Our 2024 Artists

Saturday, November 9th

Cherish the Ladies

For over nearly 40 years, Cherish the Ladies, one of America’s most heralded Irish music ensembles, has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their rousing blend of traditional music, captivating vocals, and propulsive step dancing. Since their inception, they have toured the world performing thousands of concerts from the White House to the Olympics, recorded 18 critically acclaimed albums and an Emmy award winning PBS television program, “An Irish Homecoming”.

Under the leadership of Joanie Madden, the 2021 National Heritage Fellowship Award winner and All-Ireland flute and whistle champion, these extremely gifted women create an incredible moving experience brimming with sheer talent and exuberant entertainment. Their group includes All-Ireland champions Mirella Murray (accordion) and Nollaig Casey (fiddle) along with the nimble finger-work of Mary Coogan (guitar), the beautiful vocals of County Clare songstress Kate Purcell (lead vocals, guitar) and the extremely talented County Galway native, Catherine McHugh on piano. World champion Irish step-dancers will add their magical footwork to the performances.

Friday, November 8th

The Friel Sisters

Anna, Sheila and Clare Friel are traditional musicians born from the Doire na Mainséar, Donegal in the North West of Ireland. Being siblings, they achieve a close blend on fiddle, flute and uilleann pipes interspersed with songs sung in unison, many from their family and local repertoire. Born in Glasgow, the girls credit their main musical development to frequent trips to Ireland to partake in workshops across the country, many of which they can now be found as tutors.

They have released 2 albums thus far, performing all over the world in various venues and festivals, and have appeared as guests on stage or toured with acts such as Altan, The Chieftains, Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, The Máirtín O’Connor Trio, Cherish the Ladies, and Solas. Joined more recently by Marty Barry on guitar and Cathal Ó Curráin on bouzouki, the girls have won many prestigious titles and competitions over the years, including Clare receiving in 2018 the huge honor of TG4 Young Musician of the Year in Ireland.

Celtic Brew

Celtic Brew is an Atlanta based acoustic trio that plays a lively mix of traditional Celtic tunes. The group has been together for ten years, and has performed at various public and private venues around Atlanta. The band features Mary Kilcullen on flute and whistles, Keith Berland on fiddle and mandolin, and Jeff Engel on guitar and bouzouki. They are excited to return to IrishFest Atlanta for their 8th year.
Jared Bogle

"Jared's music is unashamedly old-school; he's a fiddler's fiddler, what better compliment can you have than that?" Irish Music Magazine. Jared Bogle is an Irish fiddler and Georgia native, living in the northern mountains of Rabun County. He took up the fiddle at the age of twelve and is predominantly self-taught. Jared's playing is lyrical and infused with fluid energy, drawing largely from the fiddling styles of County Clare. Jared is joined this year by his father, Jim Bogle, blending equal parts minimalism and energy on both bass and acoustic guitars, and by singer and multi-instrumentalist Sam d’Entremont (The Father O’Reilly Ceili Band, The Gentry). For more information, visit his website: www.jaredbogle.com
Kinnigans

An Irish Delight - A four piece band of brilliant musicians that captures the vitality, verve, vim and vigor of the Irish music hall of the last century, The Kinnigans offer a delightful performance sure to get you out of your seat - or at the very least, tap your feet! The Kinnigan’s warm, witty stage presentation compliments their mastery of the music.
The powerful combination of fiddle, uilleann pipes, flute, melodeon, guitar, bodhran, and vocals offers a classic traditional Irish performance best experienced live to appreciate! More information
The Muckers

The Muckers are a five-piece folk-rock band from Atlanta. With a strong emphasis on Irish music, the band also blends influences of Romani music, sea shanties, country, rockabilly, and anything else they can get their hands on. The name doesn’t mean what you think it means.
Olivia Bradley Band

Olivia Bradley is a Celtic singer and bodhran player based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Steeped in a background of traditional music and dance, and blessed with perfect pitch, Olivia weaves her classical training, dramatic sensibility from musical theater, and Irish and Scottish roots together to bring songs to life for modern audiences. Backed by the unique talents of bandmates Sonny Lallerstedt (guitar/mandolin) and Brian Adams (cello/vocals), Olivia sings with a powerfully clear, emotional, and lyrical style that magnifies yet never overpowers the songs she selects. For more info, please visit OliviaBradleyMusic.com..
The Roundabouts

We're a cover band. If it wasn't fun, we'd do something else.Vocals, guitars, violin, mandolin, harmonica, small doses of banjo. But not boring acoustic pretentiousness. Think Godzilla stops scaring helpless people on subway trains and channels his feelings into playing the mandolin and singing REM songs. Yes, think that.