Welcome to Koroit Irish Festival’s first ‘House Party’. What is a House Party?

The KIF House Party combines all the music, singing, eating and impromptu dancing of a traditional Irish house party with a real learning experience where ‘house guests’ (that’s you) learn about Irish music and culture in a fun way.

Flanagan's Mob

The KIF House Party venue will accommodate over 20 musicians seated in a circle in the middle of the hall and ‘guests’ can pull up their chairs anywhere around the outside of this circle.

It’s a BYO dinner/nibbles and drinks occassion. You could bring your dinner & esky from home or grab a pizza, asian food, hot spuds, fish and chips, etc from the Koroit businesses a few meters away in town.

The ‘Friends of St Brigids’ will also be maning the kichen in the hall providing an authentic menu of Irish food for all to enjoy.  From soda bread and potatoe and leek soup through to beef and guinness pie and more.

We expect that further musicians playing Saturday during the Festival will also call in and join in the fun.

Flanagan’s Mob will be your hosts for the evening.

Video: Irish Music Dublin at The Irish House Party.

• Koroit: visitkoroit.com.au
• Port Fairy: portfairy.com.au
• Warrnambool: visitwarrnambool.com.au

Echuca-Moama Celtic Festival

Feb - March:
We are pleased to present to you our varied programme that will delight those with an interest in all things Celtic. Our programme has been designed to provide an exciting introduction to those who wish to experience for the first time, the dynamic of the many facets of Celtic culture. .
www.celticfestival.com.au/

Port Fairy Folk Festival

March:
100 National & 20 International acts, acoustic & folk roots, blues, gospal, jazz, world roots, country roots, rock & rhythms, celtic roots and lots lots more.
www.portfairyfolkfestival.com

Yackandandah Folk Festival

March:
Held on the 4th weekend of March (FRi, Sat & Sun). Yackandandah Folk Festival presents a great diversity of musical styles that encompasses the flavours of the traditional folk genre and stretches the boundaries of what people traditionally regard as folk music that is interspersed with blues, rock, country and jazz; all making for some wonderful musical storytelling and reasons to dance.
http://folkfestival.yackandandah.com

Apollo Bay Music Festival

March:
http://www.apollobaymusicfestival.com

National Celtic Festival

June:
The National Celtic Festival, Australia’s largest and most diverse celebration of Celtic music and culture is held over the June long week-end in beautiful Portarlington, on the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria.
http://www.nationalcelticfestival.com

Kilmore Celtic Festival

June:
Keeping the Celtic tradition alive. www.kilmore.info

Beechworth’s Annual Celtic Festival

November:
This three day event is on the second weekend in November in historic Beechworth, Northeast Victoria.
www.beechworthcelticfestival.com.au

Discover Ireland: Discover Irish Culture here from Irish music to recipies

• 2011 Performer applications are now open.

Market Stalls (non food or drinks)

• Application form for the 2011 Festival, call  Donna on 0410 699 226

Food & Drink Stalls

The committee are keen to receive applications from food/drink vendors who wish to provide their products to festival visitors. We are particularly interested to hear from food/drink vendors who can provide product that is in keeping with the irish/ aussie bush genre (menu). Enquiries call Donna on 0410 699 226

• Application form for the 2011 Festival is available here.

Now recognised as a premier Australian Celtic band in world wide circles, Claymore have a host of impressive album releases under their belt and a long list of festival performances to their name, including headlining position at Australia’s largest folk event and several headlining appearances at the reputed Festival Interceltique De Lorient France. Although many Celtic bands may come and go, each sounding remarkably like the other, the point of difference with Claymore is within the term ‘rock’. They add a current flavour, and interestingly, an inherent Australianness, to their music, bringing ole time traditional themes into the future, and appealing to audiences young and old.

From the liveliness of the instrumentation to the consummate skill of the performers, each of whom sport the ability to play several different instruments, and prove this skill effortlessly, there is something about Claymore that speeds up the heart rate, and settles into the soul of all music lovers.

• MySpace music samples

Craic Hooers

..’ an Irish traditional eclectic 3-piece all girl band from the rain-sodden island that is Ireland. The band have been rehearsing together for donkeys years in their secondhand WW2 soundproofed submarine and now they are ready to launch their original and exciting sound on an unsuspecting world.

The girls have toured extensively throughout Ireland sampling the over-priced alcoholic beverages in the various one-horse town watering-holes, hitching along the hiways and byways with the rain running down their saturated hand knitted aran mini skirts and have been a prominent feature in the booming seedy weedy area of Temple Bar in the dark heart of Dublin.

The band are now heading to Melbourne in Oz hoping to encounter some sunshine, realistically priced Shiraz and small furry creatures.

• MySpace music samples

Pat McKernan

Pat McKernan is a native of Belturbet, County Cavan in Ireland. He came to Australia for 6 months in 1989 then forgot to go home. He has spent much of the past twenty years singing Irish songs at various venues…pausing only for mealbreaks, ablutions and the odd few hours sleep. Pat has established himself in the forefront of the Melbourne entertainment scene.

• Visit Pat’s web site

Boab Three

Boab Three consist of Felix Meager, Cyril Moran (both of Bushwazee fame) and Mal Leather. The trio specialise in performing songs and dances that get their audiences involved. The arrangement of Australian folk songs have parts especially composed so that most people can very easily join in.

Bhan Tre

Bhantre formed in 1997 ( Yes! that is over 10 years ago). We were having a quiet pint at the Celtic Club in Melbourne, and having left the bands that we had been playing in decided that what the world needed was an all female celtic band. So we had a few rehearsals, worked on some tune sets and 3 part harmonies, recorded 3 albums and drank a lot of chardonnay. Over the years we have played at numerous festivals. Some of these were Port Fairy (Vic), Koroit (Vic), Kilmore (Vic), Jambaroo (NSW) and Woodford (QLD) just to name a few. We travelled to Ireland in 2000 to visit some of Geraldines family and go to Ballinagh (the place we named our second album). We love playing music together and plan on continuing to do so for a very long time. Come along to a gig sometime or drop us a line and say hi.

Bhan Tre are a regular at the Koroit Irish Festival. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Maria Forde

Already blessed with an angelic voice, Maria Forde has grown into a masterful interpreter of her own material, able to totally connect the feeling of the music and words to the emotion of the song. This alone sets her apart from so many singer/songwriters. Incorporating the sweet melodies, that are the trademark of the Irish musical heritage, with observations of Australia, along with her personal experiences, Maria has blossomed into one of Australia’s premier performers.

Maria will be one of the judges of the Australian Danny Boy Competition.

• MySpace music samples

Flanagan’s Mob

Flanagan’s Mob are Melbourne based musicians (total of 20) skilled in art of producing ’slow session’ performances.

They will feature in the Commercial Hotel on Sat afternoon (one of there favorite venues) and will host the ‘KIF House Party’ on the Sat night in the Theatre.

Not to be missed. They have a very loyal following.

Cille-Airne

Taking their name from the Celtic spelling of Killarney, ‘Cill-Airne’ is drawn together from a diversity of backgrounds to share a love of traditional Irish tunes.

The Band: Don King from Port Fairy, leading the tunes with the button accordion; Joe Brookes, originally from Koroit, playing rhythm guitar; Brett Holbrook from Warrnambool playing fiddle; Martin Ruane, originally from County Mayo, alternating between guitar and bouzouki and Leamon Chambers , originally from County Antrim, driving the band with bodhran and octave mandolin.

As they play a range of instruments in the Celtic style ‘Cill-Airne’ will set your feet tapping as they evoke scenes of smokey Irish sessions (and perhaps the desire for a ‘Guinness’)

Jigs reels and hornpipes flow and dance between heartfelt ballads of hardship and exile, from the traditional to more contemporary songs.

Shanachie

Shanachie, the 2010 winners of the Paddy O’Neill young group award from the Lake School of Celtic Music at Koroit, featuring Michelle Meehan - vocals/guitar, Rob Hillman - fiddle/vocals, Michaela Hickey - accordion /vocals/keys, Allan Evans - harp/flute/whistles.

An energetic and creative mix of traditional and original music from four very talented young performers destined to go places…new cd release ‘Fourfold’ available at the festival….

Koroit & District ‘Irish/Aussie Bush’ Bands

Fingerboard Road

Rubber Band

Tommy, Tuddy and Mick

Pics of local bands kindly provided by South West Music Archive.

O’Shea-Ryan Irish Dancers

Members of the group have performed throughout Australia, Asia and Europe at a variety of events, Concerts, Parades, International Military Tattoos, outdoor and indoor functions, Multicultural events, charitable and corporate functions, Celtic and Folk Festivals.

The Irish Pipers

Bagpipes - Irish War Pipes. Rod and Tracey are two Irish Pipers who are keen to keep Irish Piping alive and well in Victoria. They appear in the Anzac Day Parade in Melbourne and have now become a regular feature of the Koroit Irish Festival.