Irish Christmas in America tour dates

Irish Christmas in America tour is on the the way.

It is a great show. A bit about one of last year's gigs is below the schedule to give an idea. Teada (though I hear w/o Damien and Paul this go around), Tommy Martin, Grainne Hambly, several guest singers, and local stepdancers at each stop


Dec 01st Manchester NH St. Anselm College - Christmas Show
Dec 02nd Worcester MA Hibernian Cultural Center - Christmas Show
Dec 03rd Cooperstown NY Sterling Auditorium, Cooperstown Central School - Christmas Show
Dec 05th Wilmington DE Grace United Methodist Church - Christmas Show
Dec 06th Waltham MA Bentley College - Christmas Show
Dec 07th Washington DC National Geographic Performing Arts - Christmas Show
Dec 08th Washington DC National Geographic Performing Arts - Christmas Show
Dec 09th West Milford NJ Music At The Mission - Christmas Show
Dec 10th Cazenovia NY Cazenovia Theater - Christmas Show
Dec 12th Albany NY Hart Theatre, The Egg Performing Arts Center - Christmas Show
Dec 13th Lakewood NJ The Strand Theater - Christmas Show
Dec 14th Hartford CT Millard Auditorium, University of Hartford - Christmas Show
Dec 15th Rockland ME The Strand Theater - Christmas Show
Dec 16th Dallas TX Lakewood Theater - Christmas Show


Irish Christmas
(excerpt from a story about the 2005 tour, first published at FolkWax)

At Christmas, there are public celebrations and private gatherings, exuberant joy at the message and quiet reflection on its meaning, engagement with the present and remembrance of the past, and through the spirit of of the season, connection among all these. An Irish Christmas in America, a seasonal series of concerts offered by the Ireland based band Teada, took on this idea through sharing a bit of the songs, tunes, stories and traditions of the winter holiday in Ireland.

On a late December evening amid wintry ice and snow they brought their music to the auditorium at the Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester, Massachusetts. The nearly full house of listeners was quickly drawn into the spirit of things.The nearly full house of listeners was quickly drawn into the spirit of things as Fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada kicked off a lively instrumental to open things up, soon joined by Paul Finn on button accordion, Damien Stenson on flutes, Seán Mc Elwain - playing guitar, and Tristan Rosenstock on bodhrán, “ Christmas, as with most days in Ireland, is celebrated with music, song, and dance, “ said Rosenstock. The song aspect was next up, as guest artist Cathie Ryan came on stage to offer the carol “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” to quiet accompaniment from McElwain’s guitar. It’s a familiar song of the season, written by a of American pair of musicians from Boston at a time in the mid nineteenth century when many were leaving Ireland in hope for a better future in the face of famine and political trouble in their homeland.

“One of the most heartfelt themes of Irish Christmas is emigration,” MacDiarmada said, pointing out that for many back home in Ireland the Christmas letter or Christmas package might have been the only contact they’d had with their loved ones overseas for the year. He went on to read an excerpt from a recollection of one such young man, who marveled, none too happily. about the odd and funny tasting gift of tea in bags! and then introduced guest artist Grainne Hambly...