavern Ballad sing-around, online via Zoom from her home studio. (See Below)
• Beginning Sunday, April 5th, and on the 1st Sunday of every month, from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, the Savage Craic Irish session performs at The Mad Dog in the Fog, 1568 Haight St., San Francisco, CA. See Details
• On 1st Sundays at 6:00 PM, 1st Thursdays at 8:00 PM, and other Thursdays at 8:30 PM, Irish Dance – San Francisco Bay Area organizes Irish set dancing in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• Phoenix Folk Ltd. was established in 2009 by Maurice Condie, Adam Holden & Marina Dodgson to promote participation and performance in folk and acoustic music, song and dance across the North East of England, and since the COVID lockdowns, they have expanded into the online world. Currently, they host three weekly online events on Zoom, happening at 8:00 PM UK / 12:00 PM Pacific on Monday’s, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays at 9:00 AM Pacific and Wednesdays at 3:00 PM Pacific, moreGaelic hosts Scottish Gaelic language events live on Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 12:00 – 2:00 PM Pacific Time, Mark Wallis & Alix Sandra Huntley-Speirs host the Moosehead Traditional Irish Music Session, a participatory online Irish instrumental music event, timed so our friends from Ireland and the UK and join in. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 3:00 – 6:00 PM Pacific Time, Irish born Maureen McNally hosts the Ag Teacht Le Cheile Irish Session, a participatory online Irish music event timed so our friends from Ireland and the UK can join in. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 6:00 – 7:15 PM at her home in Sebastopol, CA, Suzuki Cady gives Irish Music Classses for All Instruments. (See Below)
• On Monday, December 15th, at 7:00 PM Celtic Arts Center host their annual Grand Music Session, Winter Holiday. On Mondays, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM, the Celtic Arts Center offers beginner level Irish classes online via Zoom and a full evening of Celtic in-person music and dance at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood, CA. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, from 12:00 – 2:00 PM Pacific Time, Tony Becker, hosts the Trans-Atlantic Session, an online traditional music event, featuring a mix of instrumental and vocal performances, timed so participants from Ireland and the UK can join in. Later on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Pacific, Tony hosts the Pacific Evening Session. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, John Whelan conducts his free Play Along Sessions: Tune Learning at 3:00 PM Pacific and Taking Time at 4:00 PM both Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 7:00 PM, Irish American Writers and Artists West’s Lori Cassels hosts a salon of local artists at Slainte Pub in Berkeley, CA. (See Below)
• Every Wednesday, at 8:00 PM Los Angeles based Stepwise, a young traditional band born of the COVID Pandemic by founders Liam Lewis and Olivia Breidenthal, performs at Griffins of Kinsale in South Pasadena, CA. (See Below)
• The Philo-Celtic Society offers four full quarters of multiple free classes focused on learning the Irish Language, and some quarters include classes in Irish Song. Fall Quarter 2024 classes began in mid-September and run through December, and include a Children’s Reading Class. All are accessible to everyone everywhere, Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, at at 8 – 9:30 PM Eastern / 5 – 6:30 PM Pacific, and again on Thursdays at 8 – 9:30 PM Pacific / 11 – 12:30 AM Eastern, Autumn Rhodes teaches Irish Session Repertoire for All Instruments online via Zoom from San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On 1st Thursdays, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM Pacific Time, multi-instrumentalist Michael Eskin hosts the The Ould Sod Virtual Irish Sessions, the best and most popular participatory online Irish traditional music event. (See Below)
• On Thursdays, at 6:00 PM Pacific Time, One Eyed Reilly plays at The Delta King Bar & Grill in Sacramento, CA, and can be heard at several other venues in the Sacramento Valley. (See Below)
• On third Thursdays, at 6:00 PM, Phillip Taylor leads a Irish/Scottish tune learning session at the Strum Shop in Roseville, CA. (See Below)

• Co-Founder Cecilia Fabos-Becker’s e-book Ancestry & DNA: Beyond the basics, is available for download now! (See Below)
• On Fridays from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, (Pacific time) as well as Mondays from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, Tuesdays – Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Online or In-Person, Oakhurst, CA born Cedar Dobson is offering lessons in all types of Irish whistles from Gandharva Loka World Music Store in Central Dublin, Ireland. Cedar is also gathering donations on gofundme to produce physical CDs of her new album, Decade. Click here to make a donation. (See Below)
• Slainte Pub continues to provide a proper Irish Pub experience at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. (See Below)
• Now in their 3rd year, Willow on the Green, operated by friend of the family Alex Sinclair and located on 9th Avenue in San Francisco, CA, is especially convenient to Golden Gate Park, and caters to the park revelers, offering a unique array of ready to eat culinary delights. (See Below)
• Well known Flying Scot and all round traditional musician David Brewer has launched his online music lessons, accessible to anyone, anywhere Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• The Starry Plough is now open everyday, with all the events it’s many long term customers had before the pandemic, in Berkeley, CA. (See Below)
• Music and Dance have returned to the cherished San Francisco, CA Celtic cultural institution, The Plough and the Stars, now open from Wednesday through Sunday, 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM. (See Below)
• Sport your Celtic heritage! AmeriCeltic offers a colorful array of items, each emblazoned with the AmeriCeltic logo. (See Below)
• The Celtic Tea Shoppe, in San Jose is your source for Celtic and Celtic inspired carry-out fresh baked foods, confections and rare teas. (See Below)
• With an extensive selection of instruments and instructional material from around the world, Lark In The Morning in Berkeley, CA is open for in person and online sales and lessons. (See Below)

Scan our feature articles below, or as always, you can click here to check the full listings on our website.

Ulysses Meets Sgt Pepper

For for Bloomsday 2026, there is something completely new. Ulysses Meets Sgt Pepper, from a new production group, called Wazoff Productions. It is an Artificial Intellegence fueled mashup of James Joyce and the Beatles most famous works.

Now, you might ask, ‘who are the people at Wazoff Productions?’ Back in 1964, the then newly opened St. John’s High School, in Toledo, OH, included classmates D. Mark Hornung, Ron Nicholas, and Gary Eberle, along with retired San Jose State University professor and Bay Area author Michael Fallon. These four young men soon learned that they shared Irish Heritage, and all four have maintained a lifelong friendship until today. I think it is best to let Prof. Fallon continue this story in his own words.

Author Michael Fallon says:

In 2022, as I wrote my long-planned book, Ulysses Abridged. I had in mind the understanding that James Joyce had intended his seminal work, Ulysses, to be A Day in the Life type of opus. I was already aware of that striking parallel to the Beatles song of that same title, A Day in the Life. which is part of their 1967 album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

With the help of my four friends from St. John’s, I finished my book and got it published. Then, in June 2024, for Bloomsday, a traditional celebration of the Joyce novels day, June 16th, 1904, I presented this book at the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco. My host, the UICC-SF librarian, Jennifer Drennan, told me that my presentation was very well received and that the Center looked forward to having me back in 2025. I still had in my mind the parallel between Joyce and Beatles two A Day in the Life works, and so, I began working on the script for Ulysses meets Sgt Pepper, (UMSP), that same summer. So, the idea & script for UMSP are both all mine.

With the Sgt Pepper 60th Anniversary approaching in 2027, I told Jennifer I was holding back my UMSP presentation until 2026, to begin the 60th’s advent year, and that script remained dormant, but in December 2025, I had lunch with my old friend Mark. Like me, Mark is an avid Beatles fan, and when I told him about my UMSP idea, he said he was interested in getting involved. I approached Ron and Gary and they bought in as well. My three friends, who had helped me with Ulysses Abridged, were all willing to work with me again!

I guess in a limited way I’ve demonstrated a passion for both the Beatles and Joyce, and not so much for all of Joyce’s work, but particularly for Ulysses. I am passionate about getting ‘Ulysses’ more out there in public, and so in an innovative way; as I have known other artists to spin variations off Ulysses / Joyce.

In recent years, as The Beatles band reached its 60-year anniversary, retrospectives of history and music began appearing more in the media. A few noted that one particular Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in June 1967, seemed to be a musical expression that echoed many elements of James Joyce’s landmark 1922 novel, Ulysses, although it is set in 1904. Both Paul McCartney and John Lennon had read it, and McCartney has said it inspired him to the particular style of the album and its ‘stream of consciousness’ lyrics.

As Fallon says, he suggested that he and his group of long-time friends create a multi-media presentation illustrating the similarities in the music from the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band’ and its Edwardian themes and sounds and Ulysses Abridged set in Edwardian times, 1904, with a mash-up of excerpts of the two works. And so, using the very contemporary tech of ChatGPT AI, they have created this new multi-media video, Ulysses meets Sgt Pepper.

The resulting show is very much to the promised point, bringing a combination of up to the times images and voices to the characters, items and events, in that one day in the life of Leopold Bloom, Joyce’s more modern Ulysses, back in 1904. As promised, the music they choose from the Beatles Sgt Pepper album seems to express those events, relationships and observations of life on that particular day of Mr. Bloom’s life.

Ulysses meets Sgt Pepper, is a flashy, sexy, engaging and entertaining presentation. The show should stimulate a lot of discussion and conversation both in the intermission and after the presentation, as well as for days to come. Human nature and the events of life haven’t changed much in 60 years and even more than 100 years later, the questions and observations presented then are still relevant now.

This review is coming from two persons, one a female. We appreciated that the creators of the presentation showed greater sensitivity to a female audience, likely raised in a more prurient, old-fashioned manner as we were, than Joyce himself did, except for his writing Molly’s perspective on her marriage and life at the very end of the novel. Given contemporary politics, and the news and questions of family, marital and relationship values and practices, again, this presentation and the book and music that went into it are all still timely and worthy of discussion. This is especially true of the idea that ‘clearly, how little has human nature and attitudes changed since 1904.’ Perhaps, how similar is Trump, Epstein, etc. to Bloom and his friends’ visits to bordellos and affairs? And what we DO all think of the past and present together, especially what do women think? This presentation is not just engaging and entertaining but raises important questions about the here and now.

We hope that it will be seen beyond this debut presentation at UICC-SF and San Francisco, eventually, but we recommend that you take this opportunity to see it in person, as there is no guarantee you will ever get another such opportunity!

Celia Becker‘s Notes to readers:

I also read and wrote our AmeriCeltic review of Michael Fallon’s book, Ulysses Abridged, and had a strong urge to take a shower after reading it. Fallon’s abridged version has lost none of the important details and impact of the Joyce’s unabridged original Ulysses.

WRT the origins of these four ‘Wazoff Productions’ friends, in those same mid-1960s, Celia had a cousin in attendance at St. John’s in Toledo. Along with her several late Toledo cousins, Celia has had a long history of intellectual pursuits. In her youth, as well as to this day, Celia enjoyed the Beatles and the other ‘British Invasion’ bands, including the ‘Herman’s Hermits’, ‘Peter and Gordon’ and ‘the Moody Blues’.

Questions: micfallon@comcast.net

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Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter

Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter perform with two Celtic harps, the rare Swedish Nyckelharpa, Ukrainian Bandura, Cittern and more. The audience will hear music hailing from Celtic and Nordic Traditions as well as heartwarming original compositions. The multi-instrumental duo will present a unique blend of music and tales from their adventures as modern day troubadours.

Here is a video of some excerpts from their recent live shows: https://youtu.be/NvJdFA0ktsw

Lisa Lynne is a multi-instrumentalist and performer who has gained worldwide recognition for her original music featuring her Celtic Harp. She is widely acclaimed for composing memorable and heartwarming melodies on the Windham Hill/Sony music labels that have repeatedly placed in the Top 10 & Top 20 on the Billboard New age music charts. Lisa tours year round performing at large US festivals and performing art centers. Her work in Therapeutic music has gained recognition from NBC, CNN, Fox News Atlanta and numerous newspaper and magazine articles including Wall Street Journal. Lisa’s music is heard throughout the award winning PBS special ‘Alone in the Wilderness,’ amongst many other soundtracks for commercial television and independent films. She performs regularly as a solo artist, with Aryeh Frankfurter, Patrick Ball and the Windham Hill tours. She was recently named one of the 50 most inspiring women by Los Angeles Magazine.¢â‚¬Å¡‚ http://www.LisaLynne.com

Aryeh Frankfurter is a renowned Celtic harper and multi- instrumentalist who went from virtuosic progressive rock violin to intricate Swedish folk and Celtic Music. He began with Classical violin at the age of three, and studied music throughout his life. He has 17 albums to his credit, works on film and television scores as composer and arranger, and continues to teach himself to play a variety of instruments, most recently the rarely seen Swedish Nyckelharpa. He earned his masters in philosophy as he was becoming one of the most successful street performers in the US. He is a full time musician and producer whose uncommon approach to the Celtic harp and folk harp repertoire, his critically acclaimed albums have earned him high regard as an artist of extraordinary talents and abilities.¢â‚¬Å¡‚ www.Lionharp.com

Check out Lisa’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaLynne
Check their calendar at: https://lionharp.com/calendar
For more information, please contact: Lisa Lynne 541-972-3068 Lisa@LisaLynne.com.

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Natalie & Brittany Haas

Sisters Natalie (cello) and Brittany (fiddle) Haas began their musical lives together, filling their childhood home with Bach suites and old-time tunes alike. Now, they rejoin to highlight their combined traditional folk styles. With flavors of Americana, Celtic, Scandinavian, and original compositions, this trio of masters transports audiences on a cultural fiddling journey that will knock your socks off.

Brittany Haas is widely regarded as one of the most influential fiddlers of her generation. Born in Northern California, Brittany developed her unique style of fiddling at the influence of her mentors, Bruce Molsky and Darol Anger, with whom she started touring and recording at 13. She released her debut solo album at 17, and went on to join seminal chambergrass group Crooked Still. She has formed many collaborations such as her instrumental trio Hawktail as well as working as a ‘side man’ in such prestigious groups as the Dave Rawlings Machine featuring Gilliian Welch and the Live From Here radio house band hosted by Chris Thile. Residing in Nashville, Tennessee, Brittany is currently involved in many exciting bands and projects including Punch Brothers, Hawktail, Aoife O’Donovan, Väsen, and duos with Natalie Haas and Lena Jonsson. She played on Steve Martin’s Grammy-winning album and won Americana Music Association’s Instrumentalist of the Year in 2020.

Natalie Haas is one of the most sought after cellists playing traditional music today. She and Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser have toured as a duo for over twenty years, wowing audiences at festivals and concerts worldwide with their unique sound. Their first album together, Fire & Grace, was awarded Best Album of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards 2004. Natalie has also toured with Mark O’Connor as a member of his Appalachia Waltz Trio. She and O’Connor premiered his double concerto for violin and cello, ‘For The Heroes,’ with the Grand Rapids, East Texas, and San Diego Symphonies. As a studio musician, Natalie has been a guest artist on over 100 albums, including those of Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Irish greats Altan, Solas, and Liz Carroll, and Americana icon Dirk Powell. As a teacher, she has shared her ground-breaking chordal style and powerful rhythmic approach with thousands of cellists around the globe.

Click here to hear sample videos of Natalie and Brittany Haas:
“Strange Road to the Unknown/The Cowboy Druid”

“Innerligheten / Rävhalling”

Websites:
https://www.nataliehaas.com/

http://www.brittanyhaas.com/

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Seán Gavin and Colm Gannon

Accordion wizard Colm Gannon’s playing is as vibrant and beautiful as the Connemara hills. Born in Boston of Connemara parents, he learned his music from his father and brother Sean. He has many recordings to his credit and is widely recognized as one of the young masters of the tradition. Colm has studied and lectured on the connections between American culture and Irish music, and the history of Irish music, particularly in Connemara, focusing on accordion players of the last century.

Seán Gavin is one of the most highly regarded Irish musicians of his generation. Master uilleann piper and flute player, he is the first and only musician born outside Ireland to win the prestigious Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal. Seán has toured with the groups Bua and Téada, both have gleaned top praise from Irish music critics. He was Musical Director for the PBS program “I Am Ireland”, and for the long running Atlantic Steps. He has lectured on traditional music at the University of Chicago, St. Andrew’s in Scotland, and many other locations.

In addition to performing, Seán was Musical Director for the PBS program ‘I Am Ireland’, and for the long running Atlantic Steps. He’s one of the most highly sought instructors of Irish music, with lectures on the subject at institutions around the world including the University of Chicago, St. Andrew’s University in Scotland, and Na Píobairí Uilleann in Dublin. He has recently authored a popular tutor book, The Tin Whistle Method, from publisher Hal Leonard.

Both Colm and Seán have recorded and performed with the top musicians of our day, and are known for the wide variety of lectures and workshops they offer, as well as their amazing concert performances. Their latest recording, The Boys of 25, is a testament to their love and mastery of the tradition.

Video:
Seán Gavin and Colm Gannon – Judy Hynes/Billy the Butcherer

More Information on Seán Gavin’s Website: https://www.seangavinmusic.com

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Sierra Fiddle Camp in northern California at Shady Creek Camp on the San Juan Ridge (near Nevada City) invites you to a week of intensive study, recreation, and good times with people who share an interest in the music and dance traditions of Scotland and beyond.

Once again directed by Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, we’ll gather in our inimitable style for a week of intensive study and good times with people who share an interest in the music and dance traditions of Scotland and beyond. In a beautiful setting near Nevada City in northern California, fiddlers and other musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to explore their own musical expression and potential in a supportive, non-competitive environment. The camp provides a total immersion experience, with participants and instructors living, learning, jamming and playing together in community. The main teaching focus is on the fiddle, featuring Scottish and related fiddle styles; there are also guitar, cello, keyboard, dance, song, and percussion classes. All classes are taught by ear without written music. Evening activities feature, jamming, dancing and generally uproarious fun; recreational opportunities include swimming, hiking, volleyball and exploring the creek.

More Details on the Website: www.sierrafiddlecamp.org

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Every Saturday, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM, there are Irish Traditional Music Fast Sessions in the UICC’s Emerald Pub. On Saturdays, at 4:00 PM, join us for Seisiún Saturday, a night of shared tunes, tradition, and community.

On the First Saturday of every month, there are free, Irish Traditional Music Slow Sessions in the UICC’s Members’s Room.
Email Matt Moore for details.

Youth Music Classes are ongoing at UICC-SF. On Mondays, drumming classes at 5:00 PM, on Wednesdays for fiddle at 7:00 PM and on Thursdays at 7:00 PM for tin whistle and bag pipe classes. They are gauging interest in button accordion classes, and organizing a youth ceili band. These music classes are offered in partnership with Comhaltas Ceolti Eireann, Cooley Keegan Branch, and scholarships are available to defray the cost of tuition. For info., email class instructor Dan Cotter terrimaverick@yahoo.com or call him at 650-784-9347, or email organizer Liam Reidy lreidy@irishcentersf.org or call him at 415-860-1854.

The United Irish Cultural Center of San Francisco (UICC-SF) operates a large event facility serving the Irish and other Cultural communities, in the Sunset District near the San Francisco Zoo. Thanks to our hard working small staff and dozens of volunteers, the UICC Wawona Gates Outdoor Dining has operated a bustling outdoor dining space under a 1,800 square foot open-sided canopy since January 2021, and offers indoor events in their St. Francis Room as well as their spacious Saint Patrick’s Room!

UICC website
UICC Facebook Page

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Chair Emeritus Patrick Goggins

On Sunday, June 14th, 4:00 PM noon Pacific Time the ILHS is very pleased to host by ILHS Board Chair Emeritus Patrick Goggins, interviewed by current ILHS Board Chair David Vela.

Co-Founder of The Irish Forum in 1980, Patrick’s talk will be about the unique nature of the Irish Forum and how it brought together diverse voices from all sides in the conflict to promote peace and to effect justice in Northern Ireland.

Pat was ‘reared in Montana, New Mexico, Texas, and The Dakotas.’ His first trip to Ireland was in 1961 to the Goggins home in County Mayo. Member of the United Irish Societies since 1985, Pat is co-founder of the Black Irish Club (1988). Pat, involved in political organizing at the grassroots level, co-founded the Irish American Caucus (California Democratic Party), and was an early supporter of the San Francisco Irish Immigration movement. Pat also co-founded the San Francisco Irish American Bar Association. His life has been one of coalition-building, interethnic comity, emphasizing shared histories, literary, political, historical, and familial. His current interethnic work is with the Chinese community, regarding past contributions to building of railroads, and other current cultural collaborations.

Patrick’s talk will also be ‘about a grandson of Irish immigrants from Mayo and Cork’ going to ‘the largest copper mining town in the world, ‘Butte America’ (in Montana)’, and his return to his ancestral homes in Ireland. When Patrick arrived, he was greeted by a relative who said: ‘Glory be to God – it’s young Patrick Goggins come back home to Mayo from America!’ Pat has kept the bond of the current generation of Irish relatives still coming to America.

Please support the ILHS by becoming a member or donating today. Visit our website http://ilhssf.org/home/membership to renew via PayPal today or send a check for $30 for individuals and couples to Treasurer PJ O’Donnell at 1725 Shattuck Ave., #203, Berkeley, CA 94709.

If you have suggestions or future speakers or presentations, please do not hesitate to suggest them by emailing secretary@ILHSsf.org

The Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area is a community of scholars and lovers of knowledge in appreciation of the best in Irish and Irish American history and literature. We present a broad range of fascinating speakers from the heights of contemporary literature and academia as well as some of the finest lay scholars in the field. We have supported and celebrated Irish studies for more than 70 years in the great City of San Francisco.

For more information in the Irish Literary and Historical Society, check the website: http://ilhssf.org or email to: tonybucher@gmail.com, or phone: 415-350-6025.

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This summer, Community Music School of Santa Cruz is bringing back Redwood Music Teen Camp, Redwood Music Camp, and Redwood Music Kid Camp.

Redwood Music Teen Camp
for Ages 12-18 happens
Sunday, June 14th, 4:00 PM – Saturday, June 20th, 11:30 AM, at Monte Toyon Conference Center, 220 Cloister Lane, Aptos, CA
https://www.communitymusicschool.org/redwood-music-teen-camp4. Here is a sample video:
https://youtu.be/44h5FAwrTf0

Redwood Music Teen Camp is a weeklong overnight camp for musicians ages 12-19 that takes place in Aptos. Campers learn and perform the folk music of Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, America, and more. This full-immersion music experience is for players with at least two years of experience on fiddle, flute, tin whistle, recorder, harp, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, accordion, small keyboards, or cello. Students practice and perform in instrument-specific groups, with the entire ensemble, and in informal jam sessions. Other activities include singing, dancing, crafts, movies, and a talent show. Details, scholarship information and registration are all online at CommunityMusicSchool.org.

Camp will now last a full week, starting on Sunday afternoon at 4pm, instead of Monday morning. Camp always ends with a final concert for families the following Saturday (10:00-11:30am).

Questions about all three music camps can be directed to info@CommunityMusicSchool.org or 831-471-5184.
Website: https://communitymusicschool.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/communitymusicschoolsantacruz

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The Story Wrens

Founded in 1863, The Saint Andrew’s Society of San Francisco is the oldest Scottish organization in the region. SASSF joins men and women of Scottish birth, heritage or affinity in a bond of culture and benevolent purpose. We preserve Scottish heritage, cultural events, scholarships, and community engagement, fostering camaraderie & compassion among those with an affinity for Scottish culture, history or descent.

The event is free, but You must Register Here to attend!
There will be free valet parking, wine, whisky and appetizers, (if you would like to bring something to share, that would be delightful), a brief business meeting, followed by entertainment provided by the The Story Wrens.

The Story Wrens bring traditional story songs of the British Isles accompanied by tenor mandolin, harp, whistle, cello, fiddle and other instruments.

Mark Sellin, on Fiddle, Mandolin and Cello, Victoria Bottelson, Singer, Songwriter And Storyteller, Shawna Selline, Celtic harper and winner of the All-Ireland contest and a guest performer with the Chieftains, and also Forrest Robinson, percussion, who played with the Jazz Crusaders and was nominated for nine Grammys.

The Story Wrens are winners of the LA Critic Awards’ “Best Folk Album 2012” and “Best Folk Band 2018”. The Story Wrens appearances include the Getty Museum, the Lifetime series, American Princess, and the Hollywood premiere for the Netflix series, The Witcher.

Story Wrens Website: https://www.storywrens.com/

SASSF website: saintandrewssocietysf.org.

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Sean Murphy

Beginning June 4th, Irish historian Sean Murphy is presenting a pair of weekly lectures over four Thursdays. Each lecture lasts 60 minutes followed by a Q&A session. They run consecutively, beginning at 3:00 PM Pacific Time (6 PM Eastern Time) and 4:30 PM Pacific Time (7:30 PM Eastern Time), respectively. Each series of lectures carries a fee of $100 per 4 week course, with a 25% discount to all new enrollees and those who have not registered for any courses in 2024-5.

History of County Waterford 3:00 – 4:30 PM Pacific

The name Waterford us derived Old Norse Veðrafjorðr, meaning ‘ram (wether) fjord’.

Mesolithic people are known to have been in this area of Ireland some 8,000  to 10,000 years ago. The fine harbors, coastal coves and the navigable waters of the Suir and the Blackwater rivers attracted them.

Between 5,000-4,000 years ago sophisticated tribes who were engaged in agriculture took root in Ireland. During their tenure they built the great megalithic tombs, sixteen of which lie in Waterford.

St. Declan founded his monastery at Ardmore in 416 and was preaching the Christian message before the arrival of St. Patrick. Lismore was a renowned educational establishment which attracted influential figures from all over Europe to study there.

County Waterford is colloquially known as ‘The Déise’, pronounced ‘day-sha’ (Irish: An Déise). Sometime between the 4th and 8th centuries, a tribe of native Gaelic people called the Déise were driven from southern county… Read the full Details

Ancient Ireland up to the Arrival of the Celts 4:30 – 6:00 PM Pacific

This course will examine the geological origin of the island of Ireland over 430 million years ago and a history of events since then including a history of the first peoples to arrive in Ireland after the last ice age that ended about 12,500 years ago.

The geological origin of Ireland is based on studies that provide evidence on the formation of the earth’s surface over the last four and a half billion years.  The studies document the movements on the earth’s surface that have provided us with the particular arrangement of land and water on the planet that we experience today.

During the ice age Ireland was completely covered by ice that was up to two miles thick. This would have pulverized rock and bone and eradicated all evidence of human settlements from the preceding 2.5 million-year period of human existence. The course will include the currently available… Read the full Details

This Spring, Sean has some Special Offers. For new students and students who have not enrolled in the past 12-months, 2 courses for the price of 1 or 25% off the price of one course, and for those who have participated in the past year, free enrollment for a friend or family member in the September courses. These offers are only available by contacting Sean directly by email. If you are interested in joining either or both of these lecture series, or ordering a Gift Voucher, please respond directly to Sean by email: seanmurphy630@gmail.com

Check out Sean’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@seanmurphy6558

More Details on Sean’s website: https://www.irishhistory.online

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Jim Lucas and Linn Phipps

The next Themed Shanty Sing, hosted by Linn Phipps and Jim Lucas, will feature The theme Mexico. All are welcome to join to sing any version or to listen.

The aim of these events is to involve our Trans-Atlantic European / American and indeed world-wide Zoom singing friends in singing as many versions of our song as possible – related song versions welcome, including those with non-English verses, or which creatively use the theme.

If you’d like to sing, please register by sending an email to Linn at linnphipps@gmail.com, so that we can create a singer roster. We will record the session for ultimate upload to YouTube. If you’d rather sing but not be recorded, please say and we will edit out your recording. You are also welcome to come and just listen.

You can find more information here:
Website: Themed Shanty Website.
YouTube Channel: Themed Shanty YouTube Channel
Additional Webpage: Linn Phipps Collaborations

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Do you fancy going to the Folk Club?

Join Maria Hawthorne Boyle and her world-wide group of singing friends using Zoom, and you can give us a song or a tune from the comfort of your own home or just listen in. UK based Loch Down folk club is hosted by Maria Hawthorne Boyle every¢â‚¬Å¡‚ Sunday evening.

Topic: Loch Down Folk Club
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 828 9959 3447
Passcode: maria

Website: https://www.comeandsingatgosforth.com/lochdown

To find out more contact:
Maria Hawthorne Boyle: lochdownfolk@gmail.com or mariaboylegalway@gmail.com