Dublin City Ramblers Kick Off St. Patrick's Day Season

For almost 50 years, Sean McGuinness has recorded Irish history through song. With his award-winning Irish folk band the Dublin City Ramblers, McGuinness performed somber tracks chronicling the Irish Troubles of the ‘60s and ‘70s, humorous recollections of youth on the Emerald Isle, and new spins on classic toe-tapping ballads. The only original member of the Dublin Hall of Fame-inducted group, McGuinness and the current lineup of Ramblers hit the Music Box Supper Club for an early St. Patrick’s Day gig March 2. Here, the Irishman shares insights from a balladeer’s career.  

What has been your favorite Cleveland performance?
We went for the first time back in the ‘80s. In Cleveland … we played along with [influential Irish folk band] the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. We had a great time before, during and after the gig. It was a very special moment because they were legends. We had a great time sitting around and telling stories. 

How do American St. Patrick’s Day celebrations differ from Ireland’s?
I’ve been performing in America for the past 35, 40 years and I’ve very rarely been here for St. Patrick’s Day. America celebrates for nearly a month beforehand and we celebrate [in Ireland] for maybe a couple of days. It means a lot to me. It’s a great way of getting people together all over the world; Americans and all nationalities come together for that one day. Honestly, I find it a great link for everybody. 

Why is it important to keep traditional Irish music alive?
If you read the history of Irish music, [it goes] as far back as centuries. You could never let the tradition die. We do commercial [Irish] music but all our songs still have a certain story. There’s always a story attached to an Irish song no matter what it is … about a famine or some aspect of our history. What we’ve found is that a lot of young kids are coming to the shows. They ask the same thing: “Why it is important to still have this music around?” We explain that we love the music, these words are so infectious, and it’s all a part of our heritage and history.