Irish Music & Dance Association
Community Resources
Featured Member
- Rince Na Chroi
Rince na Chroi (pronounced Rink-a na Cree), Gaelic for “dance of the heart,” was founded by Katie Stephens Spangler in February 2003 after 15 years of Irish dancing and teaching experience in Milwaukee, Chicago, and St. Paul.
Since opening our doors, Rince na Chroi has grown from about 15 dancers to nearly 200. We have performed all over the Twin Cities and the Midwest at events such as the Irish Fair of Minnesota, the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, Grand Old Day, Milwaukee Irish Fest, and many more. Recently, our dancers have performed an average of 100 times each year, in venues such as the Minnesota State Fair and the Landmark Center and with talented musicians such as the Two Tap Trio, the Wild Colonial Bhoys, and Gaelic Storm.
Irish Dance
- Rince na Chroi*
Rince na Chroi (Dance of the Heart) is a performance-based Irish dance school for children and adults with a team focus. Classes in St. Paul, MN.
Siobhan George
651-272-7269
siobhan@rincenachroi.com - Rince na Gréine*
Rince na Gréine (Dance of the Sun) offers traditional and contemporary Irish dance lessons to ages 2 through adults, along with performance and competition opportunities. Classes in Hopkins, MN
Lauren Adams-Plehal, ODCRN
Margaret Schmitz, ODCRN RincenaGreine@gmail.com - Ardaigh Suas Academy of Irish Dance
Ashley Cheek, TCRG
(815) 530-7289
asairishdance@gmail.com - Biddies Galore
“Three Women Who Can’t Stop Dancing”
Sheila Jordan
651-357-3715
biddiesgalore3@gmail.com - Casey Academy of Irish Dance
Emily Casey-Hare
651-324-7631 CaseyIrishDance@gmail.com - Céilí and Set Dance Teachers
- Alex Aavang 612- 204-2196 alex.aavang@gmail.com
- Karen Cieminski: karen9ski@gmail.com
- Linda Doran: midledoran@gmail.com
- Paul McCluskey: paulmcckey@gmail.com
- Justin O’Carrick: justinocrrick@gmail.com
- Mike Whalen: mpw4883@yahoo.com, 651-502-5254
- Corda Mór Irish Dance
Fauna Gille, ADCRG
fauna@cordamor.com - Eilís Academy
Aiming to inspire dancers to dedicate themselves to the tradition and athleticism of Irish dance. We offer a traditional foundation for ages 4 years old on up at all levels. Classes are offered for both solo competition and team performance. Located in Anoka, MN.
Liz Hines, TCRG
eilisacademy2012@gmail.com
Follow Us on Facebook - Green Fire Irish Dancers
Teaching and performances for ages 5 through adult. Contemporary step dancing, hard shoe, and soft shoe. Historic and traditional dances performed in period costume. Green Fire strives to enable each dancer to pursue their dreams. Weekly practices. Small monthly fee, costumes provided. Located in Woodbury, MN.
Edward Koehne and Elaine Murray
612-927-9615
greenfiredancers@gmail.com - Hudson Irish Dance Academy
Is proud to offer the full range of beginner through championship level Irish dance instruction for boys, girls & adults. Located in Wayzata, MN.
Corey Hudson, TCRG
651-505-3379
HudsonIrishDance@gmail.com - Knocknagow Irish Dancers
Betsy Wing
651-646-3661
info@knocknagowirishdancers.com - Mactír Academy of Irish Dance
Emily Wolff TCRG
651-261-8575
emily@mactiririshdance.com - Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts
- Mooncoin Céilí Dancers
Carol Gross
carolgross1@comcast.net - North Star Irish Dance
Beth Pitchford
NorthStarIrishDance@gmail.com - O’Neill School of Irish Dance
Alyssah O’Neill
763-567-0510
oneillschoolofirishdance@gmail.com - Onórach Mulhern Geraghty School of Irish Dance (OMG)
Coleen Mulhern Malloy, TCRG
630-789-1127
coleen@mulhernschoolofirishdance.com - O'Shea Irish Dance
Cormac Ó’Sé, TCRG
612-722-7000
adminoid@osheairishdance.com - Rince na Chroi*
Rince na Chroi (Dance of the Heart) is a performance-based Irish dance school for children and adults with a team focus. Classes in St. Paul, MN.
Siobhan George
651-272-7269
siobhan@rincenachroi.com - Rince na Gréine*
Rince na Gréine (Dance of the Sun) offers traditional and contemporary Irish dance lessons to ages 2 through adults, along with performance and competition opportunities. Classes in Hopkins, MN
Lauren Adams-Plehal, ODCRN
Margaret Schmitz, ODCRN
RincenaGreine@gmail.com - Sean Nos Dance and Old Style Dance
- Danielle Enblom: danielleembloom@gmail.com
- Loma Mor Irish Dance Club: Karen Cieminski – karen9ski@gmail.com
www.loma-mor.org/ - The Step Collective:www.facebook.com/stepcollectivedance/info@stepcollective.com
- Shamrock School of Irish Step Dance
Rachel Knutson, TCRG
612-327-7962
rjones2112@aol.com
Irish Music / Musicians
- Clairseach*
Award-winning Gaelic harp with cittern, lively dance music with button accordion, and a variety of songs in Gaelic and English. A thousand years of Irish/Scottish tradition.
Ann and Charlie Heymann
507-647-3333
annheymann@gmail.com - Tom Dahill & Ginny Johnson*
Uilleann pipes, vocal, fiddle, guitar. St. Paul, MN.
651-334-2880 - Dòrain*
Dòrain is a 4-piece band featuring four-part vocal harmonies and toe-tapping trad tunes. They sing in both English and Scots Gaelic and play a mix of Scottish and Irish traditional music. St. Paul, MN.
Alexander Dove Lempke (guitar, bodhrán, vocals), Cara Weggler Menge (fiddle, bouzouki, vocals) and Iain Dove McAfee (flute, guitar, Scottish smallpipes, vocals), Mattie Ernst (concertina, harp, fiddle, vocals).
- Dunquin*
Dunquin plays traditional Irish exuberant reels and jigs and heart-melting Irish airs on fiddle, wooden flute, and piano for concerts, dancing, and all special celebrations, private or public. Known for gorgeous arrangements of traditional tunes and some award-winning originals in the trad style, Dunquin is in demand at festivals, parties, dances, and weddings throughout the Midwest. St. Paul, MN.
Rosa Wells, fiddle; Don Ladig, whistles and flutes; Sherry Ladig, piano and music arrangements.
Sherry Ladig: 651-644-4779
ladig-dunquin@msn.com - The Inland Seas*
The members of The Inland Seas spent years touring the nation and traveling around the world playing rock, Americana, punk, and traditional music styles before meeting in Minneapolis and forming this Celtic project in 2017.From rousing pub songs to haunting ballads, The Inland Seas play Celtic folk with heart and grit. They’ll draw you in with songs of the sea, of love and loss, of whiskey and wild nights… Come raise a glass and be swept away by the many moods of The Inland Seas!
Twin Cities, MN. - Tom Klein, Irish Piper*
Tom Klein plays the uilleann pipes, often called the Irish pipes. The uilleann (pronounced ill-en: Irish for “elbow”) pipes are the bagpipe of Ireland and one of the world’s most complex folk instruments.
- Sherry Ladig*
Pianist, composer, arranger (all styles) in St. Paul, MN.
- Legacy*
Traditional Irish instrumental tunes and lively Irish songs since 2000; three (and sometimes four) member band featuring flute, tin whistle, accordion, mandola, 6- and 12-string guitar, bodhrán, bass, sax and clarinet on occasion, with three-part (and, yes, sometimes four-part) harmony vocals.
Rosemount, MN.Kevin Carroll
651-983-6384
info@legacycelticmusic.com - The Lost Forty*
A two-man revival of the forgotten Irish songs of the north woods and Great Lakes on voice, guitar, bouzouki, banjo, and harmonium. St. Paul, MN.
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Laura MacKenzie*
Wooden flute, tin whistle, concertina, Scottish small pipes, border pipes, medieval great pipes, voice. Twin Cities, MN.
- Laura (MacKenzie)* and The Lads
A traditional trio with a richly Irish core, also performing music from Scotland, Cape Breton, Galicia, and Central France, featuring wind-powered instruments with percussion and guitar. Twin Cities, MN.
- Paddy O'Brien*
Hailing from County Offaly in the Irish midlands, Paddy O’Brien is a master of the two-row button accordion and a serious collector; over a lifetime he has amassed a repertoire of more than 3,000 compositions. He shares his knowledge through The Paddy O’Brien Tune Collection, a series of recordings containing 1,000 tunes. In 2011, Paddy received IMDA Honors for his contributions to Irish music in Minnesota, and in 2012, he received Ireland’s Gradam Ceoil Paddy currently tours internationally as a solo musician, and plays local concerts and dances with his Irish traditional chamber group, O’Rourke’s Feast. St. Paul, MN.
Paddy O’Brien
651-698-2258
paddyobrienbox@gmail.net - Paddy Wagon*
Irish Music with a twang. Acoustic folk/traditional/country. Guitars, fiddle, tin whistle, harmonica, stand up base, vocals. St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN.
Tim Flynn
651-334-7115 - Norah Rendell and Brian Miller*
Traditional Irish Music and Contemporary Folk, vocals, flute, guitar. St. Paul, MN.
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Andrea Stern*
Celtic Harp
612-722-9790
andrea@andreastern.net - Sycamore Gap*
Sycamore Gap is a 3-piece folk band based in Minneapolis. We specialize in songs of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (and even sometimes England), with arrangements that feature powerful vocals and silver flute. We play pub favorites, original songs, and especially rare gems from our deep folk revival catalog. We can be found at pubs and festivals all over town, and you might recognize lead singer Gabe Heller from Katie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas.
Call or Text 651-341-8351
- Tipper Road*
An upbeat Irish group that brings new life to old traditional songs from the Emerald Isle. The seven musicians of the group play fiddle, tin whistle, flute, bodhrán, guitar, accordion, and mandolin. St. Paul, MN.
Eileen Degnan
651-641-1859
TipperRoad09@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/TipperRoad - Two Tap Trio*
Traditional Irish Music, vocals, fiddle, flute, and guitar, also available with Irish dancers. St. Paul, MN.
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Bagpipe Associates
Mike Breidenbach
651-387-6142
bagpipeassociates@msn.com - Bedlam Boys
John Sjogren
612-207-7362
johnsjog@gmail.com - The Bellows Brothers
Tom Klein
irishpipertom@gmail.com - Blackbirds
Paul Wehling
612-788-3262 - Boiled in Lead
“Celebrating 40 years of Rock’n’Reel”
Todd Menton and Drew Miller
- Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band of St. Paul
Andy More, Booking/Band Manager
763-222-4703
manager@brianborupipeband.com - Broken Spoke
Chris: 952-200-8435
Gordon: 651-214-0906
brokenspokemn@gmail.com - Bundle & Go
David & Suzanne Rhees
612-875-1345 or 612-875-1355
info@bundleandgo.com - Captain Kaliber
Amy Shaw
flutewoman@gmail.com - Chulrua
Paddy O’Brien
651-698-2258
paddyobrienbox@gmail.net - Clairseach*
Ann and Charlie Heymann
507-647-3333
annheymann@gmail.com - Connemara Patch
Patrick Maun
Patrick@PatrickMaun.com - Mikko Cowdery, Irish Balladeer
Mikko Cowdery
320-859-3536
mick@midwestinfo.net - Curtis & Loretta
Vocals, Celtic harp, mandocello, mandolin, guitars, banjo Loretta Simonet
612-812-4555
loretta@curtisandloretta.com - Tom Dahill & Ginny Johnson*
Tom Dahill
- Dalwhinnie
Sherry Ladig
651-644-4779
ladig-dunquin@msn.com - The Dirty Hurlers
John Rian
218-939-1038
dirtyhurlers@live.com - Dòrain*
Alexander Dove McAfee
- Kate and Jode Dowling
- The Dregs
- Dunquin*
Sherry Ladig
- The Eddies
Chuck Lentz
612-839-0463
theeddies@earthlink.net - Eira
- Beth Engelking
- Erin Rogue
Robin Brown
763-753-6542
robinsnest1966@comcast.net - Hannah Flowers
- Four Pints Shy
- Giggin’ Síles
Maureen Engelhardt
mc2e@outlook.com - Gus the Bardic Troubadour
GusTheBard@Gmail.com
- Dick Hensold
Northumbrian smallpipes, Highland Great and Reel pipes, Swedish bagpipes, Seljefløyte, Whistles
St. Paul, MN 651-646-6581
dick@dickhensold.com - Dick Hensold & Patsy O’Brien
Dick Hensold 651-646-6581
dick@dickhensold.com - The Hibernian Irish Band
Chris Kalogerson
952-935-9065
chriskalogerson@gmail.com - The HiBs
Kate and Jode Dowling
612-850-9038
jode@hibsmusic.com - Hounds of Finn
Pete McCauley
651-558-6290
houndsoffinn@gmail.com - InishMohr
James Moss
651-489-7710
inishmohr@yahoo.com - The Inland Seas*
- Irish Brigade
Mike Wallace
651-283-6821
irishbrigadeband@gmail.com - Irish Diplomacy
Datta Hartman
612-578-0075
irishdiplomacymusic@gmail.com - Jimmy the Piper
James Sherman
651-325-8598
jimmythepiper1@gmail.com - The Jolly Groggers
Peter Bodurtha
651-210-7216
jollygroggers@gmail.com - Kindred
Sherri & Chuck Leyda
singletonstreet@gmail.com
763-225-7857 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KindredCelticMusic - Kittiwake
Amy Shaw
kittiwake.duo@gmail.com - Tom Klein, Irish Piper*
- Knotted Clover
Greg Padden
612-817-2998
knottedclover@gmail.com - Sherry Ladig*
- Lake Effect
Amy Shaw
flutewoman@gmail.com - The Langer's Ball
Michael Sturm
651-485-8090
info@thelangersball.com - Legacy*
Kevin Carroll
651-983-6384
info@legacycelticmusic.com - Andrew K. Lewis
- Bob Lies
- Locklin Road
Sheri O’Meara
763-516-1443
sheriomeara@gmail.com - The Lost Forty*
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Macalester College Pipe Band
Mike Breidenbach
651-387-6142
pipeband@macalester.edu - Laura MacKenzie*
- Chad McAnally
- Shawn McBurnie
- Patrick McCormick
- Jim McGowan
- McInnis' Kitchen
- Katie McMahon
- Todd Menton
- Minnesota Police Pipe Band
Sally Gordon, Band Manager
612-280-5351
mgr@mppb.org - Mistral
Chris Bashor
507-649-1323
Slipjigery@gmail.com - The Northerly Gales
Danny Schwarze
651-263-6704
northerlygales@gmail.com - Northern Gael
Laura MacKenzie, Laura@lauramackenzie.com
Ross Sutter, rosssutter@mac.com - Paddy O'Brien*
Paddy O’Brien
651-698-2258
paddyobrienbox@gmail.com - Patsy O’Brien
- O'Rourke's Feast
Paddy O’Brien
651-698-2258
paddyobrienbox@gmail.com - Paddy Wagon*
Tim Flynn
651-334-7115 - Poitin
Jim Haney
218-979-1085
info@poitinband.com - Purgatory Creek
David Perry
lollardfish@gmail.com - RavensFire
Melissa Schmidt
507-272-6710
melissamschmidt@hotmail.com - Release the Craicen
- Norah Rendell and Brian Miller
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Ring of Kerry
Paul Cotton
320-251-0601
paulcotton@ringofkerry.us - Ross and MacKenzie
Ross Sutter, rosssutter@mac.com
Laura MacKenzie, laura@lauramackenzie.com - Rúpálaí
Chad McAnally
612-968-4222
ceadachrua@gmail.com - The SERFs
theserfsmn@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSERFs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theserfsmn - Sona
Hannah Flowers
hc.harpist@gmail.com - Dáithí Sproule
- Dáithí Sproule & Laura MacKenzie
Laura MacKenzie
651-398-5055
Laura@lauramackenzie.com - Andrea Stern, Celtic Harp*
- Ross Sutter
- Sweet Colleens
- Sycamore Gap*
Sycamore Gap is a 3-piece folk band based in Minneapolis. We specialize in songs of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (and even sometimes England), with arrangements that feature powerful vocals and silver flute. We play pub favorites, original songs, and especially rare gems from our deep folk revival catalog. We can be found at pubs and festivals all over town, and you might recognize lead singer Gabe Heller from Katie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas.
Call or Text 651-341-8351
- Tiller Black
Kevin Brown
763-656-9482
tillerblack@gmail.com - The Tim Malloys
- Tipper Road*
Eileen Degnan
651-641-1859
TipperRoad09@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/TipperRoad - Twice Banjaxed
- Twin Cities Céilí Band (TCCB)
Tom Juenemann
tjuenemann@gmail.com - Two Tap Trio*
Brian Miller
651-245-3719
dadgadguy@gmail.com - Upset and Curl
Hannah Flowers
HC.Harpist@gmail.com - Mary Vanorny, Irish Fiddle
- Wild Colonial Bhoys
Adam Coolong
adam@wildcolonialbhoys.com - Willow Brae
Laura MacKenzie
651-398-5055
Laura@lauramackenzie.com
Andrea Stern
andrea@andreastern.net - Willowgreen
info@willowgreenmusic.com
Irish Music Instruction
- The Center for Irish Music*
Dedicated to teaching traditional Irish Music to all ages at all levels. At The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave N, St. Paul, MN 55104.
651-815-0083
admin@CenterforIrishMusic.orgCheck out the Center for Irish Music YouTube Channel!
- Laura MacKenzie*
Flute, whistle, Scottish smallpipes, voice/song, now including English concertina; teaching from studios in St. Paul. All ages; beginners welcome. 651-398-5055
laura@lauramackenzie.com
www.lauramackenzie.com - Dick Hensold
- Katie McMahon
- Patsy O’Brien
- James Plattes
Irish Storytellers
Irish Theater
Irish Language
- Gaeltacht Minnesota
Irish language groups and instruction. Free classes on Monday nights. Also language workshop opportunities.
- The Celtic Junction
Irish language classes for children, teens, and their parents, using songs, rhymes, and stories. Fee.
Irish Businesses
- Irish on Grand
Irish on Grand is very much a community hub – a place to buy the best of Irish goods from CDs to Irish Crystal, purchase the makings of an Irish breakfast, but also a place to drop by for a chat, find out what’s happening in the Irish community or just to see who you might bump in to on a Saturday morning! Located at 1124 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105.
(651) 222-5151
Follow Us on Facebook - Bodhrán Tippers by David J. Draeger
- The Celtic Croft
- Celtique Creations
Cathy Gadzo and Rosemary Paulson
651-249-8847
celtiquecreations@gmail.com - Celtic Journeys
- Gúna Rince
Mattie Ernst
GunaRinceCostumes@gmail.com - The Irish In America
- The Irish Rose Gifts
Dan Sexton
888-298-5301
help@theirishrose.com - Chad McAnally - Celtic Instruments
- Patty's Pottery
- St. Patrick’s Guild
- T. R. Hawkinson, LTD
Todd Hawkinson
651-227-3921
Irish Organizations
- The Celtic Junction Arts Center
“Weaving the traditions of Dance, Music, Art and Language.” A Center for the Arts with classes in Irish Step Dance; Traditional Irish Music; Céilí and Social Dance; Irish Mythology and History; Celtic Spirituality; World Art and classes in the Irish language for children and adults. Visit our Public art gallery displaying local artisans of pottery, painting, and instrument making. Come to our Concerts and Hooleys! Space available for event rental (performance space, dance studios, classrooms, music area and lobby.) Located at 836 Prior Ave, St. Paul, MN 55104.
- Irish Arts Minnesota (IAM) - formerly the Irish Music and Dance Association
Celebrating Irish traditions since 1983. Your hosts for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration and Day of Irish Dance at Landmark Center.
- Ancient Order of Hibernians
MN Office: thomas_joseph_radke@yahoo.com
- Center for Irish Studies - New Hibernian Review
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
nhr@stthomas.edu - Children’s Program of Northern Ireland
- Emerald Society of Minnesota
PO Box 4423
St. Paul, MN 55104 - Friends of St. Patrick-MN Chapter
- Great Northern Irish Pipers Club
Tom Klein
651-227-3367
information@gnipc.org - Irish American Business Network - Minnesota Chapter
- Irish Fair of Minnesota
836 Prior Ave N
St. Paul, MN 55104 - Irish Genealogical Society International
1385 Mendota Heights Road
Mendota Heights, MN 55120 - Irish Network Minnesota IN-MN
- Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Association
Judy Clerkin
763-234-0669
mplsstpats@aol.com - St. Patrick’s Association – St. Paul
- Traditional Singers Club
- Twin Cities Gaelic Football Club
- Twin Cities Robert Emmets Hurling Club
Ready to Get Involved?
Give at any level and become a member of Irish Arts Minnesota. Your membership helps support grants and educational opportunities for artists, musicians, and dancers pursuing the traditional arts of Ireland.