One of the most important parts of the Buffalo Irish Festival is promoting Irish culture in all its forms and in the cultural tent all weekend you will have the chance to learn and experience authentic Irish culture from music and poetry to genealogy and literature to dance and the history of the Irish in Buffalo!

The University of Buffalo houses the James Joyce Collection, an archive that comprises more than 10,000 pages of the Irish author’s working papers, notebooks, photographs, correspondence, portraits, publishing records, important memorabilia, Joyce’s private library, and the complete body of significant Joyce criticism. The Collection distinguishes UB as the leading resource for Joyce scholarship. We will welcome James Maynard PhD, who will give a special presentation based on this internationally renowned James Joyce Collection.

Learn about resources for Irish genealogy and how to discover your own family’s Irish roots in workshops with the Buffalo Irish Genealogical Society.

Hear the words of one of Ireland’s greatest poets W.B. Yeats and learn more about him in a special presentation by world renowned Irish singer/songwriter Enda Reilly.

Learn Irish Dancing from dancers and teachers from Buffalo’s own world famous Rince na Tiarna School of Irish Dance!

Join the amazing Byrne Brothers for an Irish Ceili - listen, clap, dance, it’s all about the craic -that means fun! 

See presentations on the Irish Language and learn the basics of Gaelic.

Presentations from local authors and experts will help you learn about the history of the Irish in Western New York, how the Irish helped build the city of Buffalo, and how the Irish grain scoopers fought for worker’s rights in the early 20^th century.

Enjoy and participate in a traditional Irish Music Seisiun (session) – all musicians and others welcome. Play or sing a traditional Irish song, recite an Irish poem, or just relax and enjoy listening.  

Friday

6:15 Rince na Tiarna Adult Social Dance

7:15 Byrne Brothers Ceili

8:00 Irish Seisiun - all players welcome!

Saturday

11:15 Celtic Angels

12:15 Irish Laces (Pat Pike)

1:15 Enda Reilly on WB Yeats

2:15 Early Buildings of Buffalo (Edward Patton)

3:15 UB James Joyce Collection (Dr. Manyard)

4:15 Byrne Brothers Ceili

5:15 Rince na Tiarna Dance 

6:15 Irish Language Class (Kevin Conroy)

7:15 Irish Seisiun - all players welcome!

Sunday

11:15 Albright Knox Gallery

12:15 Rince na Tiarna Adult Ceili

2:15 Against the Grain- How the Irish Shaped Buffalo and Beyond  (Tim Bohen author)

3:15 AOH Fenian Raid History