The Irish live in a much wider area than just Manhattan in the lár (urban center). Traditional Irish music events such as the seisiún and the céilí pop up all over the region at various times. This is an incomplete list, but a good place to get started.
The list below works well with Maureen Donnachie's Ceol agus Rince calendar, which can be found here, and compiles gatherings happening among the musicians, listeners and dancers around town that create the unique seisiún and céilí culture of New York City.
A seisiún is an event (imeacht, imockt) where Irish traditional musicians go to play tunes from the large traditional repertoire. The audience can be a listening crowd, or when they're not, a threatening din.
A céilí is an event (imeacht, imockt) where live music drives Irish dancing, so the audience at a céilí are there for the music or to dance sets or step dance.
Concerts or ceolchoirm (kyolkyorum) are regularly produced by Don Meade's Blarney Star productions at NYU's Ireland House. Other venues include the New York Irish Center in Long Island City and the Irish Arts Center on 11th ave. There are many concerts around the region at various times and venues. What's listed below are sessions and céilí dances.
10pm every Sunday, in the East Village at The 11th Street Bar
Tony DeMarco has been as spine and central nervous system to the Irish seisiún scene long before it became trendy. He leads the session that happens there each Sunday starting at 10pm. Predictably, the bar is on 11th St., between Avenues A and B, in the East Village. Their website is here. A map. The address and phone: 510 East 11th Street, New York, NY - (212) 982-3929.
Every Sunday at 2:00, St. James Gate seisiún
Tom Dunne and Tony Horswill have a fun session at St. James Gate in Maplewood, NJ. The address and phone: 167 Maplewood Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040-2555, (973) 378-2222. A map.
3:00 Sundays, Seisiún at Affair on 8th in Greenwich Village
Desi Groark on banjo and Marie Barrett on flute, have a seisiún at this Greenwich Village pub called Affair on 8th. The address and phone: 35 West 8th St
(Btwn 5th & 6th Avenues)New York, NY 10011(212)253-2999. A map.
4:00 on Sundays, Céilí in Dumont, NJstrongspan>
Bergen Irish Musicians' Céilí in Dumont, NJ at the Bergen Irish Center, 41 Omaha Street, Dumont, NY, (201)385-9277.
8:00 on Mondays, The Landmark seisiún on 11th Ave in midtown Manhattan
Don Meade hosts a new artist each week to lead this seisiún at one of New York City's most ancient venues. This old pub has been pulling pints--or however it was done in the 19th century--since 1868. Address and phone: 626 11th Avenue (at 46th Street), New York, NY 10036, (212) 247-2562. Their website. A map.
Every Tuesday at 9:30 on e.4th near The Bowery.
Swift Hibernian Lounge is a popular spot with all kinds of people. A Tuesday night session with amplification has been going strong here for a long time. Address and phone: 34 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003, (212) 227-9438. www.swiftnycbar.com. A map.
Every Wednesday at 7:30, Brian Conway and guest, the seisiún in White Plains.
You can read about this long-running seisiún here. The host is fiddle virtuoso Brian Conway. He has been a mainstay of NYC's session scene for decades like Tony DeMarco, with whom he recorded a classic album Apples in Winter in 1981. The address and phone for the Dunne's session is: 15 Shapham Place, White Plains, NY 10605,(914) 421-1451. A map.
9:00 on Wednesdays, Tony DeMarco & Éamonn O'Leary seisiún at Amity Hall
This is a new seisiún in downtown Manhattan led by Tony DeMarco with Éamonn O'Leary. Address and phone: 80 West 3rd Street, New York, NY 10012-1008,(212) 677-2290. Their website. A map.
Every Wednesday at 9:00, The Trinity Pub seisiún
Caitlin Warbelow invites various guests each week to the Trinity seisiún on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Their address: The Trinity Pub, 299 East 84th St., New York, NY 10028, 212-327-4450. Their website. A map.
Every Friday at 8:00, O'Casey seisiún
O'Casey's seisiún takes places on the lower level of the establishment in a quiet setting. Keith O'Neill on fiddle & Dan Lowery on flute host the new session in Manhattan every Friday at 8 p.m.. Address and phone: 22 East 41st Street, New York, NY - (212) 685-6807. A map.
7:30 Mulvihill CCÉ seisiún in Pearl River
7:30 pm ~ an Irish language lesson, a short set dance lesson, kids’ seisiún; 9 pm ~ advanced student & adult seisiún. All are welcome to attend. Address and stronghone: AOH Hall, Railroad Ave, Pearl River, Call Rose: 845-735-1743; Margie: 845-735-1204 or; Patty: 845-735-3282. The CCÉ website for the Mulvihill Branch. A map.
8:00 Philadelphia Irish Center seisiún
Address and phone: 6815 Emlen Street Philadelphia, PA 19119-2642, (215) 843-8051. Their website. A map.
Every Saturday at 4:00, Lillie's seisiún in Manhattan.
Donie Carroll and Dan Neely invite new seisiún leaders each week to this Victorian bar that was dismantled in Belfast and reconstructed in New York City. Address and phone: 13 E.17TH St. NY,NY. 10003, [email protected], 212-337-1970, betweeen Broadway & Fifth Ave. Their website. A map.
8:00 IAANJ seisiún, Rockaway Twp, NJstrongspan>
Address and phone: 352 Richard Mine Rd. Rockaway Tnsp. NJ.
8:00 Plainview Céilí
Address and phone: 115 Southern Parkway, Plainview, NY 11803. The céilí happens every First Saturday from 8pm-12am, Donations $20 Coffee, Tea and Soda Bread. Their website. A map.
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