Album Notes

An Banna Ceoil: N.H. Celtic group inspires singing & revelry

Regular patrons of Kelley’s Row on Central Avenue have come to expect rousing, sing-along ballads, bawdy tales and a bit of the brew every other Wednesday night. For five years, the four-piece band called An Banna Ceoil, literally translated meaning The Band, has entertained at the brick restaurant and bar.

On a recent Wednesday evening and only four notes into their first song, An Banna Ceoil incited dozens sitting at several tables surrounding the stage into an infectious thrall of singing, clapping and foot stomping. As the Band sang a ballad, oldsters sitting in front, as well as a table of 20-somethings at the back, threw all modesty aside and sang for all they were worth. Which is exactly what the group always hopes for.

Members of An Banna Ceoil take turns leading songs, from rousing ballads and searing love songs to naughty ditties in the Irish, Scottish and Celtic traditions, from the songbooks of The Rovers, The Clancey Brothers, The Makems and The Wolftones....

Extracted from Fosters Sunday Citizen