Entertainment Schedule
Thank you for joining us for the Michigan Irish Music Festival presented by Family Financial Credit Union! Michigan Irish Music Festival will take place from Thursday, September 15, 2022, through Sunday, September 18, 2022.

Thursday, September 15
5:15 PM Crossbow
7:00 PM The Friel Sisters
9:00 PM Old Blind Dogs
Friday, September 16
5:15 PM The Friel Sisters
7:15 PM Old Blind Dogs
9:30 PM Scythian
5:30 PM One for the Foxes
7:15 PM Aoife Scott
9:15 PM The Elders
5:30 PM RUNA
7:30 PM Drowsy Lads
9:45 PM Now Playing the Barley Saints (Previously the Tossers)
5:00 PM Kennedy’s Kitchen
6:45 PM The Moxie Strings
8:30 PM Rory Makem
10:00 PM Shane Hennessy
6:00 PM Hooley
Join in and learn how to dance Irish social dancing
7:15 PM Ian Gould
Van Morrison Covers
8:15 PM Song Writers in the Round – Hosted by Ashley Davis
Learn how song writers develop and craft an original song
9:30 PM Limerick Contest Canceled
6:00 PM Mike Johnson & Mallory Metzger “Book of Kells”
7:15 PM Eamonn deBarra “Irish Language”
Learn some basic phrases in the Irish language
8:00 PM Gaelic Football with the Grand Rapids Gaelic Football League
Join us to learn about Hurling an Irish sport that can be described as a lacrosse/field hockey mix, and Gaelic football a rugby/soccer sport.
6:30 PM Sponsor Reception
Saturday, September 17
11:15 AM Crossbow
12:45 PM Irish Music All Stars
3:00 PM Tiónol
5:15 PM Aoife Scott
7:30 PM Scythian
9:30 PM Old Blind Dogs
11:30 AM Enda Reilly
1:30 PM Moxie Strings
3:45 PM The Alt wsg Kevin Burke
5:30 PM Kittel and Co.
7:15 PM Shane Hennessy
9:15 PM The Elders
11:15 AM Conklin Ceili Band
1:00 PM Black Murray
2:30 PM Blackthorn
4:30 PM One for the Foxes
6:15 PM Kennedy’s Kitchen
8:00 PM Connla
10:00 PM Now Playing the Barley Saints (Previously the Tossers)
11:15 AM Uneven Ground
1:00 PM Toby Bresnahan
2:45 PM Kennedy’s Kitchen
4:30 PM Rory Makem
6:15 PM The Drowsy Lads
8:15 PM The Friel Sisters
10:00 PM RUNA
12:00 PM Michigan Irish Hall of Fame 2022 Induction Ceremony
Induction ceremony for the Michigan Irish Hall of Fame, featuring catergories: Public Service, Philanthropy, Business & Industry, Arts & Entertainment, Religion, Education, and Sports
1:00 PM Muskegon Regional Police Pipe & Drum Band
2:00 PM Rory Makem “Songs from his Granny”
Rory will delight with songs from his granny, Sarah Makem
3:00 PM Liz Gould – Irish Cinderella
Children’s Program
4:00 PM Shannon Lambert-Ryan
Join us as we explore the roots of the music of Ireland, Scotland, and the UK, and the branches to where they have traveled. Come sing with us and discover how their sounds have changed over time, as they have been carried across the seas by our ancestors and as they have mixed and fused with the sounds of the new cultures they encountered.
5:30 PM Song Writers in the Round – Hosted by Ashley Davis
Learn how song writers develop and craft an original song
7:15 PM Parade of Irish Dance Champions
The top dancers from the Michigan Feis will perform
8:45 PM Dave Curley – “Night Visiting Songs”
A variety of songs telling how people have slipped out in the night to visit their love.
12:00 PM Patrick Horn & Jackie Huss – “Wool & Flax Spinning”
Learn the art of Wool and Flax Spinning
1:00 PM Enda Reilly – “Songs in the Irish language”
Belfast native, Enda Reilly will perform a set of songs in the Irish language
2:00 PM Les Rorick – “A selection of passages from Irish Plays”
Les will present a variety of scenes from Irish plays
3:00 PM Thomas Hume-Muskegon’s Belfast Native
Lakeshore Museum Center’s Historic Sites Manager, Aaron Mace will be sharing the history of Thomas Hume’s origins in Ireland, his beginnings in the lumber industry, his business partnership with Charles Hackley, and his continued impact on Muskegon.
4:00 PM Consul General – “Getting your Irish Passport & Citizenship
5:00 PM Mike Johnson – “Celtic Mythology”
6:00 PM Lisa Groot – “How to Play the Bodhran”
Learn to play the Bodhran (Irish drum) in this beginners class
12:30 PM Storytime with Hackley Public Library
Great storytime for young children presented by Hackley Public Librarians
1:15 PM Irish Consulate Office
Meet with representatives from the Consul General of Ireland Chicago office to learn about passports, citizenship, and moving to Ireland
3:00 PM Crios Belt Weaving with Wendy VanWoerkom
A Crios (pronounced kriss) is a piece of traditional Irish clothing. The word comes from the old Irish criss: for belt. These sashes or belts seem to have appeared around the mid 1600’s and were used well into the 20th Century. Today they are often used in hand fasting and other marriage ceremonies in addition to some traditional Irish costumes. Attendees will learn how weaving a Crois is done and take home supplies to make their own.
3:45 PM Cathy Jo Smith- Children’s Storytelling
Presentation of Storytelling in the style from the Emeral Isle
4:45 PM The Cheese Lady – “Learn about delicious Irish Cheese”
Join the Shelley, the Cheese Lady of Muskegon to sample some Irish Cheese and learn about the history of cheese in Ireland.
Sunday, September 18
11:00 AM Catholic Mass / Kennedy’s Kitchen / CG Music
1:00 PM Kittel and Co.
2:45 PM Aoife Scott
4:30 PM Old Blind Dogs
11:00 AM Ian Gould
12:30 PM Shane Hennessy
2:15 PM The Alt wsg Kevin Burke
4:15 PM Scythian
11:30 AM The Drowsy Lads
1:15 PM Irish Music All Stars
3:00 PM Blackthorn
4:45 PM Connla
11:00 AM Toby Bresnahan
12:15 PM Enda Reily
1:30 PM The Friel Sisters
3:15 PM Rory Makem
5:00 PM One for the Foxes
11:30 AM Kitty Heinzman – “The History of Irish Dance”
Learn about the history of Irish dance
12:30 PM Ardan Academy of Irish Dance
1:30 PM Ian Gould – A Musical journey through Ireland
2:45 PM Ardan Academy of Irish Dance
3:45 PM Song Writers in the Round – Hosted by Ashley Davis
11:45 AM Cathal O’Curain – “Growing up in an Irish speaking home”
Learn from this Irish speaker what it’s like to grow up in an Irish speaking home
12:45 PM Rory Makem – “Songs from the North”
Listen to songs from Northern Ireland
2:15 PM Enda Reilly & Mary Tyler – The Poetry of WB Yeats in song
Listen to the poetry of WB Yeats and learn about the poetry
3:15 PM Larry Halverson – “Learn to play the Penny Whistle”
12:45 PM Irish Consulate Office
1:45 PM Liz Gould – Celtic Crests for kids
Kids can learn how to make Celtic Crests