ATHENS, Ga. —UGA Presents is bringing Ireland’s Danú to Athens Dec. 5 to perform “An Emerald Isle Christmas.” Danú features lead vocalist Nell Ní Chróinín and a band of virtuoso Celtic musicians on fiddle, flutes, button accordion, percussion and pipes. The 7:30 p.m. Hodgson Hall concert will also include guest Irish step dancers.
Christmas in Ireland is celebrated between Christmas Eve (December 24) and Nollaig Na mBan or Women’s Christmas (January 6). On December 26, families in Ireland observe St. Stephen’s Day or Wren Day. Music, song and dance are a vital part of community celebrations across Ireland during the holiday season, and “An Emerald Isle Christmas” offers a taste of these centuries-old events.
Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, Danú hails from Counties Waterford, Cork, Dublin and Donegal. The band formed in 1995 as part of Ireland’s delegation to Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival in Brittany, France, an annual event that is the largest gathering of Celtic nations in the world.
Danú has toured throughout Europe and North America with stops at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Symphony Space in New York City. The band has released nine critically acclaimed albums, winning numerous BBC and Irish Music Magazine Awards.
Tickets for the concert start at $30 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets are available to current UGA students for $10 with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student).
A pre-performance talk will be given by Benny McCarthy, a band member of Danú. The talk begins at 6:45 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall and is open to the public.
Hodgson Concert Hall and Ramsey Concert Hall are located in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road in Athens.