Star Studded Cast At Fairfield Irish Festival

FAIRFIELD — Internationally acclaimed entertainers will highlight the 13th Annual Fairfield County Irish Festival, June 16 through 18, at Roger Ludlowe Field. They include former Riverdance performers Eileen Ivers on fiddle and dancer Tarik Wilson, ace accordionist John Whelan and his band, The Prodigals, Gaelic Storm (from the movie Titanic), The Mollys, Kilt, and Aoife Clancy.

The festival is a family oriented weekend with supervised children’s activities and continuous music on three stages. All activities take place in tents. Traditional music and dancing, theater and cultural displays will be highlighted in the Cultural Tent.

Six bands will keep the Pub Tent hopping all weekend. More than 20 vendors will offer Irish merchandise and local community organizations provide food and refreshments.

The festival opens Friday evening at 6 pm with The Patty Furlong Ceili Band in the Main Tent, followed by the Lenihan School of Irish Dance. John Whalen will be featured Friday evening from 8:30 until closing time. Mr Whalen has won numerous accordion championships and other awards including Traditionalist of the Year from The Irish Echo newspaper. The Wall Street Journal has called John Whalen a “true master.”

Saturday festival hours are noon to 11 pm. The afternoon lineup includes Celtic Justice, The Mollys and Aoife Clancy. Celtic Justice blends Irish contemporary and traditional music with oldies rock n’ roll, contemporary rock and modern country music.

Kilt will entertain in the main tent Saturday evening starting at 6:15. They deliver smooth pop oriented folk music with a light rock overtone enhanced with traditional Cape Brenton fiddle sets.

Eileen Ivers will be featured in the main tent Saturday evening starting at 8:30 pm. Composer Bill Whelan recruited Ivers when Riverdance started its first London run in 1995. Ivers has won seven titles in All-Ireland Championships and is widely recognized as one of the finest fiddlers in the world.

The festival runs Sunday from noon until 8 pm. The Prodigals and Gaelic Storm will take over the main tent Sunday afternoon.

The Sunday sports schedule opens at 10 am with the Gaelic-American Club and Waterbury playing in a Shoreline Adult Soccer League game. In Gaelic sports, it will be Stamford against New Haven in Junior Football at 2 pm followed by Connecticut State and New Jersey at 3:30 in New York championship hurling.

Cultural Tent programs include workshops by Aoife Clancy and The Mollys, Ceile set dancing by Patty Furlong Saturday evening, and Music in The Glen Sunday afternoon, as well as Irish Theater by the Clan Na Gael Players.

Pub Tent entertainment will be provided by The Highland Rovers, Once Removed, Avoca, Bold Fenian Men, The Irish Band, and Mike O’Brien. The Glee Club and the Fairfield Pipe Band will also entertain.

Admission to the Irish Festival is $7 per day, a three-day pass is available for $12, and children under 16 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Roger Ludlowe Field is accessible from Exit 12 off I-95. Free parking will be available at Fairfield train station with free shuttle bus service to and from the festival.