One thing about living in this part of New York State is the large number of folk festivals that are held this time of year…. I say folk but really they are Celtic festivals. This weekend was the Irish 2000 Festival at the Saratoga Fair Ground in Ballston Spa, New York. This year there were over 20 groups to watch from traditional to contemporary styles.
Most of the folk groups who play at these festivals are very good musicians and it is difficult to fault their playing but even after six years of attending these festivals I still sit in wonder at what they play. At many of these festivals, Celtic means Irish but there always seems confusion on what is Irish, Scottish and even English. To digress a little, Celtic music is that of the Celtic Nation, to most Europeans, the Celtic Nation consists of six areas, Brittany (north west France), Cornwall (south west England), Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man and of course Ireland. The music from these areas is plentiful and varied but is similar in the underlying style.
Back to Saratoga, the highlights for me this year were two groups, Leahy and Girsa. Leahy hail from Ontario, Canada and play a mixture of Irish and traditional music from Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. The music from Cape Breton is a mixture of the first settlers, the French, hence the name Breton, a reference to Brittany and the later Scottish. The French established the first permanent settlements of present day Englishtown in 1629 and St. Peter's 1630 on what they called Ile Royale. Later in 1775 the Scottish community led by Michael Mór MacDonald of South Uist settled on Cape Breton Island and named the community Judique, still maintaining a French naming.
Leahy are an 8 piece group consisting of brothers and sisters all who are multi talented and play several instruments as well as all being excellent step dancers. Their hour and a half performance had the audience riveted, not only the music but also the way it was played. The lead fiddle player Donnell playing not only the normal bowed style but also pizzicato and a form of fiddle claw hammer at speeds that were incredible. New audiences have learned that this family of instrumentalists, singers, and dancers brings a rare level of originality and musicianship to the stage. This originality includes music that Leahy writes, arranges, and produces. Known for their unique blend of musical styles and genres, their repertoire is more distinct than ever.
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| Leahy |
The second group that caught my ear was Girsa… Girsa is an all-female traditional Irish band that hails from Pearl River, NY. Their name means "young girls" in Gaelic. The girls grew up in the Irish tradition, dancing and playing music for as long as they can remember. After playing with each other for years, the girls formed a band and have not looked back since. They gave a totally professional performance and I for one will be looking for their next gig.
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| Girsa |
The one thing that no Celtic festival can do without is genuine Celtic food… like Nachos, Pizza and of course corned beef and cabbage….. in actual fact, the Irish who came to America brought Boiled Bacon and Cabbage.
Anyone who has watched the movie Titanic will have heard Jack and others mention bacon and cabbage. In the U.S. and Canada, consumption of corned beef is often associated with Saint Patrick's Day. Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of the celebrations in North America. In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is
bacon and cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham). Corned beef and cabbage became popular in the U.S. after Irish immigrants in the northeast used corned beef instead of pork in the dish. This substitution was likely due to the low cost of corned beef in the U.S. Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish American immigrants in the late 19th century.
Leahy
Girsa
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