Irish Music Festival

TOM LANIGAN BAND                    

Tom Lanigan was born in Dublin, Ireland, and moved to America when he was 16. He grew up developing a great love for both Irish and American music. In the early 90s, he started the folk/rock band Screaming Under Stars, which went on to open for The Commitments and Black 47. Since then, Tom has been working full time, often in a band capacity but he has also developed an extensive solo schedule. He has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with acts such as Solas, Makem & Spain, The High Kings, and Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfetones. Playing five nights a week for the last 10 years from Connecticut to Vermont, Tom has recently played at Irish music festivals in Canton, Worcester and Dorchester. In addition to the countless numbers of pubs, theaters and concert halls along the way, Tom has developed a strong following with his unique take on traditional and contemporary Irish music, and his ever-growing collection of original compositions. Moving forward, Tom continues to share his passion for Irish music while entertaining audiences throughout New England.www.tomlanigan.com

RAKISH PADDY

Rakish Paddy is a duo founded in 2010 and comprised of Perry Daniels on vocals and rhythm guitar and Eileen Markland on fiddle, penny whistle and vocals.

Perry has fronted various Irish and Celtic bands in western Massachusetts, and upstate New York. A percussionist early on, he has been performing music since the age of 10. His rhythmic guitar style and smooth-bold vocals provide a solid foundation for the band to build upon. 

Eileen brings a wide range of experiences in fiddle and violin performance and teaching. She has been appointed by the U.S. Department of State as an "American Cultural Specialist" and has traveled to Benin, West Africa with Project Troubador. She also performed at the United Nations Peace Summit in Switzerland and recently performed in Paris, Venice, Dublin, and throughout the USA. 

 

JOHN EGAN BAND

John Egan is a singer-songwriter from Warwick, RI, whose music spans a number of acoustic-based genres, including Americana, singer-songwriter, folk and Irish. You can see him performing solo or with his band throughout southern New England.

His musical influences include Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Graham Parsons, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, and Wilco. John has opened for artists as diverse as K.D. Lang, the Pixies, Janis Ian, Cheetah Chrome, Melissa Ferrick, and Morphine.

"Just like a Human Being," a CD of 10 original songs recorded with his band, was released a few years ago. A new acoustic CD (tentatively entitled “Better Late than Never”) is currently in the works and will feature all new original songs, including some you may have heard at his live shows - “Do You Know what it’s Like?,” “From Now On,” and “As Long as You Love Me.” www.johneganband.com

DAMHSA IRISH DANCE STUDIO

The Damhsa Irish Dance Studio was founded in the fall of 2004 by Colleen Kenyon and Gráinne Lanigan. Named after the Irish word for dance, Damhsa was founded with the mission of giving children the opportunity to express their interest in Irish dancing as well as helping them become more knowledgeable about Irish culture and tradition. The goal is to instill a love of the Irish culture and traditions as well as performance, community and service in all students. In the fall of 2006, Damhsa expanded to include the Damhsa Irish Dance Foundation, a non-profit created to provide a unique Irish dance experience to a diverse group of students and audiences.

Located in Warwick, RI, the studio offers classes for children ages 3 and up, Tuesday through Saturday with a drop-in adult class on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. Classes run from September through June with summer options available. www.damhsairishdancestudio.com