CelticMKE Milwaukee Irish Fest Irish Fest Scrapbook School of Music Summer School Ward Irish Music Archives
Even though 1987 was marked in the Irish Fest history books as “The Year of the Flood” due to three days of rain, the music and fun still attracted 62,770 in attendance. The Milwaukee Irish Fest Summer School opened the week leading up to Irish Fest, and the new Dance Stage debuted along with the Hedge School. The Leahy family celebrated a clan reunion, and the Queen’s Rangers hosted a Revolutionary War encampment. It was also the first year for the Tug-of-War.
The cultural and historical area featured exhibits on antique Belleek, the Traveling People, Visions of Ireland, The Irish Jaunting Cart and the American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) book exhibit.
Entertainers included Carmel Quinn, De Danann, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy, Barleycorn, Schooner Fare, Barley Bree, Tannahill Weavers, Paddy Reilly, Dingle Spike, Green Fields of America, Patrick Ball, The Leahy family (Now Leahy), Moloney, Keane and O’Connell. Dance schools included the Trinity Irish Dancers, Cashel Irish Dancers, Mayer School of Irish Music and Dance, Chicago Set Dancers, and the Caledonian Scottish Dancers.
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