It's getting to be the Season of the Busker. March is fast approaching, and this year St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday. (How often does that happen? A quick visit to Wikipedia tells me that the definitive answer is "not very often.") You know what that means, don't you? That means St. Paddy's Day is going to be a HUGE, all-day affair.

At this point the Irish Buskers are booked solid on that weekend - that includes Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17. (For about four months now, we've been turning down offers to play on St. Patrick's Day.) A conservative estimate says that we'll be performing in front of thousands on those two days. We hope you're among them. (Wear something green, or maybe a funny hat, so we'll be able to pick you out in the crowd.)

Here is our schedule ...

Friday, March 16:
O'Keefe's Irish Pub in Clearwater from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. O'Keefe's, located at 1219 S. Fort Harrison Ave. in Clearwater, will have a huge tent and a nice big stage. Their website is www.okeefestavernonline.com

Saturday, March 17:
1) Flanagan's Irish Pub in Dunedin from 12 (noon) to 3 p.m. Flanagan's, located at 465 Main Street in Dunedin, is an outdoor event. They essentially shut down the entire downtown Dunedin area, with music and Irish dancers on two stages. Here's the Flanagan's web address: www.flanagansirishpub.net 2) Then ... back to O'Keefe's Irish Pub from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 3) If the Busker's are up to the task, we might return to Flanagan's from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

On Saturday, December 10, the Buskers will play at a Christmas ceili at the O'Brien's Irish Pub in Brandon. Ceili (pronounced kee-AY-lee) is an Irish term for a party or event that usually involves music and dancing. And possibly drinking. Just guessing.

The Brandon Chapter of the New World Celts are hosting the event. O'Brien's Irish Pub in Brandon (www.obrienspubsbrandon.com) is located at 701 West Lumsden Road, Brandon. This is a group that knows its Irish/Celtic music, so we're looking forward to having lots of folks singing along. Last year they had about 150 folks attend. The Buskers will be joined by Irish dancers and other entertainment. The Buskers plan to debut a few new songs. That might include the Pogues song Fairy Tale of New York, the most unlikely holiday classic ever. (Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer doesn't count.)

The festivities start around 6 p.m. and the Buskers will play until close to 10.

On Saturday, October 15, the Buskers will play at Skippers Smokehouse for the first time. It's a WMNF event - a tribute to Paul Simon. It's his 70th birthday. (There's still time to send a card.)

WMNF does these gigs on a regular basis. They gather together some of the best bands in Tampa Bay and have each play 2 or 3 songs by the featured band or artist. The Buskers will be one of several bands playing that day and evening. We have 12-15 minutes to put our Celtic stamp on a few Paul Simon songs.

If you love Paul Simon (or like him okay) or the Buskers, it will be a great time. There will be ska, klezmer, jazz, rock, a ukelele band, etc. versions of Paul Simon songs. We can't wait. The Buskers are planning some very different versions of some well known Paul Simon songs. We'll try to do him proud because we grew up on these songs and we love Paul Simon. We're guessing he's at least partly Irish. Garfunkle? Not so much.

The Buskers return to Flanagan's Irish Pub in Dunedin on September 3, a Saturday, the scene of many of their most memorable performances. That's Labor Day weekend, so you have time to recover from a night of singing and dancing. Flanagan's owner Noel Cooney will be in Scotland entertaining the locals, so he's requested that the Buskers fill in and entertain the local locals while he's gone.

Then, on October 15, also a Saturday, the Buskers will play at Skippers Smokehouse for the first time. It's a WMNF event - a tribute to Paul Simon. It's his 60th birthday. (There's still time to send a card.)

WMNF does these gigs on a regular basis. They gather together some of the best bands in Tampa Bay and have each play 2 or 3 songs by the featured band or artist. The Buskers will be one of several bands playing that day and evening. We have 12-15 minutes to put our Celtic stamp on a few Paul Simon songs. If you love Paul Simon (or like him okay) or the Buskers, it will be a great time. There will be ska, klezmer, jazz, rock, a ukelele band, etc. versions of Paul Simon songs. We can't wait. The Buskers are planning some very different versions of some well known Paul Simon songs. We'll try to do him proud because we grew up on these songs and we love Paul Simon. We're guessing he's at least partly Irish. Garfunkle? Not so much.

Now that March (the busy season for all things Irish) has come and gone, the Irish Buskers are learning some new songs and gearing up for the second annual Bloomsday Celebration.

This year we're calling it Bloomsday Plus One. Why? This is the second annual event. And, well, it's not actually on Bloomsday (June 16 falls on a Thursday this year); it's the day after. So, Friday, June 17, it is. Bloomsday Plus One.

The Bloomsday celebration is a fundraiser for the Tampa Bay Arts and Education Network (TBAE) at 703 N. Willow Avenue, Tampa. It's right around the block from the University of Tampa.

Bloomsday, for those non-English majors, is a celebration of James Joyce's Ulysses. It is regarded by some as a masterpiece, and perhaps the greatest and most influential of all the modern novels. It is also nearly unreadable. And, coming in at more than 900 pages, that's a lot to not read.

There will be Irish music, limericks, food and drink, and plenty of humor at the expense of James Joyce. An important note: You don't have to have read Ulysses to enjoy Bloomsday. Like most Irish holidays, it's really just an excuse to drink and act the fool. In fact, if you claim to have read the whole thing, no one will believe you. Space is limited, so TBAE asks that you register online at their website . Visit www.tbae.com and click on the "events" button on the top part of the page and then click on the Bloomsday Link.

It's that time of year, Irish music fans. With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching, the Busker calendar is filling up.

The Buskers will kick off the St. Paddy's Day season early on Sunday, March 13 at O'Brien's Irish Pub from 4 to 7 pm. O'Brien's is located at 11744 N. Dale Marby in Tampa. You can find them on the web here: www.obrienspubs.com

On St. Paddy's Day (March 17 is a Thursday, this year) the Buskers will be back at Flanagan's Irish Pub in Dunedin (See Upcoming Events on this website), site of the historic and huge St. Patrick's Day celebration. The Buskers are scheduled to start playing at 4:30 p.m. at the bandshell, then again at 6:30 at the stage in front of Flanagan's. Another set will follow at 8, maybe 8:30. It's a full day of inspired Irish-ness: food, drink, music, bagpipes, the incomparable Noel Cooney, dancing, and a modicum of mayhem. On this day, as the song goes, "Everyone is Irish."

Flanagan's is located at 465 Main Street in Dunedin. And here's their web address: www.flanagansirishpub.net

On March 18 and 19, the St. Patrick's Day weekend, the Buskers will play at O'Keefe's Family Tavern and Grill in Clearwater (See Upcoming Events). The Buskers are scheduled to play from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. O'Keefe's is dedicated to the notion that St. Patrick's Day cannot and should not be squeezed into one day. So, it's a full weekend of celebrating all things Irish. You can catch up on your sleep on Monday. Priorities, people. Priorities.

O'Keefe's is located at 1219 S. Fort Harrison Ave. in Clearwater. Here's their web addresss: okeefestavernonline.com

Mark your calendar. Put on your (Irish) dancing shoes. Update your homeowner's insurance.

On Saturday, September 4, the Irish Buskers return to Flanagan's Irish Pub in Dunedin, site of some of their most rousing and memorable St. Paddy's Day Gigs. The Buskers will play old favorites, showcase some new tunes, recite some limericks, and make sincere attempts at reviving the spirit of brilliant Irish bands from the Dubliners to the Pogues.

If you've never been to Flanagan's, you owe it to yourself to come by. It's right in the middle of the very charming downtown Dunedin. It's an authentic Irish pub run by an authentic Irishman named Noel Cooney, a musician and reconteur of some renown – just ask him.

If you have been to Flanagan's, then you know it's the best place around to hear traditional Irish tunes and drink a Guinness. They even have a digital clock counting down the months, weeks, days, and hours til St. Patrick's Day. One doesn't want the day to sneak up on them.

The date is September 4, the Saturday of the Labor Day weekend.

Flanagan's is located at 465 Main Street in Dunedin. And here's their web address: http://www.flanagansirishpub.net/

The Buskers and The Educational Channel helped make this Bloomsday one to truly remember. I know I will, because I did not know what Bloomsday was before this wonderful event...

Joyce was read, lyrics were created, and shannagains ensued.

New Busker Pix are up, so give them a look!

Until next time, this is your resident web designer and offical band heckler, signing off!

Great new Busker Pix have been added, including our Latest Trip to Ireland. So head on over to the Pix Page and give them a look!

Don't forget our next upcoming gig:

• On Wednesday, June 16, the Buskers will play a fundraiser at the Education Channel in Tampa.

All New Irish Buskers Photos will be posted soon!

The Irish Buskers gig at the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market on May 15 was a tremendous success. The Buskers made some new fans/friends, caught some wonderful weather, took some requests, and sold a few CDs.

We're especially grateful to the gentleman who created the beautiful chalk artwork in front of the stage. The Saturday Morning Market is a great place for people-watching and listening to music. We hope to be back during the season next year because ... (I think this is getting to be our unofficial slogan) Irish music isn't just for St. Paddy's Day.

Next up?

On June 16, the Buskers will play at a Bloomsday celebration at the Education Channel at 703 N. Willow Avenue, Tampa. It's right around the block from the University of Tampa.

Bloomsday, for those non-English majors who don't know, is a celebration of James Joyce's Ulysses. It is regarded by some as a masterpiece, and perhaps the greatest and most influential of the modern novels. It is also nearly unreadable. And, coming in at more than 900 pages, that's a lot to not read. There will be Irish music, limericks, and plenty of humor at the expense of James Joyce. An important note: You don't have to have read Ulysses to enjoy Bloomsday. Like most Irish holidays, it's really just an excuse to drink and act the fool. In fact, if you claim to have read the whole thing, no one will believe you. Space is limited, so the Ed Channel asks that you register online at their website.

Where to start? So many Busker bits to report.

Everything from upcoming gigs, CD sales, sitting in on a trad session in Doolin, Ireland, and volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

A quick mention of upcoming gigs, with more details under the Upcoming Events link.

• On Saturday, May 15, the Buskers play at the Saturday Market in downtown St. Petersburg.
• On Wednesday, June 16, the Buskers will play a fundraiser at the Education Channel in Tampa.

The Buskers CD available at CD Baby sold out, and has now been restocked. It appears folks from Tampa to Seattle, from Palo Alto to Atlanta, have ordered the Buskers CD. (Not all are directly related to the band.)

Four of the five Buskers recently returned from a two-week trip to Ireland. It was supposed to be a 9-day trip, but the interruption of flights due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland turned it into a 14-day trip. (Imaginary headline: "Buskers Held Over in Ireland")

(Stand-up bass player extraordinaire Anthony couldn't make the trip. Ever try to stuff a stand-up bass into the overhead compartment on a plane? Don't.)

The trip was a tremendous success as a research project to learn about Irish music at the source. Lots of pub visits to check out the music scene in Galway, Doolin, and Dublin. Visits to instrument makers and music shops in Galway, Clifden, Doolin, Kenmare, Kilkenny, and Dublin.

Highlights:
• Watching Paul Bradley (violin) and Brian McGrath (banjo) tear up the trad session at The Crane in Galway. Look them up on iTunes. They're the real deal.
• Catching Sharon Shannon (accordion player of Galway Girl fame, who has played with Shane McGowan, Mike Scott, Jackson Browne, Steve Earle and others) at Tis Coili in Galway and the BBC showed up to shoot a documentary on her. She was joined by Phil Cunningham (formerly of Silly Wizard) on accordion as well. Amazing musicians. Look them up on iTunes too.
• Being invited to sit in briefly on a trad session in Doolin, which is thought to be the trad session epicenter of Ireland. There was great music, singing, and dancing. We were honored to be asked to lead two songs and join in on several others.
• Having a pint or two at O'Donohue's in Dublin, where Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly and the Dubliners got their start. The trad session was great, with portraits of the Dubliners looking down from the walls. Friday night, the pub was as crowded as we've seen.
• Visiting drummer/music shop owner Paul Vignoles in Spiddal, outside of Galway. Paul demonstrated a few speedy licks on a bodhran, which sounded suspiciously like Wipeout. What followed was a guitar accompaniment and a very brief jam of the Wipeout riff, Celtic style. (If that ever gets on YouTube, reputations will never recover.)
• Playing a few songs, including a Busker original, (we missed Anthony's bass terribly) at the Western Hotel in Galway.

All New Irish Buskers Photos will be posted soon!

The Irish Buskers spent a very busy St. Patrick’s Day in Dunedin, playing four (or was it five?) sets at the Flanagan’s Irish Pub extravaganza.

The crowds were great. During the course of the day, thousands showed up – all in the mood to sing along, eat, drink, and laugh at the jokes. Noel Cooney, well-known guitar-slinging Irish troubadour and owner of Flanagan’s, teamed up with Jeff Glover to charm the crowd with his banter and get everyone to sing along with every song he played. A group of Irish dancers kicked up their heels, and the Dunedin Pipe Band worked their thrumming, humming bagpipe magic.

The weather was classic Irish. Overcast and chilly. Then a bit of rain. Then warm with brilliant sun. Then overcast. Then chilly with wind and rain. Then clear. Then.... well you get the idea.

As for the Irish Buskers? We saw some friends, including an Irish music aficionado whom we’d lost track of. (Note that the last sentence had “aficionado” and “whom” in it, but still ended with a preposition.) We played lots of old favorites, a few newer tunes, and even a couple of Busker originals. We recited a few limericks. We’re always thrilled to see audience members jump up to do a few dance steps, and to see folks singing along.

Many folks came up to suggest some songs. It’s amazing how many Irish songs there are out there. The Buskers have proven that when our fans request songs, we do our best to learn them. That’s what keeps the Buskers going: the enthusiasm and know-how of our fans, and the constant discovery of new music. Ah, Busker bliss.

Web Design Tea is reporting that a group calling themselves "Irish Buskers" has taken the internet by storm. WebDesignTea.com claims a 400% increase in empty digital Irish whiskey jars. More News As This Situation Develops!

Welcome to the Official Web site of the Amazing Band The Irish Buskers! Hi, I'm Taylor. I am the Official Heckler of the Irish Buskers, Web Designer/Master of IrishBuskers.com, and today - your tour guide.

There are FIVE (5) Main Pages:

"Home" (<---You Are Here) All the main news and updates will be listed here.
"About"A collection of information about The Irish Buskers!
"Limericks" PGish Limericks - Feel free to submit your own.
"FAQs" Frequently Asked Questions EX. How to get in touch with the band.
"Pix" Photographs. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you didn't know what that meant.

There are also a few smaller pages and each event has its own page with a Google Maps Link. Should you have any questions, or find any errors, please let me know!

Yes, St. Patrick' Day is fast approaching and you know what that means. (College basketball fans - give it a rest with the March Madness talk.) Suddenly Irish Music is in demand. And of course that means ... The Buskers are Back!

The Irish Buskers are scheduled to play gigs at Irish pubs around town. We'll call it the "Buskers are Back" tour sponsored by Circuit City and Lehman Brothers.

This is a great time to...

• a) Hear some traditional - and not-so-traditional - Irish tunes,
• b) Laugh at some limericks,
• c) See friends you haven't seen in a while,
• d) Get a free kazoo (limit one per customer),
• e) Request songs we know,
• f) Heckle the band (limit one heckle per customer),
• g) All of the above.

Here's the schedule...

Event #1: O'Brien's Irish Pub at 11744 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Sunday, March 14, from 3-7 p.m.

Event #2: Flanagan's Irish Pub at 465 Main Street in downtown Dunedin. Wednesday, March 17, (St. Patrick's Day), from late morning until late evening, several sets

Commit those dates to memory, enter them in your smart phone, or write them on your hand. You won't want to miss these shows. We'll be playing old favorites and a few new numbers, including some original songs that are just made for sing alongs.

Busker Bits...

During our hiatus over the past few months, the Irish Buskers have recorded a demo CD and planned a trip to Ireland in the Spring. Now we're "Buskers Without Borders."