Irish Fest features an area on the south end of the festival grounds dedicated to Irish and Celtic culture! Check out the various cultural programs and areas in this year's Cultural Village!
Cultural Pavilion
The Pavilion continues its long tradition of bringing all things Irish and Celtic to the festival through digital and physical displays. 2021 brings us Cork, Ireland poet Rosaleen Crowley’s poetry, Irish folklore, Blazing a Trail - an exhibit that tells the stories of women who led the women’s suffrage movement in Ireland, Out in Ireland, The End of the War of Independence - the 100th anniversary; and The Fairyforts of Ireland.
Literary Corner
The Literary Corner is pleased to present best selling Amazon author, Eoin Dempsey. His tale of unforeseen consequences to one family as the result of one mindless act during the times of the Troubles in Northern Ireland is a gripping page turner not to be missed. Put The Bogside Boys on your list.
Rex Owens is returning to the Literary Corner with his new historical novel, The Life and Times of Rowan Daly. This determined and charming heroine reveals the hardships and accomplishments of librarians who, on horseback, delivered books and even taught reading in rural America in the earlier years of the twentieth century.
New this year to the Literary Corner is Christie Sever, author of books for young people that can be enjoyed by folks of all ages. Her story, Sound the Warning, is a lovely story of the importance of Irish Dance to the preservation of Irish culture itself as an art form but also as a means of communication during the many years of occupation by the English.
The Literary Corner welcomes back Valerie Biel with her trilogy based on Celtic Mythology that is centered on a generation of Irish women in one family. The three books, Beltany, Novella Collection and Sacred Treasures, will appeal to anyone interested in learning more about Irish and Celtic mythology.
Hedge School and Theatre
Combined due to Covid, these two iconic venues offer a series of lectures coupled with superb theatrical offerings from the Wildflower Theatre and Milwaukee Irish Arts. Among other productions the Theatre will be presenting…..
Ireland's Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Daniel Mulhall, joins us for a series of diverse lectures. The inimitable Leni Sloan joins us, this time in person, for two fascinating talks and Timothy McMahon returns to talk about the end of Ireland’s War of Independence and its aftermath.
Gaeltacht
Steeped in tradition, brimming with talent and sweetened with native speakers, the Gaeltacht line-up is sure to hit the spot. The Gaeltacht, or Irish speaking area, will showcase the Irish language and traditional Irish culture. You can learn simple Irish phrases or challenge yourself with some flirty chat-up lines! You can stop in any time and enjoy traditional Irish humor, song, dance and language. The Gaeltacht is where the Irish go to feel at home!
Genealogy
Genealogy will be again south of the Water Street Brewery near the Literary and Theatre tents. The venue is much smaller this year. Due to COVID, the focus is on a quick visit with take away information about research, resources and organizations, local and Irish, to help you in hour genealogical journey. We will not be offering individual research consultations this year, but we can direct you where to pursue one.
Come learn about Irish surnames and given names. Tag the giant Ireland map with your family’s ancestral home. Try for a door prize of a DNA kit or an Ancestry subscription. Let us know what you miss most and what we should bring back for next year.
Irish Language Workshop
Learn more about Gaelic, the Irish language, and its history at our Irish Language Workshop tent! This year's workshop features Dr. Tara MacLeod and Dr. Brian O'Conchubhair from Notre Dame University.