Irish American Heritage Museum

10/20/2026

ANNOUNCING UPCOMING, BRILLIANT MUSIC PERFORMANCE AT IAHM's FLANAGAN THEATER!!

Event: IAHM's 2026 Trad/Folk Performance Series: RICHARD HEARN AND KATE KNUDSVIG.
Date/Time: November 16, 2026, 7:00 PM
Place: IAHM's Flanagan Theater (21 Quackenbush Square, Albany NY)
Admission: $30 Not-Yet-Members / $25 Members (Membership Encouraged!!)

Join the Irish American Heritage Museum this November 16, 2026 at 7:00 PM for an evening of lively tunes from Richard Hearn and Kate Knudsvig, two brilliant traditional Irish music performers who currently hail from the eastern United States and who are leading the way for a new generation of virtuosity and depth in the trad scene. IAHM's Flanagan Theater is the perfect spot to hear Richard and Kate - Albany's most intimate venue - and recently nominated for the 2026 Thomas Edison Music and Hall of Fame's "Best Alternative Venue" award!

Richard Hearn (trichordo bouzouki/guitar) is a renowned accompanist based in Baltimore, Maryland. Richard got his start with Irish traditional music while living in Europe, and toured internationally with several Irish and Scottish music projects before returning to the United States. Richard regularly tours with his trio, the East Coasters, who have performed to a sold-out house at the IAHM's Flanagan Theater in 2025. Richard has toured and performed as an accompanist on the trichordo bouzouki and guitar with several internationally acclaimed musicians, including Billy and Sean McComiskey, Steph Geremia, Sarah Collins, and Kate Knudsvig. Most recently, Richard brilliantly accompanied some of the world's best tenor banjo performers at the 2026 Catskills Irish Arts Week special tribute concert honoring Michael J. Flanagan who settled in Albany County, and his band the Famous Flanagan Brothers.

Kate Knudsvig (fiddle) is both a classical violinist and Irish fiddler - was born in Hof, Germany, and currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts. While studying at Eastman with Federico Agostini and later with Juliana Athayde, Kate's artistic trajectory took an unexpected turn as she found herself drawn to styles of music apart from classical. Kate fell in love with Irish traditional music while attending the New England Conservatory, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Contemporary Musical Arts under the guidance of renowned Irish fiddler and educator, Liz Knowles (and IAHM friend!). A touring musician, Kate is the fiddle player in the PBS supergroup Celtic Thunder, and also regularly performs with one of their lead singers, world-renowned Irish tenor Emmet Cahill, as well as her all-female traditional music and vocal ensemble, Forsyth.

IAHM is grateful to sponsors of this event: Michael Flanagan Irish Music Heritage, Inc., Metroland Now, Common Roots Brewing Company, and ParkAlbany.

Show your ticket the day of the show at Common Roots Brewing Company and get the Common Roots’ special “IAHM Buy One / Get One” beverage deal!!!

Metroland Now
ParkAlbany
Common Roots Brewing Company
Discover Albany
Downtown Albany, New York
AOH Father Henry Tansey Division 5 Albany
Capitalize Albany Corporation

10/19/2026

NOVEMBER 1st - the legend, himself: Frankie Gavin!!!

Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM at IAHM's Flanagan Theater (21 Quackenbush Square, Albany NY). Admission: $55.00 Not-Yet-Members / $50 Members (Membership Encouraged).

The Irish American Heritage Museum is honored and proud to welcome world renowned recording and music phenomenon Frankie Gavin as part of IAHM's 2026 Special Event Performance Series.

The name Frankie Gavin is synonymous with De Dannan, the globally renowned traditional Irish band he founded in the mid-1970s. Despite a few breaks and changes of personnel over the years, the De Dannan continues to perform and excite audiences in Ireland and around the world.

Frankie Gavin is - simply put - an absolute legend in the Irish music and cultural landscape, standing out like Binn Bhán (Benbaun) in his native County Galway. Frankie's journey started early; he was raised with and surrounded by music. At seventeen, Frankie won All-Ireland competitions for fiddle and flute. Originally influenced by the great Irish and American-Irish fiddle players James Morrison and Michael Coleman, Frankie later found himself playing with the stars that included The Rolling Stones, Earl Scruggs, L*z Paul, Stéphane Grappelli, James Galway, Andy Irvine and Yehudi Menuhin, as well as with many other of the greatest contemporary players and singers of traditional Irish music. All have left their mark on Frankie's eclectic approach to music. In 2010, Frankie made it to the Guinness Book of World Records, officially became the world’s fastest fiddle player when he played The Foxhunter’s Reel at a breath-taking 150 beats per minute!

Frankie has played for four American presidents, starting in 1962 when - at the age of six he played for John F. Kennedy on his 1962 visit to Ireland. Frankie later for Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, as well as for France’s President Mitterrand, Britain’s Prince Charles (now King Charles III), Prince Albert of Monaco and, in front of the Pope on his last visit to Ireland.

The name Frankie Gavin is synonymous with De Dannan, the globally renowned traditional Irish band he founded in the mid-1970s. Despite a few breaks and changes of personnel over the years, the De Dannan continues to perform and excite audiences in Ireland and around the world.

10/19/2026

Wow - what an absolutely fantastic weekend - the Irish American Heritage Museum participated in the thirtieth The Northeast Tionól, which took place at Gavin's Golden Hill House / Gavins Irish Country Inn in East Durham NY!!!!

Exquisite music. Many old friends seen, and new ones made. So well organized. Culminated by an absolutely fantastic "Pipers' Chair" event last night . . . an event that was totally incapable of being scripted, yet just perfect (and perfectly wild)!!

A huge shout-out to The Northeast Tionól on this big anniversary; and a warm and sincere "thank you" to The Northeast Tionól's Board of Directors for having IAHM participate this year!!

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

Cécelia soundcheck. Some tix left!!! Come on down!!

10/14/2026

TONIGHT!!! SOME TICKETS LEFT!!!

Note: Cécilia will be performing at The Irish American Heritage Museum's Flanagan Theater (21 Quackenbush Square, Albany).

You loved Cécilia at Music Haven Concert Series, at Old Songs, at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and at the Scottish Games. Now, come see Cécilia at Albany's Most Intimate Venue, IAHM's Flanagan Theater!!!!

Hup!!!

10/12/2026

IMPORTANT IAHM EVENTS ANNOUNCEMENT

Please share. Work on the Irish American Heritage Museum space continues. Although the Museum remains closed for the immediate future, we are thrilled to announce that IAHM's Flanagan Theater will open this week for performances!!

We have an incredible lineup of events - three legendary performing acts in the next three weeks!! Mark your calendars, and purchase your tickets before they sell out.

🇨🇦🇮🇪🇺🇸 Cecilia - Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM
🇮🇪🇺🇸🇮🇪 The Strayaways (Kevin Burke/Dylan Foley/Eamon O'Leary - Thursday, October 22, 2026, 7:00 PM
🇮🇪🇺🇸🇮🇪 Frankie Gavin and Special Guest - Sunday, November 1, 2026, 7:00 PM

IAHM is incredibly grateful to Dan McCoy from the County of Albany and Deb Riitano (Executive Director of the Neil Breslin Interfaith Sanctuary), for throwing us such a remarkable lifeline and - without any hesitancy - allowing IAHM to host concerts/screenings/performances/events since early September.