The Sounds of Ireland
Musicians form ‘Ceol Heights’ community in WSP, West Side
Susan Klemond
Contributor
If Tom Kline’s Irish great-grandmother still lived on Sidney Street, she likely would be pleased to hear traditional Irish music coming from the nearby homes of musicians like Kline, who along with others of Irish heritage are settling on St. Paul’s West Side and in West St. Paul. The area has earned the nickname "Ceol Heights" (Ceol means music in Irish) among musicians, many of whom are drawn to the area’s affordable housing and safe neighborhoods. One notable West Side musician is St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, who has been known to play Irish music on the Highland (Scottish) bagpipes.
"We’re very concentrated here," said Kline, who plays the Irish uilleann pipes (a form of bagpipes) and lives on Cherokee Avenue on the West Side with his wife Adele Binning, an accordion player, and daughter Flora, an Irish dancer. "Why? I’m trying to figure that out myself. It might have to do with housing. We could get a bigger house here. We’re constantly inviting people to come over and play music."
While there is no record of how many Irish musicians and others of Irish heritage are moving to the area, one estimate is that about 20 Irish immigrant families live on the West Side.
"People liked the idea of having musicians close by," Kline said. "We’re hoping to get more people to move over here."
Traditional Irish music consists of thousands of songs, some dating back centuries, which are played on the fiddle, flute, tin whistle, harp, uilleann pipes, guitar, piano and accordion, said Kate Dowling, who lives in the "40 acres" area of West St. Paul. She and her husband, Jode, founded the Center for Irish Music (CIM) in St. Paul five years ago. Much of this music doesn’t often have vocals but is tied to a variety of dances.
Kline has played the uilleann pipes for about 30 years. For the past 15 years he has been active in the local music scene, playing at area events and at the St. Paul Farmer’s Market. He is president of the Great Northern Irish Pipers Club, whose 20 members are dedicated to this instrument, considered one of the most difficult to play and maintain.
Playing some of the same music on Highland bagpipes is the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band. The band practices in the parking lot of the Sexton Company in West St. Paul, owned by band member Dan Sexton. Members of another popular Irish music band, the Eddies, are well known on the West Side.
Not far from Kline on Cherokee Avenue in West St. Paul lives Daithi Sproule, a native of Derry, Northern Ireland, who has been playing traditional Irish music on guitar since the 1960s. He tours internationally, records albums and teaches Irish music and culture courses. Sproule came to Minnesota 30 years ago and moved to West St. Paul three years ago.
"One of the things I like about being here is we’re really in a nice quiet neighborhood," he said. "I think it’s worth living here just for the high bridge alone because the view going back into St. Paul is so beautiful. I really love it."
The area is also attractive for cultural reasons, Dowling said.
"There’s a lot going on here for traditional cultures and traditional arts and I think it speaks well of the city that people can come here and still pursue their culture and be very welcomed for it."
CIM, which offers lessons in voice and 14 instruments, moved recently from the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center to Celtic Junction, a St. Paul center for Celtic-related arts organizations. With more than 80 students of all ages and 16 instructors, the goal of the non-profit CIM is to pass down Irish music and culture to the next generation.
"It’s not just about lessons; it’s about finding out about your culture and actively participating in the culture," Dowling said.
The Irish culture is very social, and musicians of all ages often play together in "sessions" at area bars and house parties.
"In one of these informal sessions you’re likely to get people from teenagers to people in their 70s or 80s all playing together and hanging out together, which is a nice thing," said Sproule.
Some metro-area bars offer sessions each week, including Keegan’s Irish Pub, Kieran’s Irish Pub and Merlin’s Irish Pub, all in Minneapolis.
"People go and listen or they can play and hang out, have a pint, have a bite to eat or whatever," Sproule said. "It gives you a kind of all-consuming hobby and it also gives you a lot of nice people to say hello to."
As a high school student, Mattie Ernst has played fiddle at the sessions at Keegan’s. Playing Irish music is a friendly complement to her classical violin training, said Ernst, who lives with her family in West St. Paul when she’s not attending the College of St. Benedict. Ernst took fiddle lessons at CIM and for the past two summers has taught at the school. She also plays harp, the bodhran Irish drum and piano. She is studying classical violin at St. Bens but plans to continue playing traditional Irish music.
"I don’t know what I’ll end up doing but (playing Irish music) is something I would hope to do regularly, whether I play with a group of people or go to sessions," she said.
Ernst won’t play music but will do Irish dance at the upcoming Irish Fair, held August 7-9 at Harriet Island. Many CIM instructors and students will play at the event. Other musical performers include the Great Northern Irish Pipers Club, the Eddies and the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band. In addition, the Center for Irish Music will offer Irish instrument and singing workshops. For more information, visit www.irish
fair.com
