The Manchester Irish Band

We also do Ceilis as a five-piece band, including a caller for all types of Ceili, with an Irish, Scottish or English flavour!

We come equipped and ready to play at all types of music venues from very small gatherings to very large events, e.g. festivals, pubs, clubs, corporate events, weddings, ceilis, birthdays, anniversaries, folk festivals, PTA do's or for any other reason you wish. We can also play unplugged for that special occasion.

If you are thinking of booking us, we will be happy to discuss all your requirements and requests. We normally split the event into two or three sets with a short break in between, but we are happy to plan our music to fit in with your event if you are having a disco, or any other activities you have planned.

If in doubt, contact us to discuss your requirements. This is your event and we want to ensure it runs as smoothly and successfully as possible.

We have a top quality and self-contained PA speaker system, covered by Public Liability Insurance and Electrical Equipment Safety Certificates and are available to play 7 days per week throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

So if you're looking to hire the finest Irish band Cheshire has to offer for your wedding or party, get in touch with The Manchester Irish Band band.

Ceili for weddings

We specialise in Ceilis for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, folk festivals, corporate events and for any other reason you wish, from very large events to very small gatherings.

Playing as a five-piece ceili band, we use one of three excellent callers, Reg, Rachel or Francis to give your Ceili an Irish, Scottish or English flavour – depending on what you want! The callers are all very experienced and are there to make your event very enjoyable and for you to have FUN.

A Ceili (pronounced ‘kay-lee’) is a gathering for music and dance and is one of the best ways to ensure that the people at your event meet each other in a FUN atmosphere.

Anyone who can walk can take part and no previous experience is necessary. Ceili dancing can involve large or small groups of people and is pretty easy to pick up.

The dances are pattern dances and may be done in lines, squares and circles and many are progressive which means that couples change partners regularly during the dance. A ceili is particularly suitable for groups of mixed ages and tastes.

Our ‘caller’ will instruct you in each dance before you do it, ‘call’ the steps and supervise the dance once it starts. Getting the steps absolutely right is neither expected nor demanded, in fact the object is to have FUN and lots of it!

Popular dances include The Big Set Mixer, Bridge of Athlone, The Oxo Reel, La Rouse, The Circassian Circle, Rebecca’s Roundabout, Cottagers Jig, Nottingham Swing, Cumberland Square 8, Strip the Willow, Dashing White Sergeant, The Gay Gordon's, Eightsome reel, St Bernard's Waltz, Canadian Barn Dance, Pride of Erin Waltz.

We will normally split the evening into periods of 45 mins to 60 mins and will perform a song or a tune in between dances if you wish, to allow you to get your breath back!

We are happy to organise the ceili to fit in with your disco, or any other activities you have planned. If in doubt contact us to discuss all your requirements. This is your event and we want to ensure it runs as smoothly and as successfully as possible and be great fun!!

Joanne

Joanne is a professional musician who has played the flute from the age of 7, and has a formal music education and also plays saxophone and keyboards. Joanne’s favourite instruments are a silver flute and a Rudell Carte wooden flute, on which she can play virtually any style of music ranging from Irish through Country to Rock and Roll!

Ken

Ken is a self-taught professional musician who started playing flamenco style guitar at the age of 18 and later graduated to mandolin, mandola and banjo as he became interested in Irish traditional music. He has played as a session musician and with various Irish and Folk bands and has a unique mandolin style. He plays a Sobell mandolin, one of the best acoustic instruments around and a 4 string Ryder EM24 electric mandolin.

Alan

Alan is a professional musician who can play various instruments from guitar to keyboards. He has played with several bands ranging from Folk rock to a top flight Ceili band. He currently features in The Manchester Irish Band on Deering Crossfire electric and Clareen banjos and a Sobell bouzouki. He is an accomplished tunesmith and his knowledge of Irish tunes is unsurpassed.

Barrie

Barrie sings and plays loud-one (Lowden) guitars. He is a professional musician and has played on the folk and country scene for many years and is acknowledged as having one of the greatest and varied repertoires in the business.