Ceann brings its music back to county

Toe-tapping Irish music awaits patrons of Holahan's Food & Spirits, Pottsville, the night after Thanksgiving.

For the fourth consecutive year, Ceann na Caca will be at the North Centre Street bar, starting at 9:30 p.m. Friday, to play traditional pub songs, atypical covers and original material from a new CD titled, "Almost Irish."

The folksy trio made its debut in February 1998 at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, Pittsburgh, and identified its sound as "Yankee-Irish Drinking Music." The term Ceann is Irish slang for head.

"It (Holahan's) gets a nice crowd," band member Marc Wisnosky, who was born and raised in West West Terrace, said. "Everyone is still in town. It's the closest thing to an Irish bar in the area."

Wisnosky, who now resides in Pittsburgh, will play his Irish tenor banjo, sing and blow his tin whistle or thump on his bodhran to get the crowd in the mood for tipping a cold pint and having a good time.

Bandmate Patrick Halloran, who is originally from Fogelsville and now lives in New York, plays guitar and sings, and James Telfer, also of New York, plays bass, fiddle, mandolin and does vocals.

Released this month, "Almost Irish" features 12 original songs, primarily penned by Halloran, and is the band's third album.

"We all had a hand in about half of the songs," said Wisnosky, adding the band also played its second show at the Blu Tavern in Llewellyn.

One of the tracks from the new album is called "Schuylkill Fruit," and tells of a man's yearning for a coal miner's daughter.

"The girls love it," Wisnosky said.

Traditional pub favorites like "Whiskey In A Jar" and "Molly Maguires" will likely make it into Friday's set list, noted Wisnosky, as well as "goofy covers" like Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" and Hanson's "Mmmbop."

"But we'll be serious for a while," promised Wisnosky, a 1994 graduate of Nativity BVM High School. "It's about going out, having a drink and having fun."

There will be a $5 cover charge to see the band at Holahan's, 114 N. Centre St., said owner Bill O'Reilly.

"They're a good Irish band," O'Reilly said. "Not only that, but they get everyone laughing."

After Holahan's, the band will head to New York City to take part in Irish Rock Fest at Connolly's, and then at Hurley's for New Year's Eve in the Big Apple.

"A group of girls from Minersville always goes to New York to see us," said Wisnosky. "Pottsville girls are hot. I never really realized that when I lived here."

Once the New Year's celebration is over, Ceann will embark on a four-month tour of the Midwest and East Coast.

Ryan D. Philips