So...anybody have any fun this weekend?
After a rain soaked Friday set-up the clouds cleared minutes before we opened the gates and Irish Fest 2009 was off and running. I hope you were able to make it down for what turned out to be our biggest year ever. We'll run through all the numbers with you when they get finalized but it's looking like somewhere in the range of mid to upper 90,000 of you wonderful people made your way to Crown Center for the party. We can't thank you enough.
Some highlights for me: my son Tommy (of Irish Guitar Hero) being called up on stage by Pogey, who had played and failed spectacularly at their own song on the game. Singing "Kansas City" with 15,000 friends as we closed out the year last night. Great entertainment during and great conversations after the fest with Cara, Vishten, Pogey, Ardal O'Hanlon, Fionán O'Connell, Éamonn de Barra and the rest of the Slide boys, the Munnellys...and too many others to count. Seeing so many friends and family together in one great place. The incredible after parties hosted by our friends at Raglan Road. It was all just spectacular and I'm sure after I remember where I left my brain I'll remember more.
Actually, since I'm too exhausted to write coherently, I'll let you do it for me. Tell me what you thought.
Your Guide to the 17th Annual Kansas City Irish Fest at Crown Center. www.KCIrishFest.com
About Me
- Danny Regan
- Danny is a founder, past president, and creative director of the Kansas City Irish Fest. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, the greatest city in America. He's authored Tir na Blog since 2006.
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13 comments:
Greatest festival ever!
There are sooo many wonderful memories from this year! What topped it for me was hearing Liam from The Hothouse Flowers sing the Our Father in Gaelic. It was absolutely beautiful.
Liz O.
What a great family weekend celebrating our Irish heritage with music, song and dance! My hat's off to you for putting on such a fantastic event. The children's area was the greatest.
I second that Liz. Liam singing the Our Father at mass gave me goosebumps. Beautiful mass, wonderful music, love Fr. Ruhl! This was our first Irish Fest and we were thrilled to see everyone- I didn't want it to end. Love you guys. You have mastered this festival thing! Well done Dan and gang....
This was our first Irish fest and we Loved it! The bands were fantastic. Especially enjoyed Scythian, Slide and Pogey. Hope to see them there again. will definitely come back next year. Great Job! Worth the trip from Des Moines!
I'll concur with Liz and Maggie. Liam singing the Our Father was jaw-dropping. Everything from how it happened (thanks Cami) to getting him on stage and the dead silence after he finished. Incredible and incredibly moving. Thanks a million Liam for giving us all a life long memory.
AMEN TO ALL THE ANONYMOUS COMMENTS. BEST FEST YET. SAME TIME NEXT YEAR!
Ardal O'Hanlon
It was a wonderful fest...so many people, good chats...up all night...ahhh and the music!
Another great Irish Fest! We love coming down from Omaha every year. We had to head home late Sunday afternoon and missed the evening shows. Thank goodness for the simulcasting; we got to watch the Elders and the Craic on the computer.
Highlights for me were Liam's Gaelic Our Father and his fist pump and howl after the Hothouse Flowers show on Saturday night as the band left the backstage area.
I was also deeply moved by Fiachna Ó Braonáin's solo he sang in Gaelic late in the Hothouse Flowers show on Saturday. I had goosebumps as I listened to the song and watched him on the big screen.
Kudos for the Childrens area, including the Irish Guitar Hero! I'm hooked!
I was only able to attend on Saturday and had a wonderful time. Very well done indeed. Hothouse Flowers and Vishten were my favs. Though Eddie and the boys from Slide would be welcome anytime.
Watched the Elders on the stream Sunday night. I was shocked at how good they looked and sounded. Streaming was a brilliant idea and well exececuted. Although what I saw was a shot of the i-Mag screen, it came off well.
I was so lucky to get a great view of all the bands. I did have to run down to see Vishten and Cara. Well worth the run. Danny Burns blew me away. Awesome voice and very very nice. Hothouse Flowers, Pogey, Slide, Scythian, Indulgers, and Dave Munnelly. It was all wonderful. I am sorry I missed Liam singing at mass, though. Thanks for another great festival.
Here's a link to Liam's Our Father at Mass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL7qUKhu4FU
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