John Doyle, Mick McAuley and Cathie Ryan come together for a rare US tour this December for “An Irish Christmas”.
This festive celebration brings three of Irish music’s most beloved performers to teh stage in a program woven through with song and stories - from cherished carols, favorite traditional tunes and airs, to newly composed songs for the season.
Held in the Orchard Chapel, Hampton Falls (immediately next to Applecrest Orchards), this quintessential New England holiday setting (complete with oil lanterns, candles, and old wooden pews with plush red velvet cushions) provides the perfect home for our 12 Nights of Christmas series that promises to fill you with the festive spirit and happiness!
Mick McAuley, renowned melodeon player and longtime collaborator of John Doyle, co-wrote and recorded “This Christmas Time,’ a holiday album the two released in 2024. That recording is the heart and soul of “An Irish Christmas” and Mick is delighted to be bringing it to American audiences alongside two of his favorite musical partners. Cathie Ryan is a natural fit for this holiday tour, having carved out a reputation for her own beloved Christmas performances over the years. A highly regarded singer, songwriter, performer, and educator, Cathie is a towering presence in traditional music circles on both sides of the Atlantic. She and John have been musical collaborators for decades – he has played guitar and contributed arrangements to three of her studio recordings, they have toured as a duo throughout Europe, and together they have penned songs that have earned a permanent place in the Irish music repertoire. Their compositions Carrick-a-Rede and Grace O’Malley are now staples of the tradition.
Both are members of The Irish Music Masters and are featured on the PBS television special The Soul of Christmas. All three have toured together before, and their chemistry on stage is undeniable.
John, Cathie, and Mick are looking forward to bringing An Irish Christmas to The Orchard Chapel audiences as they’ll present a warm and joyful evening of music and story in the finest Irish tradition.
ABOUT JOHN DOYLE
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John Doyle is the most influential Irish American guitarist of his generation. Born in Dublin, John came up in a family where “everybody played something,” and his father, singer and song collector Sean Doyle, nurtured his interest in the deep wellspring of Irish song. Doyle is a remarkable guitarist, a devoted ballad collector, and a celebrated songwriter. His professional career began at age 16 with the Irish band the Chanting House. Following his move to the U.S. three decades ago, he gained acclaim with Solás; among current projects is the noted trio the Alt, who played at the Richmond Folk Festival in 2015. Through his collaborations with nearly every noted Irish American musician playing today, Doyle is unquestionably one of the preeminent champions of Irish music in America.
ABOUT CATHIE RYAN
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Cathie Ryan first began singing as a child growing up in Detroit with the tutelage of her father Tim, a fine Irish tenor who had emigrated from Tipperary. Ryan took regular summer trips to Ireland where she found further inspiration in the singing of her paternal grandmother and from the storytelling of her maternal grandfather, a traditional seanachie (storyteller). Ryan was the original singer for Cherish the Ladies, an all-star ensemble of Irish American women musicians. Today she fronts the beloved Cathie Ryan Band, teaches traditional singing, leads cultural tours of Ireland, and is celebrated as one of the finest singers in Irish music.
ABOUT MICK McAULEY
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Mick McAuley is an Irish musician, composer and songwriter who has recorded and toured internationally for many years. While his music is rooted firmly in the Irish tradition, he has been part of a movement which continues to push the musical boundaries of that tradition to bring Irish music to a wider and more diverse audience around the world. As a long-time member of the Irish-American ensemble SOLAS, he has recorded and toured nine albums with them and received widespread international acclaim. The Boston Herald hailed SOLAS as "the best Irish traditional band in the world".