Colored, flashing lights, fog and an energy-filled cast brought Ireland’s singing and dancing to life the evening of Friday, March 9, at the Quick Center for the Arts.

Celtic Nights consists of singers, dancers and musicians from various cities in Ireland who perform tobring Irish culture and heritage to its American audience.

The cast of singers —Peter Corry, Derek Collins, Naoise Stuart Kelly, Derek Ryan, Sarah Gannon and Colette Lennon— started the night off with individual introductions and a bit of Irish humor. They all said how excited they were to be in Fairfield and to be telling through song the stories of many Irish folk who immigrated to the States through Ellis Island.

With these introductions they became one with the audience, each member of the audience learning something new every time one of them sang a tune. Every singer had numerous solos as well as a part in the several group sing-a-longs.

The audience was taken to a new place, emotion and experience of the Irish people every eight minutes. With elaborate costumes and lighting, the stage was enhanced with an Irish feel.

The group originally formed with the intention of delivering the spirit of Irish dance and music to audiences outside of Ireland. Both music and dance are significant players in Irish culture.

Not only does Celtic Nights want to share Ireland’s music and dance, but they also strive to do so while incorporating a greater story of the determined survival and faith of the Irish.

From classic Irish ballads such as “Danny Boy” and “May We Never Have to Say Goodbye” to well known lyrics of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” and U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” the vocalists delivered emotion and Irish pride to the Quick Center stage.

Accompanying the singers were several Irish instruments such as a fiddle, a flute and Ireland’s bagpipes, the uilleann pipes. All instruments were played by two men, Ben Gunnery and Stephen O’Connor. These two also introduced themselves before sharing their talents with the audience.

Much of their playing was upbeat traditional Irish music that allowed the audience to clap, yell and dance. Gunnery and O’Connor accompanied the vocalists and dancers several times throughout the performance.

Traveling with the singers and musicians were six step dancers, Mariam Elbadri, Owen McAuley, Nawl Elbadri, Siobhan O’Connor, Tanya Baird and Gavin Boyle.

With their fast-moving feet and legs, the dancers performed both hard shoe and soft shoe routines to live music by Gunnery and O’Connor as well as prerecorded tunes. By using the colored moving lights and fog machine, the audience became transfixed on their movements.

All the performers alternated their talents in various solos and spotlights, yet their routines intertwined perfectly to complete the show. Their vocals, musical instruments and step dancing beats became synchronized.

Bringing alive the theme of hardship experienced by Ireland’s people during time of immigration, the vocalists performed “Grandfather’s Immigrate Eyes” and “Island of Hope, Island of Tears,” singing such lyrics as “leaving the old ways to be free.”

At one point the dancers performed a cappella, allowing for the audience to listen attentively to the sound of the loud beats caused by the rhythm of the hard shoe. The dancers not only performed traditionally with their arms at their sides, but they also incorporated arm and body movement to add a more modern feel.

Toward the end of the show, the energy-filled cast all sat at the edge of the stage to engage in traditional Irish tunes with the audience. While encouraging the audience to do the same, they sang songs like “Wild Rover,” “Danny Boy” and several other classics.

“The show made my want to visit Ireland,” said Michael Franco ’13 who learned much about Irish culture and heritage. “The ending was great because of the traditional folklore songs that got everyone clapping and singing along. It brought the community together.”

Celtic Nights concluded their production with green, orange and white lighting to create Ireland’s flag while proclaiming a song all about coming home to sweet Ireland, with its “fences of stone and lands of green.”

After the performance, the cast greeted audience members with smiles and handshakes in the foyer of the Quick Center. Their Irish brogues and smiles continued the happiness and connection created during the performance.

From the start of the show with the cast’s personalities, warmth and Irish spirit, to after the performance with a meet and greet session, Celtic Nights will be remembered by all who attended and became one with Irish culture that night.


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