Center for the Arts to Present Tomaseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas

BUFFALO, N.Y. -– The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

Long, long before Riverdance, ordinary men and women, at the end of a day working in field, meadow, bog or glen, would gather at each others' cottages and, rhythmically battering the floor with their hob-nailed boots, would raise sparks off the flagstones as they danced jigs, reels and hornpipes, and would "raise the rafters" with the fiery music of fiddle, whistle, harp and the mesmerizing uilleann pipes. In concert halls from California to Florida, from Texas to Michigan, Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas recreates just such a night.

And who better to do it? Tomáseen is the second youngest of seven children and was born and reared on a small farm in the remote parish of Teampall an Ghleanntáin in the southwest of Ireland –- part of the renowned cultural enclave now known as Sliabh Luachra. His show, A Celtic Christmas, takes us back to Ireland of the 1950s, to a night before Christmas, to a place where the motor car, the television and the telephone were little more than unlikely rumors, and to a time when the neighbors would gather at each others' homes, bringing with them not only their traditional musical instruments, but also their songs, their dances, their laughter and -- always, ever and always -- their stories.

He brings with him some of the finest exponents of the traditional Celtic arts performing anywhere today –- on either side of the Atlantic. New to this year's show is Marta Cook -– winner of the World Championship Irish Harpist title at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in 2001, and recipient of the Peter and Margaret Nalty Memorial Trophy. She is considered one of the finest Irish harpists in the world, and is also a champion Irish step dancer.

Back with the show for the fourth successive year is virtuoso Kathleen Keane –- on fiddle, whistle, vocals and traditional Irish dance. Keane's music is featured in Titanic, Backdraft, The Road to Perdition and The Cinderella Man. As well as being considered a child prodigy on the tin whistle, the Chicago Tribune nominated her as one of the world's finest Celtic Fiddlers. She studied Irish step dancing under Michael Flatley (Riverdance/Lord of the Dance) and went on to become a champion Irish dancer.

Music Director William Coulter is an internationally acclaimed master of the steel-string guitar. In 2005, he won a Grammy for a track he contributed to Pink Guitar, a solo guitar compilation of Henry Mancini tunes. He has been performing and recording traditional Celtic and American folk music for 25 years.

Returning for the second year is Uilleann Piper Brian Bigley. From the age of eight, Bigley studied the traditional, rarely heard, uilleann pipes with Achill Island (Co. Mayo) piper Michael Kilbane -- with whom he also studied flute, whistle and low whistle. He has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and the UK. He is also a world-class Irish step dancer.

Rego Irish Records says Foley is a master of the Irish narrative and a keeper of the flame for a priceless piece of Irish culture. For each of the past 12 years, from Thanksgiving until Christmas, his show Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas plays to critical acclaim and packed concert halls around the U.S.

Tickets for Tomáseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas are $25 general audience and $15 for students. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.