Irish Night at the Soiled Dove, Denver

With Tommy Fleming “Voice of Ireland” Friday October 28

Direct Ticket link: The Soiled Dove

(more venue info at bottom of page)

Eric Clapton – “His version of Danny Boy is the best I have ever heard bar none.”

The Boston Globe – “The dynamic voice of Tommy Fleming who soared on every song.”

New York Times – “The success of this concert was Tommy’s classic interpretation of The Leaving of Liverpool and The Auld Triangle – he had the audience on its feet”

(Celtic Connection October 2016 Denver) It was an epic night in Colorado Irish history when the festive crowd paraded from Nallen’s Irish Pub up the 16^th Street Mall to the Paramount Theatre.  It was in the fall of 1993 and spirits where high as Irish American organizations and fans poured into their seats to hear the legendary Irish songwriter/producer/musician Phil Coulter and his band.  History was about to be made for a young Irish man from Sligo who was ready to make his American debut as guest vocalist.  When Tommy Fleming took to the stage and belted out “The Auld Triangle” the audience was stunned.  At intermission

concert goers talked about the tingle of goosebumps and that they just heard one of the best Irish voices ever.

Since his Denver debut Tommy Fleming has gone on to be one of Ireland’s top entertainers with over 5 million Youtube hits and over 3 million album sales worldwide and is described by many as the “Voice of Ireland”.  He turns each song into his own with his own unique and powerful style touching emotions in you that only music can reach. Tommy is famous for his own arrangement of “Danny Boy”, “Isle of Inisfree” and “Hard Times” all songs that you know and love but you have never heard them until you hear Tommy Fleming’s versions. He also covers songs from “You Raise Me Up” to “Bridge over Troubled Waters”, “From a Distance” and “Something Inside So Strong” along with many more contemporary numbers.

While Tommy’s style of singing may be difficult to classify, fans use such words as “deeply emotional, romantic and sincere” to describe the feelings it evokes. One reviewer described his music as falling into a genre of Symphonic Pop that still awaits a name.  Tommy’s unique talent has brought him worldwide recognition with several sell-out tours in Ireland, the UK, the US, Australia and Japan and he is now critically acclaimed to be one of the worlds’ finest singers of his generation.

A Tommy Fleming concert is a musical experience not to be missed with one song more haunting than the other. He has a universal appeal to all ages and backgrounds with a fan base that is growing stronger worldwide year by year.  Hear Tommy yourself when he finally returns to Denver with his band for a concert at the Soiled dove, Friday October 28.  (Yes Halloween costumes are welcome)

Live concert video links:

Hard Times https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5T0vy0-Oak

Isle of Inishfree  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md3Q8RbCWM8

More video at:  http://tommyfleming.net/

Tommy Fleming: Voice of Ireland Friday October 28, 2016  8PM Show 7PM Doors

Soiled Dove Underground  (Below The Tavern at Lowry, open for dinner prior to show)

 7401 E 1st Ave, Denver.  (Free Parking)        Reserved your Seats ($25 or $30) at direct link

https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/selectSeats?utm_medium=bks&id=1268981&se

or www.soileddove.com or call or call 303-830-9214

Questions about the concert call the Celtic Connection/Celtic Events at 303-777-0502

Updates at www.facebook.com/celtic.rockies

October 2016 Ceolta Notes

by Rodger Hara  (Celtic Connection October 2016 newspaper)
Angus Mohr kicks off the month with an appearance on the 1st at the Odyssey Beerkwerks Brewery and Taproom in Arvada at 8 PM then closes it out with a Halloween/Samhain show on the 29th at the Little Bear in Evergreen at 9 PM.
On the 9th, The Bedlam Boys perform at Gold Hill Theatres in Woodland Park at 9:30 PM.  They’re hoping to get their first CD from this show.
Laura Melling tells Ancient stories (with brief discussion) with Margot Krimmel harp accompaniment at the Letterpress Gallery Public House, 316 Willow Street, Ft. Collins on the 2nd at 5 PM.  $15.00 suggested donation
Chancers Hooley is at the Blue Spruce Brewery in Centennial on the 7th from 7:30 to 9:30 PM.
Potcheen headlines the Carbondale Celtic Festival on the 7th on Main Street from 7-10 PM, returns to Carbondale for a show – “Rolling the Bones in Bonedale” – at The Black Nugget on the 28th at 9 PM then ends the month at Cactus Jack’s Saloon in Evergreen on the 29th.

Catch Wild Mountain on the 1st at Clancy’s Irish Pub in Wheat Ridge, 8:30-11:30 and at Tennyson’s Tap for a Hootenanny at 9 PM on the 7th.
Skean Dubh plays for the Golden City Brewery BBQ on the 15th from 1-4 PM
The Mountain Road Ceili Band has its usual monthly 3rd Friday gig at The Margarita at Pine Creek in North Colorado Springs on the 20th  from 6:30-9:30 PM.
Avourneen opens the month on the 1st at the Abbey Tavern from 1-8 PM.  On the 7th, play in the Avalon Ballroom in Boulder for the Contra Dance from 7-8 PM (Tickets start at $10), on the 8th at 8 PM in Stella’s Coffee Haus on S. Pearl St. in Denver then on the 24th film a set with the Nightly Met, a TV show produced through the Metropolitan State University Office of Student Media. The performance will be broadcast on Denver public access TV channel 58.
Lougheed is on Clancy’s stage in Wheat Ridge on the 15th from 5-8 PM.
Big Paddy plays for the Westminster Brewery Halloween costume ball at 8 PM on the 29th.  Big Paddy has a new Album entitled “Times are Tough” and a new fiddler named Karen Lauffer, formerly with Delilah’s Revenge.

Kolacny Music & The Colorado Celtic Harp Society present

Chris Newman & Máire Ní Chathasaigh

Celtic Harp and Guitar in Concert

Brilliant, innovative harping and guitar-playing

of astonishing virtuosity and versatility!

Friday, October 7th – 7:30pm

Unity Spiritual Center Denver

3021 South University Blvd./ Denver, CO 80210

Tickets at the Door – Adult $15 / 12 and under $10 – Doors open at 7pm

“This celebrated duo took the place by

storm. Stately Carolan tunes, jazzy

Django-ish numbers, dazzling Doc Watson

style flat picking fliers, driving Irish dance

tunes – this pair can nonchalantly do the

lot. Guitar players applauded and went

sadly home to burn their instruments!”

The Belfast Telegraph

The virtuoso partnership of  England’s premier flatpicking guitarist and “the greatest

Celtic harper of  our age” (LIVE IRELAND) has by now brought its unique musical vision

to twenty-two countries on five continents.Chris and Máire have performed at over 175 folk,

Celtic, arts, harp and guitar festivals in Europe, the USA and Australasia and have given

almost two thousand concerts in venues large and small – from the tiniest of  historic churches

in England, Germany and Italy to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, London’s Barbican,

Sydney’s Town Hall and the Philharmonie in Cologne.

Together they have created one of  the most distinctive voices in modern acoustic music.

Their six duo and five solo CDs, instructional books and collaborations with many other

luminaries of  the Celtic, folk, swing jazz and bluegrass worlds express both the depth of

their commitment to tradition and an eternally playful, curious and adventurous spirit.

Over the years Chris and Máire have toured with Altan, Sharon Shannon, Cherish the

Ladies, Patrick Street, the Rankins, Mary Black, Maura O’Connell, Dónal Lunny, Aly Bain,

Boys of  the Lough and many other leading bands and artists.Recording collaborations

include a guest appearance on Irish rock legend Rory Gallagher’s posthumous Wheels

within Wheels (BMG), work with (among others) Dan ar Braz, Sharon Shannon, Dónal

Lunny, Liam O’Flynn, Aly Bain, Danny Thompson, Cathy Fink, Boys of  the Lough, and a

quartet CD,

Heartstring Sessions

, with Arty McGlynn and Nollaig Casey.

Máire is harp and voice soloist with the New English Chamber Orchestra and the Choir

of  New College Oxford on John Cameron’s

Missa Celtica

(Erato Disques); her singing features

on the Goldcrest film

Driftwood

and her harping on Dan ar Braz’s Gold Disc-awarded CD

Finisterres

(Sony). They’re featured on the Polygram USA CD and associated PBS TV special

Celtic Harpestry

.

Broadcasts include televised concerts on Ireland’s TG4 and Italy’s Rai Uno; TV

appearances on Ireland’s RTÉ and TG4, the UK’s BBC, S4C and HTV, Germany’s WDR

Cologne, Australia’s ABC, France 3, the USA’s PBS and countless radio performances

world-wide.

Retreat to Spanish Peaks September 22-25:

Annual Celtic Gathering A-Buzz with Return of Fest Favorites

and First Time Visits by World Renown High Kings and Altan!  (from The Celtic Connection newspaper September 2016)

You can feel it in the air –autumn serenity, when Indian Paint Brush colored days turn into star spangled nights.  You can hear the sounds of acoustic music as people smile, laugh, and relax.  It’s the last full weekend in September when the majestic Spanish Peaks stand as welcome landmarks to travelers Heading to Huerfano County, Colorado for traditional Celtic music, dance, storytelling and comradery.

Some folks come and find a camp and enjoy the many free sessions and activities and others jump in with a full Festival pass for an inspired mini vacation at the various area lodging.

No matter if you are a serious musician looking to learn a few nuances or tunes from the best musicians available, or you’re someone who has no desire to play but you enjoy the “ceol agus craic” (“music and fun” in Irish), you will enjoy a lovely environment and Huerfano County Hospitality September 22-25 at

The Spanish Peaks Celtic festival and retreat.

Over the past 11 years of the annual Celtic gathering, many folks circle their calendars and commit to attend the annual event.  The musicians who perform and teach also enjoy the unique area and there hosts and many return as often as they can.  To name a few (all performers/instructors posted at www.CelticMusicFest.com) Veterans back in the Spanish Peaks line-up this year include beloved Irish singer/songwriter Robbie O’Connell who for years toured with his uncles, the Clancy Brothers. A native of Scotland, but a resident of Austin, Texas, Ed Miller is always in demand for concerts and festivals with a voice described as “as smooth and satisfying as a really good single malt whisky.”  Originally from Cork, the infectious personality Máirtín de Cógáin will bring his singing, dancing, bodhrán playing, and story-telling and leave everyone with smiles on their faces.

Technically speaking, this is The Outside Track’s first visit to the Fest, however the band did perform for the Fest in an off season concert a couple of years ago.  They’ve since gone through a number of personnel changes including the addition of the extremely talented singer and flute player, Teresa Horgan, who has performed at the fest in the past with the band Full Set.

The celebrated virtuoso duo Chris Newman and Máire Ní Chathasaigh will once again perform what one reviewer described as, ““A truly electrifying combination…the audience were charmed and dazzled by the speed, deftness, the emotional range of their playing”.  As one of the world’s greatest harpers, Máire will be spending much of her time at the Fests’ “Harp Retreat.”

No Stranger to the Fest, Jerry O’Sullivan will perform and be one of the anchor instructors at the Fests’ “Piping Retreat.”  Jerry has been widely hailed as America’s premier uilleann piper an has appeared on more than 90 albums and has performed or recorded with artists such as The Boston Pops, Don Henley, Paul Winter, James Galway, Dolly Parton, The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Eileen Ivers, and many others.

The “New kids” in town this year include world-renown bands Altan and High Kings.  Altan has been on the top of the Irish Traditional music mountain for decades.  Performing with and untouchable respect for tradition, Altan goes beyond perpetuating Irish music, they have influenced the possibilities, fluidity, and enjoyment of the art form in contemporary times.

The High Kings debut Spanish Peaks in the middle of a tour supporting their new chart-topping CD “Grace & Glory”.   The High Kings have given resurgence to Ireland’s folk heritage of song, overhauling ballad singing and racing to new heights (is there a pun in there?).  Speaking at the announcement of the tour, Finbarr Clancy said “Since the passing of The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners, we have become the bearers of the torch, bringing the songs and traditions of Ireland to a new global audience. We relish this challenge and are truly honoured to be representing our generation. The High Kings will strive to deliver perfection wherever we go, and we are very much looking forward to seeing our fans, old and new, in our forthcoming tour in 2016’The High Kings high-octane live shows are the stuff of legend, so don’t miss their Saturday night concert.

For a full festival Schedule go to www.CelticMusicFest.com

Notes:  The free popular Ceili/Picnic at Update ghost town on Old La Veta pass is on Thursday 11A-2P.

Also, the La Veta Inn has reopened with new owners and will be available for food and hosting sessions.

[email protected]

Contact

(888) 950-8807

[email protected]

Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival Office La Veta School of the Arts, 105 West Ryus Ave

La Veta, CO 81055

Hours

Sunday                 6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Monday               6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Tuesday               6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Wednesday        6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Thursday             6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Friday    6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

Saturday              6:00 am                –             11:00 pm

September 2016 Ceolta Notes

By Rodger Hara

The Wicked Sheehogues Celtic Band plays at Clancy’s Irish Pub in Wheat Ridge on the 3^rd from 5 – 8 PM

Colcannon is in concert at Congregation Nevei Kodesh, 1925 Glenwood Drive in Boulder on the 10^th at 7:30 PM then closes out the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater on the 18^th at 3:00 PM

The Hydes entertain the patrons of the Bread Bar in Silver Plume, time TBD on the 3^rd and can be seen and heard at Stella’s Coffee Haus on South Pearl in Denver from 8-10 PM on the 10^th

You can see Big Paddy on the 9^th at 10 PM in the Bohemian Biergarten in Boulder or at the Northglenn Pirate Festival on the 17^th from 5-7 PM.  Kiern and SeanG of the band play at Liquid Mechanics in Lafayette on the 16^th from 8-10 PM.

Celtic Chaos is on stage at the Celtic House Pub in Parker, 6-9 PM on the 9^th and 4:15-6 PM on the 17^th at the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater.

Skean Dubh plays for the Commonwealth festival, Memorial Park, Manitou Springs on the 4^th from 2:50-3:50 PM,

Avourneen is at Jack Quinn’s in Colorado Springs at 8 PM on the 10^th and the Abbey on East Colfax in Denver at 8 PM on the 17^th.  Lead singer and guitarist Adam Goldstein is at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret for his solo act on the 3^rd and 17^th at 11 PM.

Brian Clancy and Irish Row are at Jack Quinn’s Irish Alehouse and Pub in Colorado Springs on the 15^th at 7:30 PM for the IAFF Firefighter’s Memorial Weekend then at the Pikes Peak Brewing Co. in Monument, CO on the 17^th at 7 PM.  Brian Clancy is at The Irish Snug on Capitol Hill in Denver on the 10^th and 24^th at 8:30 PM.

Jimo and the Piper open the Sunday morning music for the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater at 11:30 AM on the 18^th.

Juice O’the Barley performs for the 1/2 Way to St Patrick’s Day at the Sheabeen in Aurora on the 16^th at 8 PM, on the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater stage at 1:45 PM on the 17^th and at the Summerset Festival, Clement Park, Littleton on the 18^th from 1-2 PM on the Main Stage.

Chancers Hooley provides the entertainment at Strange Craft Brewery in Denver for their Saturday Night Labor Day party from 6-9 PM on the 3^rd then plays at the Grossen Bart Brewery in Longmont from 6-9 PM on the 17^th.

Delilah’s Revenge plays a mean version of the theme song from The Game of Thrones that you can hear on the 3^rd on the Heritage Stage at the Taste of Colorado at 8 PM, perhaps at the Northglenn Pirate Festvial at 3:30 PM on the 17^th or the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Program at Jack Quinn’s in Colorado Springs on the 27^th at 9 PM.

Angus Mohr rocks out at Lonigan’s in Estes Park on the 9^th and 10^th at 8:30 PM

The Mountain Road Ceili Band does their monthly FAC/Happy Hour gig on the patio at The Margarita, Colorado Springs on the 16^th at 6 PM.

Adam Agee and Jon Sousa are on an extended tour of the East Coast and Europe for most of September and October.

Margot Krimmel and Beth Gadbaw return to the awesome acoustics of the Black Rose Acoustic Society in the Black Forest Community Center on the 9^th at 7 PM where they recorded their last live CD.  Tickets are $5-10 and in celebration of that CD, they are offering discounts on all their CD’s. 

The McDeviants are busy bees in September with gigs on the 3^rd at Jack Quinn’s in Colorado Springs from 8:30 PM-12:30 AM, the 16^th at Cleats-East in Colorado Springs from 9 PM-1AM and on the 17^th at the Pirate Fest in Northglenn from 11 AM-12 PM.

Potcheen opens a busy month on the 4^th at the Bootstrap Brewing Company in Niwot from 6-9 PM, plays at Cactus Jack’s Saloon in Evergreen from 2-6 PM on the 9^th, is at the Lazy Dog on Pearl Street in Boulder at 10 PM on the 16^th then heads to Northglenn for Pirate Fest and the Pirate Ball in E.B. Rains. Jr. Memorial Park from 5:30-10 PM. The Pirate Ball is a social engagement for pirates and costumes are encouraged.  Cost is $15 for dinner only or $25 for dinner and 2 drinks including mead, rum and beer.  There will be music, sword fighting and a pig roast.

Wild Mountain plays at Clancy’s Irish Pub in Wheat Ridge from 5 – 8 PM on the 10^th, at the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater on the 17^th from 7:15-9 PM and at Local 46 in Wheat Ridge from 7-9 PM on the 18^th.

The Bedlam Boys are at the Barrel in Estes Park the 9^th and 10^th, kick off the music for the Celtic Harvest Festival Edgewater at 11:30 AM on the 17^th and can be found at the Bierwerks Brewery in Woodland Park most Thursdays from 7 – 9 PM

Spanish Peaks Celtic Music Fest & Retreat, September 22-25 La Vetea/Walsenburg CO Altan, High Kings, The Outside Track, Chris Newman & Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Robbie O’Connell, Ed Miller, and  more performers and instructors.  www.CelticMusicFest.com

The Emporium Building Sold, Contents on Sale

(September 2016 Celtic Connection newspaper, Denver)

After a decade and a half as the iconic Colorado mountain town mining antique/Irish & Celtic goods shop in Idaho Springs, the owners of the Emporium are retiring and have sold the building.  Owner Mary Ann Dalpes said that closing the store will be bittersweet. “On one hand I love the store and our great customers, but on the other hand it is a lot of hard work to run the store.”  Referring to real estate values up in Colorado owner Dan Dalpes added, “The timing seems right”.

Below is a letter to the Celtic Connection readers from Mary Ann and Dan:

“The Irish Celtic Emporium in Idaho Springs is going out of business after 16 years.  The Building has been sold and the store will close at the end of the year.

The Emporium opened on July1, 2000 and has grown and flourished over the years thanks to many loyal and supportive family members, employees and friends.  In August 2012 when close college friend Mary Ellen Feely died, a large part of the dream died.  “Melen” was a big part of what made the Emporium a special place.  But we have been blessed to have many close friends and family help keep the dream continuing for so long.  It has been a great run with the shop, festivals, St, Patrick celebrations including step dancers, musicians, and leprechaun, Timothy O’Blarney.  We have met

wonderful and interesting people from all over the world who have encouraged us to share our heritage and store.  It is time now for us to move on to the next phase of our lives and spend more time with family, friends and grandchildren.

We want to thanks all of those over the years who helped make the Emporium a unique niche in the small town of Idaho Springs, Colorado.  Please come visit us and take part in the sale of our merchandise.  We will continue the sale until we close”.

The Celtic Connection would like to thank all the folks at The Emporium for bring their dream and unique store to the community for all of these years.  We’ll you soon, with best wishes.

Longs Peak Celebrates 40^th Anniversary

Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival will host their 40^th annual event September 8-11 in Estes Park, CO.  The festival includes Scottish athletics, Jousting, Highland Dance, Irish Dance, Strongman Compeition, Solo and Pipe Band Competitions, and music including Seamus Kennedy, Ed Miller, Albannach, Highland Way, Tannahill Weavers, Rogues, Enter the Haggis.   Info at 970-586-6308

Celts Rise!  The 12^th Annual Spanish Peaks International

Celtic Music Festival is Up and Running!

The 2016 Spanish Peaks Celtic Fest schedule is set, and with the likes of Altan, High Kings, and The Outside Track debuting  and a bunch of returning veteran performers and instructors (Chris Newman and Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Robbie O’connell, Máirtín de Cógáin, Jerry O’Sullivan and Ed Miller to name a few) returning,  there is quite the buzz about the upcoming last weekend in September.  Scheduled September 22 -25 are concerts, classes, demonstrations, retreats, sessions, and workshops in traditional music, dance, and storytelling .  Some are free and others are accessed with a paid ticket, but many of the events are in venues with limited seating so check-out the Schedule now at www.CelticMusicFest.com and reserve your spot at one of the most magical gathering of Trad enthusiasts this side of the Atlantic.

Located in the beautiful  and historical “Spanish Peaks Country”  in the south central Colorado Rockies, the festival draws  support  from the hospitable folks of the Huerfano County communities Gardner, La Veta, Walsenburg and Cuchara. Many festival  attendees are from out of County and State and turn the annual Fall fling into a mini vacation with the unique opportunity to mingle with and appreciate the performers, educators and visitors from all over the world.  Outside of the festival there are an abundance of thing to do from hiking, fishing, golfing, scenic car rides along the “Highway of Legends”,  train rides up the pass, or get up early and drive out to the Great Sand Dunes!

Through the month of August there are Special Music Packages and Early Bird Discount Pricing WHILE THEY LAST!  To order online, visit www.celticmusicfest.com.  You also have the option to download a registration from and order by mail – make your check or money order payable to SPICMF, enclose your completed registration form (Pages 1 through 3), and mail to:  SP Celtic Festival, P.O. Box 612, La Veta, CO 81055.  If you are ordering a Full Festival Pass, please indicate on Pages 2 & 3 of this form the events you expect to attend.  Keep in mind that with a Full Festival Pass, you’re not locked in and can alter selections during Festival Week as long as space is available.  Telephone:  888-950-8807 For Extra Early Bird Discount on the FULL FESTIVAL PASS, register online or by mail postmarked NLT 31 August 2016.

Elementary, high school, and college STUDENTS under 26 take an additional 10% off your total order with current student ID.  In person, present ID; by mail, include copy of ID.  Harp & Piping Retreat students also qualify for the 10% discount.

CHILDREN under 10 admitted free to concerts when accompanied by a paid adult.

After September 20th, register in person at the Festival Office located in the La Veta School of the Arts building.   We are big supporters of the Fest at the Celtic Connection, so if you have any questions  feel free to call us at 303-777-0502 or email [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.  See you in September!

August 2016 Ceolta Notes  (From 2016 August Celtic Connection newspaper)

By Rodger Hara

Michael “Cal” Callaghan was a big hit at last year’s Long’s Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival with his band, Cal Music.  This year he’s getting a head start on the Festival with a series of solo gigs in Colorado that began in Boulder in July and continues in August in Estes Park.  Born in Scotland, Cal is a singer, guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter who has performed in Europe, the U.S. and Canada and won a Scottish national song-writing competition in 2007.  You can see/hear him on the 4^th, 11^th and 18^th at Up Close and Personal with Cal shows at The Estes Park Resort from 6-9 PM and at the Sheabeen Pub in Aurora from 8:30-11:30 PM on the 5th.  No cover for the shows.

While Cal is in Colorado for August, Potcheen is spending most of the month in Montana.  On the 12^th and 13^th, they’ll be playing at an “After Party” following the closing of the An Rí Rá Festival, at the Yellowstone Brewery in Livingston on the 16^th, at Stage 112 in Missoula on the 17^th, the Lewis in Clark Brewery in Helena on the 18^th, at Miller’s Crossing in Helena on the 19^th and for what sounds like an interesting event – an Irish USMC Wedding in Silver Gate, MT on the 20^th.  They finally return to Colorado on the 27^th for a gig at the Whitewater Bar and Grille in Cañon City on the 27^th.
The Mountain Road Ceili Band is continuing its 2st year at The Margarita at Pine Creek on August 19 at 6 PM outdoors on the patio bar.

Chancer’s Hooley plays at the Blue Spruce Brewery in Centennial on the 12^th from 7:30-9:30 PM and at the Keystone Summit House in Dillon on the 19^th from 4-7 PM

Avourneen does their usual Friday night gig at Katie Eile’s in Westminster on the 7^th, 14^th 21^st and 28^th at 5 PM, play for the folks at The Abbey on East Colfax in Denver at 7 PM on the 7^th, for the Contra Dance at Club Tico in Ft Collins at 8 PM on the 20^th (Admission $10) at wind up the month at Jack Quinn’s in Colorado Springs at 8 PM on the 27^th.

After another successful and fun Elizabeth Celtic Festival, Skean Dubh entertains the shoppers at the Highlands Square farmers market at 32^nd Ave & Meade St. in Denver on the 21^st from 9 AM till 1 PM then closes out the season for the Music on the Plaza program on Belmar Plaza in Lakewood on the 26^th from 6-8 PM.
Wild Mountain is on stage at Clancy’s Irish Pub in Wheat Ridge on the 27^th from 5-8 PM.

Keep Britain Irish is at Jack Quinn’s Pub in Colorado Springs on the 9^th at 9 PM where I’m sure they’ll be playing too.

Brian Clancy entertains at Jack Quinn, Downtown Colorado Springs, on the 4^th, 11^th, and 25^th at 7:30 PM.

The fabulous Bedlam Boys play at The Barrel in Estes Park on the 20^th from 3:30 to 6:30 PM.

…………………….

August 2016 Festivals

An Rí Rá Montana Irish Festival, August 12-14 at Original Mine Yard, Butte, MT.  Entertainment by The Elders, Gailfean, Makem and Spain, Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones, Kevin Doyle, Dublin Gulch, Trinity Irish Dancers W/Trinity Dance Workshop on August 12th, Genealogy, Dance, Irish Language, Music & History Workshops – The Rising, Patriotic Spirit of Irish Music with Derek Warfield and Butte’s Irish Heart, Authors, Fun, Food and Merchandise, Raffles for trips to Ireland, Hawaii and a Notre Dame Football Game, 1M, 5K & 10K runs Free Admission! www.mtgaelic.org

…………………………..

Scottish Festival and Rocky Mountain Highland Games (51st Anniversary) August 5-7, Town Park, Snowmass Village, CO.  Entertainment by Tartan Terrors, Ren Scots and Highland and Irish Dancers W/Dogs of the British Isles, Automobiles of the British Isles, Clan tents, Pipe Band

and Highland Dance Competitions, Whisky Tasting, Scottish Athletics, Kirkin’       Service, fun, food (including haggis) and merchandise.  Dog friendly! Free Admission! www.scottishgames.org

…………………………………….

Bitterroot Celtic Games and Gathering, August 20-21at Marcus Daily Mansion, Hamilton, MT

Tra la Gael, Craicers, Albeni Falls, Swagger, Tom Robinson, Missoula Irish Dancers, W/Irish and Highland dancing, Scottish Athletics, clans, Pipe bands, historical  demonstrations, Whisky and Mead tastings, Kirkin’ service, Mansion tour, fun, food and merchandise.  No dogs allowed

$5-15 depending on days, age, etc.; parking $10/weekend  http://www.bcgg.org/

Colorado Scottish Festival, Aug. 5-7, Free, Fun in Snowmass Village

Free!  Yes, free admission.   Free parking.   Free shuttles.  Free Saturday night concert.  It’s enough to warm a thrifty Scotsman’s heart!  Get out of the heat and come on up to Snowmass Village on August 5-7, 2016, and join the fun as the Colorado Scottish Festival celebrates its 53th year as a family-friendly Colorado tradition.  For the first time, this year all events are being moved completely into the Village so that the doors can be open free to all comers.

The Festival features bagpipe bands – the Great Scottish Athletes throwing the caber – graceful Highland dancers and dynamic Irish Stepdancers – colorful clans – a genealogy area (find your cousins!) –historical re-enactors the Renaissance Scots, with their defensive arm, the Wolves of Dunvegan – the dogs of the British Isles – nonstop Celtic music – MacKiddie games for the wee ones — children’s athletic events – a Bonnie Knees contest for gents in kilts — whisky-tasting (educate your palate!) – haggis, Scottish soul food – and vendors with  Celtic food and gifts.

Friday night, enjoy the hottest of the hot pipers and drummers as they compete in the Festival’s Hot Piping and Hot Drumline Contest.  Judging is by the audience, so make your voice heard!  Enjoy the midday ceremonies each day.  Be there as the massed pipes and drums march across the field shaking the earth, followed by the March of the Clans, re-enactors and dogs of the British Isles.  Saturday evening, jump to Celtic rock with the internationally-known group, the Tartan Terrors.  There’s nothing better than a Celtic music concert under the stars! Sunday morning’s traditional Celtic Kirkin (churching) of the Tartans will be followed by the only Blessing of the Animals at a Scottish festival in the Western U.S.  The Festival is dog-friendly, so bring your favorite four-legged family member!

For the best experience of the Festival, join the Thistle Club, and enjoy an exclusive Friday evening reception at the Ice Age Museum, access to the VIP area with special food and adult beverages, Celtic gifts, premier seating at the Saturday night concert, and more.

Lodging reservations made through the Festival’s website are guaranteed to be the best possible price, and include two gondola tickets to the top of spectacular Elk Camp, a $56 value!   For a glimpse of the fun at the Festival, see the new video on the Festival’s website, www.ScottishGames.org.

Denver Gaels:  20 Years of Memories and Team Timeline   (Celtic Connection, Denver, July 2016)

Shay Dunne, Founding Member, Former Chairman, Dual Player —

Nallen’s Pub on California St. Denver Colorado, 1996, In attendance, Martin Concannon, Martin Canavan, Shay Dunne, the conversation went something like this:

“lads we’re always playing Gaelic football after soccer on Sundays, why don’t we form a team? There seems to be great interest in it.”  “Well why don’t you organize it Shay?” “I will get the ball rolling, but you all have to help me… I’m not doing this on my own!”  And so it began…..

Alan Murphy was contacted and roped in too, he was too big a lad among the community not to have on board. Mick Malone too, Paul Kelly, and of course we would need a sponsor and John Nallen was the obvious choice. John Nallen’s brother in law John Nachtain (Brother John) was recruited too. The meeting was called, flyers printed and 25 people showed up.

The history of the club has been told time and again so I won’t bore everyone with details but here we are 20 years on and stronger than ever.

The first members names were predominately Irish. Dunne, Malone, Murphy, Concanon, Nallen etc. and the 1^st team was the same, though we had a spattering of American born players like Eddie Givens from Pittsburg, Mike and Tom Doran from Denver, Dave Lowe from Denver to name a few. Now 20 years later we have names like Keifert, Jackubowski, Buckler, Lin, Hazen to name a few, and the Irish born in the club are a minority. The Club has grown from just Gaelic Football with the help of members who joined like Ciaran Dwyer, Niall Byrne, Eamon Ryan and Kyle Shane. This is what is fantastic about the club, we are no longer a group of Irish ex-pats playing the sport we grew up with because we are homesick….. We are a Denver Colorado Club playing Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie made up of people from all backgrounds who fell in love with playing Gaelic Games. The Gaels are known and respected throughout the country for our commitment to our club and our dedication and fearlessness on the field.

We are so proud of the games we play and what we have achieved on the field and we love nothing more than to share these wonderful games with anyone who wants to play.

The games might be first and foremost, but we are a social club too. We have had weddings in the club, babies born to members who met through the club, we have ex-members spread all over the globe who remember fondly their time with us. They wear Denver Gaels jerseys and T-shirts proudly wherever they roam. We try to help all members in all aspects of life through good and bad times… We have felt the pain of loss with the passing way too soon of Jenny Gallagher and Seamus Timmons. We feel the pain and loss of all members who lose a family member and we are there for them, whether that person be in Ireland or right here in Colorado. We are all part of the Denver Gaels Family!

This is what is most important about the Denver Gaels….this is who we are, this is what is most satisfying 20 years on.    Happy 20^th Denver Gaels Shay Dunne

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Denver Gaels 20th Birthday

Alan Murphy, Founding Member. Former Chairman, Dual Player, Coach

I grew up in a working class family. I’m very proud of my family and my upbringing. As a kid, other than attending school, Gaelic Games took up all of my spare time. My local GAA club was where I met and hung out with friends. The pride of representing our club, the competition & sport, the forever friendships made and the traditions within the GAA and its clubs all combined to foster my great  love for my favorite sports hurling and football.

In January 1996, when we formed the Gaels, establishing traditions while introducing our sports to Denver, and forming a strong GAA community within the US was very prominent in my mind. There are many people along the way who have worked very hard to achieve this, and bring our club to where we are at today.

Many Irish organizations do fantastic work and fulfill their role within the broad Irish community. The Gaels have always supported, and received support in return, from these Irish groups. We are always grateful for this. We have provided many great leaders to our community. We have been the welcoming beacon for youth and adults either moving to Colorado or native born. We have fulfilled a role in our community where many friendships were formed and couples have met and got married. We have established our sports and achieved competitiveness on the field while gaining enormous respect amongst the other GAA clubs nationwide. Along the way we have even won several national championships, something I’m very proud of. Over the last twenty years new generations of committed Denver Gaels have joined the club and continued to drive the club forward. We have young adults contributing to the Denver community who were North American Youth Champions several years ago. At present there are young Gaels attending schools and some more who are too young to attend yet.

I think we have achieved more of the original goals than I would have hoped for. The future looks bright for the Denver Gaels and I have great confidence that the current hard working club leaders will continue to lead us on to greatness.

Sona Fichiu Breithla Denver Gaels.

(Happy Twentieth Birthday Denver Gaels)

Alan T Murphy

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Martin Concannon, Founding Member, Committee Member, Gaelic Footballer

I suppose the 1996 Denver Gaels couldn’t have envisioned then, the growth and popularity of the Denver Gaels of 2016.   But from my perspective the Club was started to provide a sporting and social outlet for the expats living in the Denver Area at the time. But over the years the club was fortunate to have had some great people leading the club forward with their visions for the future of the club taking it to where it is today.

As a proud founding member of the Denver Gaels its hard to believe 20 years have past, but over the years I’ve been very fortunate to have made some great friends and shared some fantastic experiences through the club. I wish the Denver Gaels, it’s members and it’s current committee continued success and look forward to seeing what the club looks like in 20 more years.

Martin Concannon

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Niall Byrne, Coach, Dual Player

1996. What a great year for Gaelic Sports!

Wexford ended a long wait to lift the Liam McCarthy Cup. And, a couple of chancers from Dublin and Cork spearheaded the founding of a GAA Club in Denver. I started college in 96’ so all in all it was a very memorable year for me personally. Fast forward a few years, I had somehow graduated from college, and found myself residing in Colorado Springs. I made a couple of trips north to Denver in 2001 and played a bit of Gaelic Football with the club. It was a tough commitment at the time as I didn’t even own a car. A combination of things disabled me from committing in full that year. When I read later on that Denver against all odds had won a North American Gaelic Football title, there was definitely regret on my part that I wasn’t able to stick it out. My experience that year be it short lived, was ‘Posterized’ eternally though by Jimbo Baldwin in a game against the Aussies.

A spell back in Ireland between visas took me away from Colorado for a couple of years. When I came back I again tracked down the Gaels. It was early 2004, and there was a great buzz around the club as they were proudly hosting the North American Championships that year. Although I wasn’t much of a footballer, I decided that I would do what I could to participate. We had two real strong football teams that year but unfortunately didn’t raise any silverware. Nevertheless though, the Championships were a massive success for a small club, and there was a bit of momentum for Irish sports in Colorado as a result.

In seeing the general public’s reaction to Hurling, Ciaran Dwyer and myself talked about hosting a puck-around. We knew a couple of the footballers had hurled once upon a time, so decided to see if we could generate any interest. A lad named Randles spun a yarn about having played Hurling growing up. Being from Kerry, we were very skeptical. Alan Murphy used to talk about Hurling while giving Football team talks, so he was a shoe-in to play. We also figured that Shay Dunne, seeing that he was from Tallaght, would be skilled in all forms of weaponry. Surely he could half hurl at least! Mick Costello who hailed from Kilkenny, threw his name into the mix as well. So, there were a couple of bodies to get things going. From our first few sessions, a few locals came out to sample the game, and we could already tell that we were on to something. The following spring we dusted off the hurls again, and the numbers kept growing. Beyond our wildest expectations, we suddenly found ourselves having enough to field a team for the 2005 National Championships. From that fledgling first championship team in 05’ Hurling grew at an unprecedented pace. This last weekend just past, we witnessed the full fruits of that growth with over twenty US Born hurlers representing Denver in Hurling and Camogie at a tournament in Indianapolis. What an achievement.

There are way too many stories and too many characters involved to chronicle and tell the full story of hurling in Denver. Hundreds of late nights chasing hurling balls around various parks in Denver, swatting away the mosquito’s, while doing that last sprint or lap ‘For the Championship Lad’s’. Broken bones, broken hurls, nut never broken spirits. Tall tale’s and great nicknames. But what I take from it all more than anything else is the pure positivity it has had on so many people’s lives. Hurling in Denver is way more than just sport. Lifelong friendships, roommates, soul mates, team mates, and everything in between. I simply couldn’t write a piece without acknowledging the mammoth efforts over the years by lads like Dwyer, Murphy, Sarge, Ream and Ryan. There are countless others as well. Going forward we have a new batch of lads who have stepped up and are carrying on the torch. Denver Gaels Hurling is in great hands and continues to thrive.

It has been quite the ride, and long may it continue.         Up Denver!

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Message from Alan Groarke,

Chairman of the club in 2000

I feel privileged to have been involved with the Denver Gaels on the playing field and behind the scenes in the running of the club. Like many others who came to Denver in the Nineties, with no smartphones and spotty Internet, it wasn’t easy to find information about if there was a GAA club in the city and who to contact. Most people learnt about the club after a pint or two in Nallens Pub. I can recall not fully understanding the time zone difference with Ireland and headed to Nallens to watch a Munster Final only to get there and realize the game started two hours before that.

One of the most refreshing experiences I found with playing for the Denver Gaels was that no one knew your past history in playing the game so in a sense you could wipe the slate clean and start anew. You also got to play football with lads from all over Ireland and learn something from their style of play. Winning a Junior B title in Boston in 2000 was a definite highlight and the team we had that year was very talented – good enough to play in the Intermediate championship in my opinion. The commitment of being part of the team and trying to run the club that year definitely took its toll and I was glad to let other future Chairmen like Derek Joyce and Ciaran Dwyer evolve the club in new directions.

Another proud moment was when the Gaels hosted the North American Finals in Boulder in 2004. The North American Board were skeptical if we could pull it off and turned down our original proposal in 2002. But we had great people on board helping to organize the event to ensure no stone was left unturned in producing a memorable Finals for all teams who took part. I was in charge of the hotels – they were initially thrilled to have to deal with the issue of being sold out of alcohol each night but I would also get a briefing from them each morning about the antics that their Irish patrons had got up to the previous night – party animals!

The publicity around hosting the Finals in 2004 was a springboard for launching our Youth Gaels club. Some enthusiastic parents were involved in recruiting and coaching and helped bring a U14 North American title to the club in its very first year. I found it a very rewarding experience coaching the team over the next couple of years. Some wonderful memories of how much heart and spirit these young players showed going up against established clubs from across North America and rising to the challenge. The 2005 Final in San Francisco against Rockland from NY was a classic game where our Youth Gaels came 9 points behind to go 2 ahead but then get pipped by the NY team in the end.

I have made many friends over my 18 years involved with the club. Back in the early days the club only had Irish born players and committee. We knew the club would never grow or continue to survive with that setup. It is wonderful that the club now has so many American born players on all teams as well as being heavily involved in running the club. Wishing the Denver Gaels every success over the next 20 years.

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Ciaran Dwyer, Former Chairman, Hurling Co-Founder, Dual Player

I arrived in Denver in late 1999 not knowing a soul. Little did I know that I would leave 15 years later with countless lifelong friends and irreplaceable memories,

A football championship in 2000 by a club that had not won a match before and understanding for the first time what true community felt like. Experiencing a club becoming my family thousands of miles from home long before Skype, what’s app or today’s interconnected world.

Witnessing thousands of Irish descend on Boulder for the 2004 National Finals. Watching our Irish American community in CO come alongside the Gaels and provide the thousands of volunteer hours necessary to put on an event of that size.

The particular joy at seeing so many Americans take up our native sports. How they marvel in the purity of the sports and gave us Irish born a new found appreciation for what we had previously taken for granted. The Gaels winning a first Hurling National Championship in 2007 with many a song shared afterwards.

Watching countless friendships formed through the club, weddings, christening the next generation of hurlers and footballers and the special support that flowed when we lost one of our own too soon.

Checking back in from afar and seeing that the Denver Gaels continues to reinvent itself in new and unique ways.

May it continue to do so for generations to come!

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Noel Hickey, Youth Chairman, Club Sponsor

At the beginning of 2003, when the Denver Gaels had secured the 2004 National Championship in Boulder.A group of Irish members who had children, decided to start a youth program for the Gaels. Martin Concannon, Shay Dunne, Kieran Brady, Alan Murphy, myself and my wife Wendy got together to form the youth committee. We trained every Sunday at Observatory park and gradually put a team together.

We had a U12 and U14 coed team and ended up winning the B division in both age groups at the Nationals, What a start.

We competed over the next 6-8 years at the U14, 16 and 18 levels in such great city’s as San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago and won two more national titles. Through aggressive fundraising, not one child had to pay for a flight or hotel room over the period. Many of the lads went on to be stars in their own right. Shane O Neill plays professional soccer, his brother Dara played college ball at CU. Owain Hickey also played college ball in Nebraska. Woody Kincade won a national championship in cross country and the Mc Garry twins were very accomplished soccer players. Ryan Murphy was also spotted by CSU. It was a great group of kids and parents and Wendy and I looked forward every year to our GAA trip.

Noel Hickey

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Gerry Whelan, Coach, Football Player

I would like to mention a few of the lads involved that moved on, or kinda retired.  I will start with one of my all time favourites , Mick Malone of County Clare.  I wouldn’t be surprised were he related to Ger Loughnane.  You could never know what Mick could come out with.  Mick could add torment to confusion for the fun of it and at the same time throw his hand in his pocket and get the Gaels rolling.  As one of the founding members of the Gaels he poured time in both on and off the field.  If something needed doing he would get after it.  Meath were known for hard footballers in their day and none came harder and tougher than Brian Russel.  A fist from Brian in a tackle was like a slap of a two by four.  Hell  for leather was how he played.  Every bone in his body would cut you open and it was unlucky you if he faced you and he the last man between you and the goal.  I don’t think I ever played against anyone hardier.  Mayo have a proud tradition and great footballers.  We were lucky in Denver to see Aidan Naughton reach into the clouds to field a ball.  For a big man he sure could take flight.  His athleticism was unbelieveable and memorable for those who witnessed his overhead kick against Atlanta in the Boulder Games.  The Gaels have had great achievements in their time.  One of the greatest being the team managed by Eamon Owens winning the Junior B Championship.  Without a doubt it demonstrated why a big panel of players is essential to winning a championship.  Success would not have been achieved were it not for Scott, Alan and Danny the three students brought over from Ireland and it must be mentioned employed by Bill Murphy of Noreside Construction.  Scott Brady turned in a show be it brief in each of the games that was from the script “Roy of the Rovers”.  Scott was probably the best football talent on show at the tournament in Boston.  Everyone who played with him that year was in the presence of greatness.  He proved how good he was in the years to follow representing Offaly and Clara in many positions of the game.

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Kyle Shane, Dual Player, Chairperson

In 2007 I heard a radio ad for the Colorado Irish Festival and decided to go.  I’d moved to Colorado in 2005 for a job that had me traveling around the state and still didn’t know too many people.  While I was in college, I studied abroad at the University of Limerick and my Irish roommates introduced me to Hurling and Gaelic Football but hadn’t seen or really thought about the sports since.  So, when I saw a few people walking around with hurls and gear bags, I was floored and promptly followed them down to the pitch where I met a few of the Gaels as they were gearing up for a friendly hurling match.

I guess you could say the rest is history from there, but I can’t even fully begin to explain how thankful I am to have been a part of the Denver Gaels and how this club has changed my life.  I’ve met some of the most amazing people, built very solid friendships and have been lucky enough to play and promote these incredible sports around the state and country.  The Denver Gaels aren’t just another adult sports league, they are a business network, they are family, a community, and mostly, they are an organization that encourages and promotes the Irish Culture in America through these unique and incredible sports.

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Brian McCarthy, Committee Member, Coach, Dual Player

Whenever I meet a new Irish player on the Denver Gaels, one of the first questions they ask me is how did you get connected with the GAA? To which my short response is, my Father is from Cork and my Mother is from Waterford, so when I was growing up my Father would drag me to Fado’s on weekends to watch the All-Ireland Championships. A few years later, I went to Ireland for a cousin’s wedding, and saw a hurling match live. After the match and a few pints, I boldly proclaimed, I’m going to join the Denver Gaels and become the finest American Gaelic player Denver has ever seen.   That impulse decision fueled by the courage of a few too many pints, changed my life. While I haven’t fulfilled my bold proclamation of greatness, the Denver Gaels has fulfilled a lot in me.

It connects me to a team:  In America, we have a funny relationship with team sports. We play them very intensely at a young age, and by the time we finish high school most of us stop playing them all-together. But that never jived with me, I always loved team sports. The camaraderie, the spirit, the ability to push myself beyond the limits of anything I could do on my own. That’s one the best things about the GAA, it allows grown-ups to play and be part of a team.

It connects me to Ireland at much deeper level:  The more I learn about the GAA, the more I understand the history and culture of Ireland. Our clubs and stadiums are named after Irish patriots, so every time I dive-in to discover who a club is named after, I gather another piece of the story of Irish independence. Along with history, I’m connecting to more people and places in Ireland through the teammates and friends I meet through the Gaels. Each speaks endearingly of a parish that I wouldn’t have encountered on my own travels.

It connects me to my family: Now when I go back to visit my cousins, the first thing we do is swap stories of our performances on the pitch. Shortly after, we empathize with each other’s struggles to grow our clubs off of it. It’s a shared connection that makes the 4,000-mile gap between us a little bit smaller. The Gaels have also given me a closer connection to my parents who beam with pride to see that their son has taken such an interest in their culture.

It connects me to a community in Denver:  Perhaps most surprisingly, the Denver Gaels has given me a connection to a community in Denver. I’ve attended weddings, baby showers and even funerals of fellow Gaels. We’ve baked hot dishes for new parents, helped each other find homes, and bought each other pints to celebrate the highs and commiserate the lows. Through thick and thin, I know I have a community that will support me on and off the pitch.

In Ireland there is a saying that the Church is the spine of the community, but GAA is the heartbeat… The Gaels is certainly the heartbeat of my community in Denver.

– Brian McCarthy Denver Gaels Member since 2010.

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Eamonn Ryan, Former Chairman, Dual Player, Coach

I moved to Colorado in 2004 from Ireland and, like any Irish man who grew up playing Gaelic sports in Ireland, one of the many things I expected to miss as I headed stateside was my involvement in a Gaelic Athletic Association club. The GAA club is a way of life for those who were lucky enough to grow up with it in Ireland. Training sessions multiple times a week, competitive matches every weekend, and socializing with teammates are all part of being involved with a GAA club, all resulting in the formation of friendships that last a lifetime.

After moving to the States, I could not envision myself not being involved in a sports club of some kind, whatever sport that meant for a new transplant to the United States. With the assumption that moving to Colorado would be the end of my Gaelic football and hurling days, I decided to brush up on my basketball skills. I played a lot of basketball as a teenager whenever I had a spare moment between playing Gaelic football and hurling with the GAA club – so I was hoping that it would be a good way to get involved in a sports club in Colorado – one with American roots that I could blend into. This was so much part of my plan that one of my goodbye presents from my work colleagues in Ireland was a basketball!

As I prepared to move to Colorado and researched on my soon to be new home, I was happy and amazed to discover that a GAA club actually existed in Colorado. This was completely unexpected as my assumption was that GAA clubs only existed in big “Irish” cities like Chicago, New York, Boston and San Francisco. This discovery changed everything for me. I immediately contacted the Denver Gaels and discovered not only that they were already a successful Gaelic football club, but they were also just beginning the formation of a hurling team within the club. I played Gaelic football and hurling growing up and I had progressed to play hurling at a senior level for my club by the time I was planning my move to Colorado. For this reason, the idea of being involved in growing a new hurling team from the ground up was extremely exciting.

Since September 2004, I have been involved with the Denver Gaels on an intimate level – as a chairman, a player, a hurling coach/manager and a devoted advocate for the club.  Through the dedication of many key Denver Gaels leaders, I have seen hurling grow in Colorado from just an idea to so much more.  It is now a healthy, vibrant part of the club, with weekly competitive leagues and there is even an indoor league in the winter. What makes this achievement even more special is that, unlike the traditional “Irish” cities, this team was formed in a smaller environment in Denver, which is a city that has traditionally had much less resources and GAA support than those traditional “Irish” cities in the United States. The Denver Gaels was one of the first clubs in the States to prove that competitive hurling can be played by any athletic person, no matter whether or not they grew up playing it. The Denver Gaels have taught so many local Coloradans how to play this sport that was very unfamiliar to them and how to excel and fall in love with such a great sport.  The ultimate validation of this was when the Denver Gaels and Indianapolis were chosen to represent the USA in an international hurling competition in Galway in 2013. I had the honor of being one of the coaches on that team and we won the competition, beating a team from Argentina in the final.

Since the first day that I met the Denver Gaels on a Sunday afternoon at Observatory Park In Denver in September 2004, I have experienced the same camaraderie and welcoming environment that I grew up with in my GAA club in Ireland. I found a way to keep playing the sport that I love and have made even more lifelong friendships through the GAA. Needless to say, I never played basketball in Colorado. In fact once I knew that there was a GAA club in Colorado, the space in my luggage for that basketball that I was gifted from my work colleagues was replaced by my hurling equipment. The basketball is still in Ireland!

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Katie Buckler, Camogie player and Committee Member

Moving to a new state is both extremely exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I was coming from Milwaukee, where I had already been introduced to the exotic sport of Camogie that I instantly grew to love. I’ve played team sports since a young age and it’s one of the avenues that I use to stay active and meet friends. My second week in Denver, I gathered my gear and headed to my first practice with the Denver Gaels. Full of nerves and lacking the oxygen I was used to, I was ecstatic to be back on the pitch. The Gaels were easy to spot and I trotted over looking for some of the girls who I had already met at a burger joint in town earlier that week.  I was welcomed to the State of Colorado with open arms from an entire club of athletes that I had just met. That sense of family and team has continued over the last 5 years and is why I’m proud to be part of the Denver Gaels.  And it doesn’t hurt to mention that later that year the Denver Gaels Camogie team traveled to San Francisco and became the 2011 North American Junior Camogie Champions!

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Kevin Stanton, Football Manager, Football Player.

I joined the Denver Gaels in the summer of 2013. In the last few years, it has been great to see the club go from strength to strength, thanks to the influx of young, athletic people moving to Denver and the tireless work of the committee who run the club. Having played with senior clubs in Irish strongholds like Boston and Chicago, flush with local funding and Irish-born players flying over every summer specifically to play Gaelic games, it has been a radical change to play with a smaller club that has to fight to retain players, as well as actively scout for new talent each year. As a result, playing for the Denver Gaels creates a familiar and proud feeling of representing something local that is embedded in Colorado culture. It makes the wins more gratifying and the losses more personal and profound.

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Paddy Behan, Dual Player, Committee Member

Over the past seven years, I’ve consistently had the desire to play these fine Irish games with unrelenting whole-hearted passion and pride.  It’s an absolute honor to play hurling and football alongside men and women whom I consider as family.  I’m grateful and forever indebted to the Gaels for not only strengthening a connection to my Irish heritage but also teaching me selflessness and the value of hard work.  I have no intention of loosening my commitment anytime soon.

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Denver Gaels Timeline

*February 1996: Denver Gaels hold their 1^st ever meeting at Nallens Pub on California St. in Denver

July 1996: 1^st ever competitive game of Gaelic Football played at Observatory Park in Denver between the Denver Gaels and The Chicago Wolfe Tones, with the Wolfe Tones decisively winning.

September 1996: The Denver Gaels play their 1^st official North American Championship game against Atlanta at the North American Finals in Boston. They lost to Atlanta in a closely fought game.

Summer of 1997: Denver Gaels hold their 1^st ever inter club football league weekly at Observatory Park in Denver.

September 1997: Denver Gaels attend North American Finals in San Fransisco.

July 1998: Denver Gaels travel to San Diego to play in San Diego Setanta GAA’s tournament.

September 1998: Denver Gaels attend North American Finals in Chicago’s Gaelic Park.

July 1999: Denver Gaels host 1^st ever qualification playoff in the Southwest between Denver, LA Wild Geese and San Diego Setanta GAA. Denver qualifies for the North American Finals.

September 1999: Denver Gaels attend North American Finals in Washington D.C.

July 2000: Denver Gaels travel to San Diego Setanta tournament.

*Sept. 2000: Denver Gaels travel to Boston MA for North American Finals and wins Junior B Gaelic Football Championship.

September 2001: Denver Gaels travel to San Francisco for North American Finals.

September 2002: Denver Gaels travel to Chicago Gaelic Park  for North American Finals

*Early 2003: Denver Gaels submit bid to host the 2004 North American finals and are awarded finals.

September 2003: Boston MA for North American Finals

July 2004: Denver Gaels attend San Diego Setanta tournament.

*September 2004: Denver Gaels host what is considered one of the best ever North American Finals at Pleasant View Complex in Boulder CO. Denver Gaels field 2 adult mens Gaelic Football teams, a Ladies Gaelic Football team and 2 youth Gaelic Football teams. Youth teams win U12 and U14 football championships.

*2005: Denver Gaels add the ancient game of Hurling to their team and form the 1^st ever Hurling team in Colorado.

July 2005: Denver Gaels play the highest ever Hurling and Gaelic Football games in Fraser Colorado at an elevation of 8500 feet.

August 2005: Denver Gaels Youth teams attend their 1^st ever Continental Youth GAA Championships in San Jose CA.

September 2005: Denver Gaels compete in North American Hurling Championship in Boston MA

September 2005: Denver Gaels compete in the North American Championships in Philadelphia PA and win their 1^st ever Hurling game. They then play in the infamous “Muddy Sunday” final against Seattle and are narrowly beaten.

September 2006: Denver Gaels compete in North American Hurling Championship in Philadelphia PA

April 2007: Denver Gaels start their 1^st interclub Hurling league

July 2007: Denver Gaels host their 1^st ever tournament at the Colorado Irish Festival at Clement Park in Littleton CO

*September 2007: Denver Gaels win the Junior C Hurling North American Championship in Chicago Gaelic Park beating St. Louis GAA Club. Denver Gaels Youth Gaelic Football team wins U16 North American Gaelic Football Championship.

September 2008: Denver Gaels Compete in the North American Championship in Boston.

September 2009: Denver Gaels Compete in North American Championship in Boston.

July 2010: Denver Gaels travel with mens Hurling, Ladies football and Mens football to Seattle to compete in Seattle Gaels Tournament.

September 2010: Denver Gaels compete in the North American Championship in Chicago.

*September 2011: Denver Gaels compete in the North American Championship in San Francisco, mens Hurling are narrowly beaten in the Junior B final by Indianapolis. Ladies win Junior B Camogie Championship.

September 2012: Denver Gaels  compete in the North American Championship in Philadelphia.

September 2013: Denver Gaels Compete in the North American Championship in Cleveland OH

*October 2013: Denver Gaels American Born players selected to join with Indianapolis GAA as US Junior Hurling Team to play in the Aer Lingus International Hurling Tournament in Galway Ireland. The US Team wins the tournament.

*September 2014: Denver Gaels compete in North American Championship in Boston MA. Mens Football team beats Seattle Gaels and is beaten in the Semi-Final of the Junior C Football Championship by San Francisco after an epic double overtime game.

September 2015: Denver Gaels compete in the North American Championship in Chicago Gaelic Park.

*Feb 2016: The Denver Gaels kick off their 20^th anniversary season with the election of the 2016 committee.

*July 8^th-10th 2016: Denver Gaels host their annual Gaelic Games tournament at the Colorado Irish Festival at Clement Park in Littleton CO.