Newtown's Ashurst Irish Dancers to Kick Up Their Heels at This Weekend's Irish Festival

DANBURY, CT — This weekend the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation, Festival Committee, Cultural Center and a small army of dedicated volunteers will work together to bring Irish art, music, food and culture to Danbury at the Greater Danbury Irish Festival. The weekend kicks off with free entry for college students on Friday night with college ID and a mobile broadcast from WRKI, i95FM.

Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, a Newtown-based Irish dance school, will perform on the main stage on Saturday afternoon.

Festival co-chairs Billy Knowles and Brenden Walsh said they are excited to continue the Danbury tradition and offer Irish culture to the Greater Danbury area through the festival.

"I have two grandmothers and one grandfather who immigrated from Clonmel, Ireland and it's a true pleasure for us to be able to bring Irish culture to the Greater Danbury area," Knowles said.

"I'm so proud of the way the group comes together to promote Irish heritage with the festival," said Pam Fedigan, Chairman of the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation. She and her family have volunteered at the festival for many years.

Co-chair Brenden Walsh, whose family hails from County Mayo, Ireland said, "I've enjoyed going to the festival for many years so it's great to be able to help plan this event."

Father Jeffrey Couture, Priest at St. Peter Church and Chaplain of the Danbury Ancient Order of Hibernians, will bless the festival on Friday and hold Mass on Sunday.
Knowles said his favorite moment of the weekend is "to be able to stand on Sunday afternoon to sing the Star Bangled Banner and the Irish anthem with the Cunningham Brothers."

The brainchild of Gerry Curran, former President of the Danbury Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Irish Festival began in 1995 at Rogers Park in Danbury with the help of Sharon Higgins. Twenty-one years ago, Curran had the dream to bring an Irish music and culture festival to Danbury. Now held at the Charles Ives Concert Park, the festival offers Irish food, fellowship and fun for people of all ages.

John Feeney, an Irish Gaelic language instructor, heads up the cultural tent which showcases a broad range of Irish heritage and gives festival-goers an up close experience of Irish traditional music, Gaelic language, history, dance, genealogy, film, theater and literature through live performances, displays, lectures and workshops in the tent. Anyone with an interest in Irish culture can sign up for classes and activities at the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center.

Kathy Hannigan has organized a number of activities for children at the youth area tent including face painting, crafts, genealogy coloring page, sand art, jewelry making and story telling. A Halloween parade is scheduled for Saturday. Children can bring their own costume or wear one from the youth area. Prizes will be awarded for most creative costumes.

All weekend long there will be displays on Women of the Easter Rising, Book of Kells, Irish crochet, Irish language and classes, Irish family histories, genealogy, Irish blessings, Irish literature, history of the potato famine, Irish traditional music history and classes and much more.

There will also be cornhole, darts and rings competitions all weekend long as well as a rugby demonstration and history and cultural demonstrations in the cultural tent.

FRIDAY, Sep. 15 – 5 to 10 p.m.

• Admission: $5 per person
• Free with college ID,
• Children 12 and under are free
• Full weekend pass for $20
• Friday night's musical entertainment - Sidekick Band
• Boston's The Gobshites

SATURDAY, Sept. 16, 2017 – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission: $10 per person Sat & Sun

• Children 12 and under are free!
• The Traveling Danburys 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
• Steve O’Tree and Friends – 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Ashurst Irish Dance – 2:45 – 3:30 p.m.
• Poor Richard (Rhode Island) – 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
• Celtic Cross Pipe & Drums – 5:00 – 5:45 p.m.
• Ashurst Irish Dance – 5:45 – 6:30 p.m.
• Celtic Cross Pipe & Drums – 6:30 – 7:15 p.m.
• Mighty Ploughboys – 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
• The Kilmaine Saints (Harrisburg PA) – 8:45 – 10:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 17, 2017 – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Admission: $10 per person Sat & Sun
• Children 12 and under are free!
• Full Weekend pass for $20
• Tipperary Knights – 12:00 – 1:15 p.m
• Petri School Of Dance – 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
• Highland Rovers – 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.
• Petri School Of Dance – 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
• Cunningham Brothers – 4:45 – 6:00 p.m.

*Guests Please Take Note: NO pets allowed at the festival. Only registered service animals are permitted. This is a policy of the Ives Center Concert Park.

Check out all the need-to-know info by clicking the photo or visitingwww.danburyirishfestival.org and please help spread the word! ☘️☘️

For more information, click here, email danburyirishfestival@gmail.com or call the club at 203-739-0010.

Photo by Ashurst Irish Dance