Every Memorial Day weekend, the small upstate town of East Durham hosts an Irish music festival. Hundreds of New Yorkers invade the Catskills town, staying at a bunch of Irish-owned motels and “resorts” for the long weekend, unofficially launching the summer season. This year’s line-up includes several fantastic bands, many of them familiar to the MurphGuide readers.
More info at EastDurhamIrishFestival.com
Saturday, May 26 & Sunday, May 27, 2018
Memorial Day Weekend
The 41st Annual East Durham Irish Festival
Day Pass $15 /2 Day Pass $25 (until May 15) [tickets]
$20 at the gate / $30 for 2-day pass at the gate
at:
Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural Centre
2267 NY-145
East Durham, NY
(518) 634-2286
mjqirishculturalcenter.com
Line-up:
Saturday, May 26
Main Stage:
11:30am – Micheal Farrell School of Dance
12 pm – Nine Mile House
1:30 pm – The Canny Brothers
3 pm – Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones
4:30 pm – T McCann Band
6 pm – The Narrowbacks
7:30 pm – Shilelagh Law
Trad Stage:
11:30 am – Jimmy Gallagher and Tara Gold
12:45 pm – Mary Courtney
2:15 pm – The Pride of Moyvane
4:15 pm – Sharon McKenna Band
5:30 pm – Dylan Foley and Dan Gurney
Beer Garden:
11:30 am – McBueller
1 pm – Fintan Stanley
2 pm – Kilashandra
3:30 pm – Craic agus Ceol
5 pm – Coleman Brothers
6:30 pm – Derek Dempsey
Sunday, May 27
Main Stage:
10 am – Mass celebrated by Fr. Fragomeni
12 pm – Andy Cooney
1:30 pm – Kitty Kelly and Catskill Fever
3 pm – Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones
4:30 pm – McLean Avenue Band
6 pm – The Narrowbacks
7:30 pm – The Whistlin’ Donkeys
Trad Stage:
12 pm – Michael Farrell School of Irish Dance
12:30 pm – Pride of Moyvane Ceili Band
2 pm – Dylan Foley and Dan Gurney
3 pm – Sharon McKenna Band
4:30pm – T McCann Band
6 pm – The Canny Brothers
Beer Garden:
12 pm – Fintan Stanley
1:30 pm – Jimmy Gallager
3:15 pm – Craic agus Ceol
4:15 pm – Derek Dempsey
5:45 pm – Driscoll and Smith
Entertainment in the resorts:
McGrath’s:
Friday:
Mike McGovern
Saturday:
Happy Hour: Mike McGovern
Night: Niall O’Hagan / Ireland the Band
Sunday:
Happy Hour: McBueller
Night: Niall O’Hagan / Ireland the Band
at:
McGrath’s Edgewood Falls
1848 State Route 145
East Durham, NY
(518) 634-2236
McGrathsMotelNY.com

Blackthorne:
Friday:
Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones
The Narrowbacks
Saturday:
Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones
The Whistlin’ Donkeys
The Narrowbacks
Sunday:
Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones
The Whistlin’ Donkeys
at:
Blackthorne Resort
348 Sunside Road
East Durham, NY
(518) 634-2541
BlackthorneResort.com
Gavin’s
Friday: Andy Cooney
Saturday: McBueller
Sunday: Andy Cooney
at:
Gavin’s Irish Country Inn
118 Golden Hill Road
East Durham NY
(518) 634-2582
GavinsInn.com
Shamrock House:
Friday:
Pride of Moyvayne Ceili Band – 8pm
T. McCann Band – 10pm
Saturday:
Coleman Brothers – 8pm
Nine Mile House – 11pm
Sunday:
Sharon McKenna – 8pm
at:
The Shamrock House
2388 NY Route 145
East Durham, NY
(518) 634-2897
ShamrockHouse.com