The Roaring Kelly Band takes a short, quick jump further south this Saturday, March 12, to play the Upper Keys Irish Festival at the Caribbean Club in Key Largo.  It’s a big Irish party starting at noon with prizes, contests, give-aways, fine food and tasty brew not to mention the hard-driving reels, vicious jigs, jumping hornpipes, lilting waltzes, and enchanting airs as well as traditional ballads, from none other than your favorite Irish band.

The Upper Keys Irish Festival is a grand party, with festival goers decked in green and having a fine time of it.  Did you know that St. Patrick’s day is the celebration of the good Saint’s passing? When he died on March 17, 493, thousands of people came to his funeral carrying torches and candles, and it is said that that night was as bright as day. He was buried on the hill of Down at Downpatrick in Ireland, later the Cathedral of Downpatrick was built there.

There are those that say he was buried somewhere in England. England!??!  He’s the patron saint of Ireland! What manner of manky tool came up with that?

With so many Irish descendants in America, about  39.6 million Americans who claim Irish heritage according to Census data, it’s no wonder that the party stateside is a big deal. That number of Irish descendants is almost seven times larger than the entire population of Ireland (6.3 million).  We’ll give those who left the Emerald Isle their due and leave you here with a tune that’s often played toward the close of an Irish traditional music session, Farewell to Erin.