Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas recreates the
joy and innocence of a night before Christmas in a
farmhouse in the remote parish of Teampall an
Ghleanntain in the west of Ireland, when the neighbors
gather around the fire to grace the long wintry night with
the laughter of their stories, the joy of their music, and
dances they always said they were much too old for.
Long, long before Riverdance, ordinary Irish men and
women in hobnailed boots knocked sparks off the
flagstone floors with jigs, reels and hornpipes, and the rafters rang with the fiery music of the fiddle, bodhran, tin whistle, and the mesmerizing uilleann pipes.
Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas features
Grammy-award winning guitarist William Coulter (www.williamcoulter.com), traditional sean-nós singer
and harpist Síle Denvir from Connemara Gaeltacht
(Irish-speaking area) in the west of Ireland
(www.liadan.ie), world-champion level Irish dancer Katie Linnane on Irish fiddle, and world-champion level
Irish dancer Brian Bigley on uilleann pipes, whistles,
and flute.
“1,800 patrons joined the stage musicians for “Silent Night” to close Foley’s warm, intimate and personal look at Irish history and culture.”
Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln NE
“Foley . . . is doing what his ancestors have done for years long before "The Nutcracker" or "It's a Wonderful Life." He is carrying on an ancient tradition.. . for the audiences that pack theaters across the United States every winter to see it.”
Mail Tribune, Medford OR
“. . . it's such a joy to experience “Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas,” a unique blend of master story-telling, traditional music and dance that captures the heart and soul of Ireland in an evening of nostalgic holiday memories as only the Irish can share.” Times-Standard, Eureka CA
"Like a pint of Guinness, Tomaseen Foley’s
A Celtic Christmas is going down rich
and smooth with . . . another packed
house . . . at the Keith-Albee Performing Art Center. ” The Herald-Disbatch, Huntingdon WV
2000 seats sold out!”
Weider Center for the Performing Arts, Green Bay, WI.
“We had to move the performance to a venue
with twice as many seats . . . the mix of
stories, music and dance was perfect.”
Rockport Opera House, ME.
“Move over, Garrison Keillor. As a presenter
of the performing arts who’s always looking
for a sure bet, I assure Tomáseen delivers.
He deserves a world stage.”
Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater, Medford, OR.
" Bringing traditions from holidays past in
Ireland, Tomáseen Foley and his troupe
charmed a sold-out house at the Lied Center
for the Performing Arts.”
Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln NE
“The most popular performance this year.”
Mellon Art Center, Wallingford, CT
