In celebration of the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, the Cazenovia Public Library will host a musical event with the local Irish cultural group Craobh Dugan. The program will be held Saturday, May 5 at 1:00 pm in the Community Room. “The Irish and the Erie” is a tribute to the Irish immigrants who helped build the Canal. Researched, written, and arranged by fiddler Mike Hoke, the one-hour program features traditional songs, tunes, stories, and humor.
Craobh Dugan is the Utica-Rome Chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann—an international organization dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional Irish music, dance, and language. Pat and Frank Dugan and Jim O’Looney established the local branch in 1978 in Clinton, New York. Now located in Utica, it is one of 50 branches in North America. Mike Hoke is the lead fiddler and creative director of Craobh Dugan.
“The Irish and the Erie” CDs will be available for purchase following the performance. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Cazenovia Public Library. All events at the Cazenovia Public Library are free and open to the public. For more information, call 315-655-9322 or visit www.cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.