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Fifth Annual Adams County Irish Festival Benefit Returns to Gettysburg 

The Fifth Annual Adams County Irish Festival will be held rain or shine on Saturday July 17, 2004 in the shady grove of the Gettysburg Moose Park. The gate opens at 10:00 AM and the festival runs until 8:00 PM. The park is located at 100 Moose Road which is just off of US Route 30 in Straban Township about a mile and a half east of the US 15 interchange. Admission is $8 for adults and children under 12 are free.

With a full day of Irish music, dancers, food, gifts and more, the festival offers wholesome family fun while primarily benefiting the Children's Friendship Project for Northern Ireland (CFPNI). CFPNI is a peace and friendship building program that selects and pairs Catholic and Protestant teens from Northern Ireland to pursue a friendship between themselves, their families and friends. The Festival Organizing Committee is again partnering with Moose Lodge 1526 of Gettysburg to fund CFPNI-paired teens to spend time with host families in the U.S. where they can pursue friendship and understanding in a neutral environment where they can focus on their similarities rather than differences. A long-term goal of the festival is to fund the eventual establishment of a national Irish history museum and library in the Gettysburg area.

Southcentral Pennsylvania's only Irish festival drew a crowd of about two thousand people last year who enjoyed local, regional and internationally known musicians, Irish step dancers, Irish food, music workshops, living history exhibits plus art, craft and gift vendors. This year's festival boasts an even more impressive line-up to mark the fifth annual event. The schedule features two headline acts from Ireland, Danny Doyle, and Derek Warfield and the Sons of Erin along with the Baltimore Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, and local favorite Irishtown Road among others.

In an impressive concert career that has spanned more than three decades, "Ireland's Balladeer" Danny Doyle has been bringing the ballads, history and stories of Ireland to audiences around the globe. Raised in Dublin, Doyle's musical style was profoundly influenced by the last of the street singers there who commented on events of the day through witty and often biting ballads, his relatives' own stories and some of Dublin's accomplished literary figures who happened to be neighbors. As a folksinger, Doyle has enjoyed tremendous success both in Ireland and the U.S. with a number of hit records, TV series, a movie soundtrack and every major Irish music industry award to his credit.

Born and bred in Dublin, singer, songwriter and historian Derek Warfield was a founding member and leader of the legendary Irish folkband, the Wolfe Tones for over 35 years. He has written and recorded over 60 songs and ballads. Through his songs, music and lectures, Warfield weaves history together with song to remind the Irish at home and abroad of their debt to patriots of past generations. Now, Warfield is becoming the bard of the American Civil War. Backed by the Sons of Erin band, his recent work focuses on the Civil War which involved half a million Irishmen on both sides. Warfield's latest album, The Bonnie Blue Flag, is the third in his series of Civil War CDs and showcases the musical story of the Confederate Irish.

Also appearing are Harrisburg area bagpiper Rodney Owens plus the ever-popular Irish folkband from the Gettysburg-Hanover area, Irishtown Road, who returns to the fest after a year's respite. Rounding out the music slate are the thunderous sounds of the Baltimore Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums who are making their first appearance at the festival along with Barleyjuice, a kilt-clad, high-energy band from the Philadelphia area and Rant and Roar, a raucous trio based in New Oxford. Irish step dancing is also on tap as the Harrisburg-based Lena McGinley Ceili Dancers make their festival debut.

In addition to music and dance performances, several other activities are being offered at the festival. In addition to an afternoon musical performance, Derek Warfield will provide a presentation on Irish music in the Civil War in the morning. Festival-goers can also participate in interactive music workshops on uillean pipes (Irish bagpipes), button accordion, penny whistle and bodhran. Living history exhibits include Civil War re-enactors from the 69th New York State Volunteers which was part of the Union Army's Irish Brigade plus the circa 1920 West Cork Flying Column who portray the Army of Irish Volunteers from the Anglo-Irish War that established the Irish Republic. Sword fighting demonstrations by the Live Steel Fight Academy will also be featured.

With Gettysburg as an appropriate backdrop to celebrate the release of Derek Warfield's new Civil War album, The Bonnie Blue Flag, a special pre-festival Reception/CD Release Party is also being held on Friday July 16 at 7:00 PM at the Gettysburg Hotel. The event is free and open to the public and provides an opportunity to meet and greet Derek Warfield and the Sons of Erin plus other festival performers.

For more information, visit (www.adamscountyirishfestival.com)