Irish Celtic music on tap in Westerly and Charlestown

WESTERLY — It's that time of year when Celtic music can be heard across the region, from parades to saloons to libraries.

On Friday, you can pop into the Cross' Mills Library to "celebrate Celtic music, song, stories and the hilarity for the Irish season" with harpist Mary King and her friends, Paul Dube and Kevin Fallon.

On Saturday, the duo known as Keegan & Eva (Eva Meier on fiddle and vocals, and Keegan Loesel on uilleann pipes, whistles and vocals) will bring their skills and experience to the Westerly Library for a concert sponsored by the Irish Coastal Club.

Loesel, a world champion uilleann piper, won the All-Ireland in 2017, and holds 17 Mid-Atlantic Fleadh titles, including uilleann pipes, whistle, lilting and singing. He has appeared on stage with such Irish music luminaries as The Chieftains, Paddy Keenan, and Altán, and has performed from Toronto to California to the Jersey Shore, as well as in Dublin and County Clare.

Meier has been playing for 18 years, with both traditional and classical training. She played in the New York Youth Symphony, earned a bachelor's degree in performance from the University of Massachusetts, and was accepted into the master's of traditional performance program at the University of Limerick. She also won a grant from the Connecticut Historical Society, allowing her to live in County Clare for nearly a year studying Irish fiddle.

The musicians are known for creating engaging music that draws the listener in. Beyond lively jigs and reels, you might also hear hornpipes or polkas, fast or slow tunes, unison or harmony. Feel free to ask questions, and by all means, feel free to dance.