For these Londoners, Irish music makes for a toe-tapping good time all year long | CBC News

Shimmery green shamrocks are decorating the walls of The Scot’s Corner, a pub on Dundas Street in downtown London, Ont., just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

But make no mistake, the spirit of the Irish is alive and well in this dimly lit pub all year round.

Tuesday evenings, when musicians gather together informally to play traditional Irish tunes — with their fiddles, guitars, banjos, button accordions, Irish flutes, bodhráns (Irish hand drums) and even an Irish bagpipe in hand.

It’s all part of the London Irish Folk Club, a group who plans music jams, ceilidh dances — and yes, St. Patrick Day parties — long after the green leprechaun t-shirts and flashy decor are back in storage. 

“I just love the feel of the music, especially when you’re playing it in a group of people,” said Rob Hoffman, the music co-ordinator for the London Irish Folk Club who plays the button accordion.

The Tuesday music jams, called traditional Irish sessions, feature the melodies of Irish jigs and reels.

“It’s very uplifting,” said Hoffman. “We all support each other, learning new music and just getting together and having fun.”

The group also hosts slower-paced tune sessions and get togethers for people of all levels of musical talent, said Hoffman. 

“We like to foster people, encouraging people and supporting people that want to play Irish music, whether they’re from Ireland or they’re just feel a connection to the music, and they want to play or learn it,” he said. 

A sharing of music

For folk club fiddler Mary Ashton, the sessions are not a performance — but a sharing of music. 

Irish folk music “embraces all of life,” said Ashton, chair of London Irish Folk Club. She said she’s drawn to the music because it’s filled with happiness but yet has an undercurrent of sadness, much like life.

“It gets people’s toes tapping and it appeals to their hearts,” she said. “It’s something you can share with other people.”

LISTEN: London Irish folk club spreads Irish cheer all year long

Donie Rae first connected with the London Irish folk club after moving to the city from Ireland in 2010 and looking for places to meet more people. 

The people he met through the club have become his closest friends in London now, he said. “It’s a lot better than probably plenty of fish.”

Joining in all the Irish fun also gives him a taste of home. He’ll play the bodhrán, guitar, and sometimes even sing.

But just how do the music sessions in London compare to those in Ireland? Pretty high, according to Rae.

It’s a tradition musicians do all around the world, said Rae. “If you find a pub that holds an Irish session the tunes that are being played are known worldwide.” 

For St. Patrick’s Day, Rae has already starting collecting attire from the dollar store to match his beard, which he usually dyes green. 

“It’s a busy time of year for us, but we have fun all year,” said Hoffman. 

The London Irish Folk Club is holding a St. Paddy’s Day bash at the German Canadian Club in London Saturday, March 16 at 7 p.m. with live music, ceilidh dancing, Irish dance performances and lots of fun, said Hoffman.