North Texas Irish Festival starts St. Paddy’s merriment early.
Spring is time for Dallas’ biggest Ceili, lads and lasses! That’s Irish for “party.” Right before St. Patrick’s Day, the North Texas Irish Festival comes a-leaping into Fair Park with musicians, dancers, storytellers, crafters and leprechauns. The fun kicks off Friday and will go through Sunday March 5th, the NTIF extravaganza—one of the largest in the nation—typically draws 40,000 revelers of all ages, making it the 2nd biggest annual Fair Park event next to the State Fair of Texas.
“We’re also known as the most friendly Irish festival,” says John Hebley, NTIF Director. “Maybe it’s because the event started as a rousing neighborhood ‘happening’.” In 1984, a local Irish pub, Nick Farrelly’s, drew bands that embraced the major revival of folk music in Great Britain and Ireland. “We thought, let’s have a Ceili to promote the music, with bands invited from all over Texas. Six hundred people showed up, and we knew we were onto something big.”
Over the next 10 years, the North Texas Irish Festival moved to Fair Park, ever expanding from the Creative Arts Building to include other buildings. It now encompasses the Automobile Building, the Centennial Building and the Plaza.
Entertainers are top o’ the world.
It’s no blarney: the NTIF also has quite an international reputation. “So many headliners come from Europe,” boasts Hebley. “This year, we’ll feature world-renowned performers like Eileen Ivers, perhaps the best Irish fiddle player anywhere…as well as balladeers like the Maken brothers, and singer Aoife Clancey.” At the less-traditional end of the spectrum is the group Brother, blending Irish rhythms with a rock twist.
Kick your Killarney heels when children and adults lord over the dance stage. States Hebley, “ Dallas has an amazingly large number of Irish dance schools. Watching these young people perform some of their high kicks and lightning-fast footwork is amazing.” The Urchin Street Stage also mesmerizes with children’s activities like building Irish castles.
And the food, crafters and games! Where else can you grab a bread bowl of hearty Irish stew, or a glass of mead (a sweet Irish wine) while strolling down the walkways? Handmade Celtic jewelry, clothing and musical instruments like the bodhran (a hand-held drum) are must-haves.
A special tribute to Irish immigrants.
The theme, “Heirs of Erin,” pays homage to the 20 th century immigration to America from Ireland and the rich cultural heritage that these spirited ancestors brought with them. Celebrated are Ellis Island and people like Annie Moore, a 15-year-old girl from Cork who was first to step ashore when the island opened in 1892.
As lilting Celtic melodies and strains of bagpipes waft through the air, all eyes—even those that aren’t Irish—will smile at the North Texas Irish Festival. Erin go Bragh! ( Ireland Forever!)
For more information on the North Texas Irish Festival 2006, visit www.ntif.org.
