MERA presents the Celtic Rathskallions

Aug 14, 2014

If you're a lover of all types of Celtic music, a concert on Sunday August 24, 2pm at the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners is the place to be. Performing will be the Celtic Rathskallions, an Ottawa-based duo who have entertained and impressed Celtic music lovers across Ontario and around the world during their more than 1,200 performances.

Wendy Moore is the founder, manager and one of the lead performers of The Celtic Rathskallions, which she created in 1998. Before that, she performed as oboist and English horn player with the Kingston Symphony for 10 years and with numerous chamber music groups. During the concert, she will play oboe, English horn, tin whistle, Celtic harp, bodhran, shuttle bagpipes, and sing and stepdance.

The other half of the duo is Arthur McGregor, the owner and founder of the Ottawa Folklore Centre, an experienced, versatile performer who has played on stage since he was 12 years old. Besides being a Rathskallion, he leads community singing, writes songs about topical issues, and arranges unusual versions of national anthems. A master of many instruments, Arthur will perform on guitar, banjo, mandolin, autoharp, bodhran, and djembe, as well as supplying percussion and singing.

Opening for the Rathskallions will be Japhy Sullivan, accompanied by his brother Noah and sister Margaret. They are members of the multi-talented Sullivan/Dorner family, which features a range of accomplished singers, songwriters and musicians.

This concert is presented in association with MASC, (Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities), which has been offering educational arts events for 25 years in the Ottawa area.

Tickets are $20 and are available on-line at Ticketsplease.ca or by telephone 613-485-6434, and can be picked up at the concert. Children under 16 are free. For more information, please visit meraschoolhouse.org.