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Alone onstage, guitarist Kevin Flanagan called for the audience to clap, sing and dance along as he strummed the introduction to “Whiskey in the Jar.” The crowd clapped in tune, drowning out the sound of Irish dancer’s shoes hitting the ground in the distance.

Colorful Celtic flags waved in the breeze as Flanagan’s voice filled the air with his next song, “Galway Man.” This one was an original number about spending time in central New York, specifically at Kitty Hoynes in Armory Square.

On Sept. 8 and 9, the annual Syracuse Irish Festival hit Syracuse, marking the halfway point to St. Patrick’s Day. The festival came to Clinton Square, bringing a potato truck, Kitty Hoynes, Irish music, Irish dancers and of course, beer. Festival goers came prepared in green outfits, ready to display their Irish pride.

Between each song, Flanagan talked to the audience, encouraging them to head to the pub tents for a beer. He urged reluctant audience members to sing along and participate.

“(It’s) a great night of Irish music. Not a night of great Irish music,” Flanagan said. “The more you drink, the better I sound.”

Donnie Rounsaville has come to the Irish Festival for the past 25 years with his husband and friends. Every year, he wears the same green kilt and a “made from real ginger” t-shirt accompanied by green, white and orange beads around his auburn beard.

“(I come every year for) the music, people, and food and, of course, tasty Irish beer!” Rounsaville said. “I’ve got a Guinness, and it’s almost done.”

Earlier this year, Eric Mulvihill bought a new shirt, an Irish flag-collared shirt, for St. Patrick’s Day. He was excited to show pride in his heritage and wear it at this year’s Irish Festival.

“I throw a good St. Patty’s party every year,” Mulvihill said. “I bought a new shirt this past March and thought it would be pretty appropriate for here.”

Mulvihill has attended the Irish Festival for the last few years and keeps coming back. The Homer native looks forward to the festival and celebrating his culture all year long.

Ella Fling | Contributing Photographer

Artists smiled and joked with audience members during their performances at the Irish Festival. Playing songs about central New York or Celtic tunes, the singers created a lively backdrop for the festival fun..
Ella Fling | Contributing Photographer

The well-dressed crowd gathered around two stages in Clinton Square: the Traditional Stage and the Kilbeggan Stage. The emcee introduced the Francis Academy of Irish Dance as they danced the “Big Jig.”

Syracuse locals Danny, age 9, Ryan, age 7, and Allie McCarthy, age 6, took the Kilbeggan Stage with their fellow dancers. Some siblings are more used to the spotlight than others. Allie has been dancing since she was three and wasn’t nervous to perform, but Ryan has been dancing for less than a year and was scared about dancing at such a large venue.

“We were overlooking everybody, and everybody was staring up at us,” Ryan said.

The crowd encouraged the dancers with claps to the beat of the Irish tunes and cheered at the end of the final dance. The McCarthy siblings exited the stage, giddy with excitement about their performance.

With performances like the McCarthys as unique entertainment and a high-energy environment, the festival draws hundreds every year. Being Irish is not a prerequisite, so it has become a Syracuse staple each fall.

“The bands, the culture, the music, it’s nice to celebrate our Irish heritage and do so on a warm summer evening as opposed to mid-March when it’s freezing,” Mulvihill said. “It’s nice to be downtown.”

Published on September 10, 2023 at 10:33 pm