Tom Crean Authentic Ireland Festival

Featuring performances and workshops on Irish music, singing, dancing, language and more

The second annual Authentic Ireland Festival – renamed Tom Crean Authentic Ireland Festival (T-CAIF)– will be held Nov. 16 & 17 at O’More College of Design in Franklin.

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Hosted by the nonprofit Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment (A.I.C.E) and sponsored by Fox 17, CW 58 and MyTV 30, T-CAIF will feature performances by legendary musicians and singers from Ireland along with a locals-only Irish-inspired music extravaganza, lectures, multimedia presentations and workshops on traditional Irish music, culture, language, games and customs.

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Born and raised in Co. Roscommon, A.I.C.E. founder Éilís Crean is poised to bring over to Tennessee,Ireland’s oldest traditions that are in danger of dying out. In particularly, Crean wants to share those rare old times when people gathered in homes or at the crossroads to forget their hardships and to sing, dance and play music.

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“I lived it. Growing up with my dad, I heard all the stories and I witnessed the simplicity of the joy and love of those poignant gatherings around the whistling kettle and open fire,” Crean said.

“With accordions and fiddles poised, music and glee would fill the air, everyone energized by the beauty of the music; that alone sustained them. And 50 or 60 years later, people still talk about those sessiúns, the fun, the joy; all worries were eclipsed by those tunes over the whistling kettle and open fire.”

“This fills me with inspiration to at least try to recreate something like this in the present day, in the USA. If these moments exhilarated all those involved, so much so, that years on, they recall those days with nostalgia, surely we too could use some of that enchantment in our present day?”

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The second annual Authentic Ireland Festival has been renamed in honor of Crean’s father, who passed away in 2010, and his simple love of East Galway music. In addition, T-CAIF will be a tribute to Crean’s fiddle mentor, the legendary Eddie Kelly and his East Galway style of music that has been overlooked for too long.

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T-CAIF will kick off with a genealogy lecture ‘How To Trace Your Irish Roots’ and a musical performance at 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 16. Musicians will include Éilís Crean, Brad Hurley, Meaití Jó Shéamuis Ó Fátharta, Máirín Uí Chéide, Eamon O’ Donnchadha, Jim Higgins, Paul Groff and Frances Cunningham.

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Saturday Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. until late in the evening, will feature workshops and lectures on

genealogy, Gaelic games, the Gaelic language, Irish fiddle, Irish flute, Irish bouzouki, uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes), concertina, bodhrán (Irish drum), piano and guitar accompaniment in traditional Irish music; and sean nós singing (old style, a cappella) and sean nós dancing.

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IRISH NASHVILLE starts at 4 p.m., where Ireland-inspired local songwriters and singers will perform original songs reflecting the Irish heritage, traditions and influence. Local artists include Lisa Aschmann, Tom Kimmel​​, Shawn Gallaway and Laura Powers​. A concert featuring all the visiting Irish artists, teachers and special guests will follow. Tickets cost $15 for IRISH NASHVILLE and the T-CAIF concert respectively, and includes a glass of whiskey and refreshments! For more information on IRISH NASHVILLE, contact Shawn Gallaway on shawn@shawngallaway.com.

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An Irish brown bread and soda bread baking competition will also be held Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. Competition entry costs $5. To enter, contact Eileen Bray at fairybiker1@yahoo.com. All entries must include a short paragraph on how their recipe was influenced by something Irish through a personal story. The winning entry will be awarded $50.

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T-CAIF will also include Connemara ponies and a real life donkey and cart ride will also be present to allow kids to experience the Irish countryside for just $5. Connemara horses are a distinct and sturdy breed native to the harsh landscape of Galway in western Ireland.

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For more information about Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment, the Tom Crean Authentic Ireland Festival and to sign up for the workshops, visit www.AICEWORKSHOPS.com or contact Éilís Crean at eiliscrean@gmail.com. Please ‘Like’ us on Facebook and join our Facebook event invite.  O’More College of Design is located at 423 S. Margin St, Franklin.