29th Guinness Irish Christmas - the original show

LAOISE KELLY (IE) CASSIE & MAGGIE (CAN) GOITSE (IE)

With a very diverse program, once again dominated by female power, we celebrate our twenty-ninth edition of the success story Guinness IRISH CHRISTMAS - the original show. And yes, once again I would like to highlight that Sean Keane and I were the ones who had the idea for this concept tour in 1995, which we implemented for the first time in 1996. Before that, the term "Irish Christmas" did not exist for a music tour of Irish folk artists, and it remained an exclusive branding for several years until other Irish bands had the idea to implement similar tours in the USA. Copyright has never really interested me; everyone should be able to have a piece of the pie! Bad copies take care of themselves anyway!

One of the very first artists to tour with this format was the great harpist LAOISE KELLY. She came to Austria in 1998 with her legendary trio THE BUMBLEBEES and the Sean Keane Band and also celebrated great successes on subsequent tours. In 2010, she was again heard at the Guinness IRISH CHRISTMAS, and now she will participate for the third time as a soloist. There is still no one in Ireland who can match her on the harp; as early as the 1990s, she was celebrated by the press as the "Jimi Hendrix of the Celtic Harp"! It was Laoise Kelly who revolutionized the Irish harp as a solo instrument! In 2020, she was honored as TG4 Musician Of The Year. Laoise Kelly is also known for her close collaborations with Kate Bush, The Chieftains, Mary Black, Christy Moore, and many others, and she has released seven albums to date.

“Her right hand fires out tunes with a fluidity, creativity and clarity that has revolutionised the harp as a solo instrument; her left hand is the source of a new voice in the world of accompaniment and groove” - Niall Keegan, Irish World Academy.

CASSIE & MAGGIE MacDONALD are no strangers here either; I have already toured with them three times, but they are making their debut at the Guinness IRISH CHRISTMAS! I first heard the two sisters in 2013 at the “Celtic Colours” festival in Cape Breton, Canada, and I was left speechless! There is hardly a more powerful, spectacular duo anywhere on this planet, and by now, they have achieved 17 awards and nominations in various Canadian competitions such as JUNO, East Coast Music Award, or Canadian Folk Music Awards. Deeply rooted in the folk tradition of Nova Scotia, they draw from the rich treasure of their Scottish ancestors and combine striking fiddle sounds with guitar/piano, two-part harmonies, and step dancing. Five wonderful CDs document their work.

“It’s hard to think of a more entertaining act in music right now. As always, the bottom line is the music, and they play it superbly.” — Live Ireland Radio.

The multiple award-winning Irish quintet GOITSE (Gaelic for "come here") performed exactly ten years ago at the IRISH CHRISTMAS, and I am very pleased that they have confirmed for 2026. The band has made a name for itself worldwide with its dynamic sound, intertwined tunes, and the angelic voice of frontwoman Áine McGeeney. They experiment with tradition and let it shine in a new light through influences from other musical styles. They also write their own songs and tunes that give tradition a modern twist. Thanks to bands like Goitse, the evolution of Irish music is progressing, and the audience is fascinated and excited by it, paving the way for a successful future of Irish folk.

“Sprightly instrumentals with exciting and unexpected twists topped off with winsome vocals.” - fRoots Magazine.