October IrishPDX Newsletter

Volume XVI, Issue 8 | October 2025

Greetings!

What a great start we enjoyed in September! Now onto October as we celebrate Samhain. Please share our newsletters with your friends and invite them to attend. Read on and see what we have planned for your community with Randal Bays, Soulard Boys, and Reverie Road!

Best to all, Samuel and Anne

In mid-September, I hatched a plan to celebrate our 20th anniversary by surprising Anne and the dogs with a magical (sunny!) getaway to Cannon Beach, complete with an unforgettable helicopter excursion!

1st Friday Ceili

Tunes by Randal Bays, Mikey

Beglan and Teresa Baker

Please invite your friends and have FUN!

Bring a light snack to share at tea break if you wish!

Winona Grange

8340 SW Seneca St., Tualatin

8:00 pm - 11:00 pm,

Doors @ 7:15 pm and Wee Lesson at 7:45

$15 at the door

Kicking off the 2025-2026 2nd Saturday Community Concert Series:

The “Soulard Boys” are a high energy traditional Irish band which takes its name from the thriving music and art scene in the Soulard neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri, where native Kevin Buckley, masterful fiddle player as well as guitar player/vocalist, still resides. Flute player/guitarist/vocalist Dan Lowery, originally from Texas, also calls Soulard home these days. Portland, Oregon based guitarist/vocalist Cary Novotny and Dublin, Ireland native Johnny Connolly, who have performed together for 25 years, are frequent visitors to Soulard and performers at the world-famous John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub, a focal point of the Midwest traditional Irish music scene which spawned the collaboration with Kevin and Dan as the Soulard Boys.

Johnny Connolly mastered the button accordion at an early age and joined the Irish traditional group Anam as a teenager. His first solo recording with Green Linnet records released in 2001 was entitled "Bridgetown" named after his adopted hometown, Portland, Oregon and established Connolly as one of the finest traditional Irish accordion players in the world. Over the last three decades, Johnny has toured extensively nationally and internationally, performing with many high-profile acts in the Irish music world, including Kevin Burke, Bridgetown, The Chieftains, Casey Neill, Nuala Kennedy, and the “Celtic Legends” touring music and dance show. Most recently, Johnny was a touring member of the internationally acclaimed and legendary Irish band Solas.

Cary Novotny was born in South Dakota and later moved to Bowling Green Kentucky, where he began studying classical guitar and absorbing the music of the region, namely country, folk, and bluegrass music. After moving to the Northwest, Novotny earned a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Portland, and then began a career as a professional guitarist, singer and songwriter in the folk and popular music scene in the Portland and Seattle areas. In 1995, Novotny cofounded “Cul an Ti,” which became a popular Irish pub favorite in the Northwest with its unique blend of traditional music and popular songs. Cary maintains a busy schedule as a guitarist in the world of Celtic music and has recorded and performed with many other notable Irish musicians, including Winifred Horan, The Bridies, Johnny Connolly, Kevin Burke, Hanz Araki, Laurence Nugent, and the touring Irish dance show “Celtic Legends.” He also continues to write songs in the country, Americana and popular music genres.

St. Louis native Kevin Buckley was raised playing Irish Traditional fiddle music alongside his father Jack on the uilleann pipes, Buckley toured and competed nationally and internationally with St. Louis Irish Arts CCE, earning a few titles along the way. Kevin is a member of the Irish Bluegrass super group “Jig Jam”with whom he has recorded and performed at all of the major bluegrass festivals in North America as well as the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to a years-long residency at John D. Mcurk’s (where he first met JigJam), Buckley has branched out into songwriting/composing (Grace Basement), studioengineering, music instruction and session work in a variety of styles on all things strings. He made his debut fiddle/folk record in 2022 entitled “Big Spring.”

Texas native Dan Lowery is steeped in the tradition of Texas-based country music and is equally adept as a soulful acoustic guitar accompanist as well as a highly-skilled flute player in the world of traditional Irish music. Dan was a fixture in the New York area traditional Irish music scene in the 2000s and has now become one of the most respected players in the thriving Midwest Irish music scene. Dan has performed with many great names over the last several decades, including, Kevin Buckley, Isaac Alderson, Caitlin Warbelow, Colin Farrell and Eimear Arkins. In addition to Irish music, Dan frequently performs older country, and Americana/folk music with his brother Nate Lowery.

Winona Grange

8340 SW Seneca St., Tualatin 97062

Concert: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Doors: 6:45 pm

Early Tickets: $20-$30

At the Door: $25-$35

Read more about it here!

Samhain special, no tricks but a pure treat! Reverie Road is a genre-defying Celtic powerhouse ensemble, uniting founding Solas members Winifred Horan (fiddle) and John Williams (accordion) with former Gaelic Storm fiddler Katie Grennan and Steinway Artist Jazz and Raga pianist Utsav Lal. Together, these four exceptional musicians are celebrated as some of today's most accomplished traditional and virtuosic folk artists, captivating audiences worldwide from stages to studios for over three decades.

Reverie Road takes the rich tapestry of Irish music and

weaves it into a cinematic experience, full of expressivity and sophistication. Their performances push the boundaries of tradition, offering stunningly innovative interpretations that retain the heart of the genre while embracing a modern twist. With a sound that masterfully blends Irish roots with fresh departures, their repertoire includes distilled airs, continental waltzes, and high-energy reels and jigs. The band chemistry of two accomplished classically-trained fiddlers who share a common history as award winning Irish dancers along with two instrumentalists who have sought to redefine traditional accompaniment and rhythm sections amount to a compelling concert experience.

Join us for Reverie Road's only upfront and personable Portland show! Meet the band!

Winona Grange

8340 SW Seneca St.,

Tualatin 97062

Concert: 7:30pm-9:30pm

Doors: 6:45 pm

Early Tickets: $20-$30

At the Door: $25-$35

Save the date!

The Horsenecks are Gabrielle Macrae and Barry Southern. Based in Astoria, Oregon, they are two multi-instrumentalists who have come together from traditional music backgrounds and found a sound that weaves through layers of influence that include early Appalachian fiddle and banjo music, country, classic bluegrass and original folk.

Gabrielle's fiddle style is the result of being raised in the Old Time music hotbed of Portland, OR and being exposed to the fiddle traditions of the Southeast US through years of traveling to festivals and learning from some of the greatest players in the genre. Now deep in the world of songwriting, she brings together her background in traditional music and modern influences across many genres to create a catalog of songs that speak to their place in the evolving story of traditional music.

Barry’s banjo and guitar playing range from thrilling and high-octane to moody and captivating, and his versatility shines whether flatpicking, playing clawhammer, or driving three-finger banjo. Barry has been consistently active in his hometown of Liverpool’s music scene for over 20 years, playing lead guitar with cult heroes Tramp Attack and in the UK Old Time and Bluegrass scene, playing with multiple groups. Together, they create a distinctive sound, neither traditional or contemporary, their powerful harmony singing front and center. The Horsenecks continue to set a new standard in today's traditional music scene with years of touring under their belts, appearances at major festivals in the USA and the UK and four critically acclaimed studio albums.

Winona Grange

8340 SW Seneca St.,

Tualatin 97062

Concert: 7:30pm-9:30pm

Doors: 6:45 pm

Early Tickets: $20-$30

At the Door: $25-$35

Tacoma Ceili Facebook

November 6th at the Old Church Concert Hall!

Anne and I hope to see you there!

Onóir are a modern Irish male folk group, who sing harmony-focused songs and musical arrangements. Formed in August of 2020, when four individual, Donegal-based musicians; Tom McHugh, Declan Gaughan, Deane Connaghan, and Diarmaid McGee, joined forces to create a contemporary version of the famous Irish folk ballad; “The Auld Triangle”.

Onóir are getting ready to blow your mind… This is a night not to be missed. As they put their unique stamp on the timeless ballads and folk songs that we all love. But be prepared for a few pleasant surprises as they delve into americana, heart rending soul and a little bit of country. In addition to top quality vocals there’s going to be some fun and laughter along the way.

Onóir are selling out venues in record time as their impassioned audiences are taken on a musical odyssey. From their new take on traditional Irish songs all the way through to, up tempo modern Irish classics. From tears to laughter, enjoy the onstage chemistry, excitement, and banter in a show that you will remember for a long, long time. Get your tickets today!

** Get your tickets HERE **

The Old Church Concert Hall

1422 SW 11th Avenue - PDX

December 13th - December 22nd

If you haven't yet experienced the magic of Portland Revels, you're truly missing out! Mark your calendars — and reserve your tickets for the enchanting Highland Hearth Celebration! Tickets go on sale October 13th. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable event!

Portland Revels celebrates our human connectedness at the darkest time of year, and aims to honor a multitude of cultures and backgrounds. We commit to being allies to all people. We embrace the work we must do to recognize our own implicit biases and cultural blind spots, and to dismantle structural barriers within our organization. We strive to educate ourselves and to engage in authentic exchanges of ideas and worldviews. We believe that nurturing a safe space is not enough, but that we need to further our commitment by fostering brave spaces where individuals can authentically and respectfully challenge one another, generating conversation and further education.

We commit to being people who promote active anti-racist measures on interpersonal, societal, and institutional levels, within our organization and elsewhere. As with the cyclical pattern of the seasons, we recognize the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of this work, and enthusiastically commit to it.

We are sailing on the String Break Cruise, January 25-31, 2026 on board the Majestic Princess of the Princess Cruise Lines. Here are some of the artists - Gaelic Storm, The Travelin' McCourys, Shadowgrass, Socks in the Frying Pan, JigJam and more!!

Check it out HERE

Tell them you were referred

by Samuel Keator & Anne Doherty.

Break the winter doldrums and set sail with Scythian and some of the best acts in the Celtic, Bluegrass and Americana Circuit for a musical festival at sea aboard the Majestic Princess!

Cruise includes exclusive access to all shows and the princess plus package which covers 15 drinks a day (alcoholic & non-alcoholic up to $15/each), 2 fine-dining experiences, gratuity & wifi.

Stops include Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya!