Traditonal Irish group plays old-time songs at Runcible Spoon

A group of excited attendees gathered at Runcible Spoon on Monday night and waited patiently for Bua, the 2009 Irish Music Awards’ “Top Traditional Group,” to begin.

The band played traditional Irish music — renditions of “Happy Days of Youth,” “Lucky In Love” and other old-time Irish songs swept through the crowd.

“I’ve been playing for about 15 years,” vocalist and dancer Brian Hart said. “We’ve been a band since 2006, and I love it. I love the music, I love my band, and I love traveling around playing at different places.”

Many of the songs were written in Gaelic, a language Hart has known for years. Though only a few people understood the lyrics, the audience seemed to appreciate his smooth voice.

The room swelled with musical emotion. The band featured songs such as “The Braes of Maas,” written by Johnny Doherty.

The band took a 15-minute break and mingled with the crowd, talking with anyone willing to chat.

First-year master’s student Hannah McSwiggen asked Sean Gavin, the pipe player, how he became involved with Irish music.

“Well, I’ve always been a fan of music,” Gavin said. “My dad was a musician, so, of course, I was introduced to it at a very early age, and it has always been with me.”

Gavin said his first instrument was a gift from his father.

“I remember when I was about 4 or 5, my dad got me a Bodhran, which is an Irish drum,” Gavin said. “That same day, we went to a concert in the Catskill Mountains in New York, and I immediately rushed up onstage and sat next to a gentlemen who was around 70 years old. Everyone got really quiet, and that old man leaned down to me and said, ‘Son, beat the hell outta that thing!’ So I did for about five minutes before my dad came and got me.”

After the intermission, the band returned to stage to finish the evening with more music and dance. People in the crowd craned their necks to see Hart’s dancing feet.

“I have absolutely enjoyed this show,” McSwiggen said. “I’m glad I came, and I have my Irish language classes to thank for that.”

A group of Irish language students attended the event.

“I really enjoyed the show,” said Sarah Shannon, a student in the Gaelic class at People’s University of Bloomington. “I particularly loved the fiddle and the dancing.”

Brian Miller, the guitarist and the bouzouki player, said he had a personal connection to one of the final songs, “Farewell Sweet Nora.”

“This song we’re going to play, ‘Farewell Sweet Nora,’ always strikes a chord with me and the boys since my wife’s name happens to be Nora,” Miller said. “Every time we hit the road, all the guys start singing ‘Farewell Sweet Nora.’ Yeah, they think they’re really funny.”

The band played its final piece and then bowed to loud applause. After playing an evening of relaxing Irish music, McSwiggen and Shannon said they could still hear the tunes of Ireland in their heads.