Absolutely Irish! is a remarkable recording of a remarkable concert--bringing every major artist in traditional Irish music together on a single stage for a once-in-a-lifetime performance.

The creator of the Absolutely Irish show is the man widely recognized as the godfather of the “trad” Irish scene in America, Mick Moloney. Only Mick, a virtuoso performer and charismatic NYU professor, could bring together all the stars of the genre for this memorable show.

The event was directed by Academy Award winner Paul Wagner and filmed from eight camera angles with a crew led by JoJo Pennebaker and Nick Doob (Down From the Mountain) at the intimate theater of the Irish Arts Center in Hell's Kitchen, New York City.

The musicians include trad icons like whistle player Joanie Madden, fiddler Liz Carroll, singer Robbie O'Connell and accordionist Billy McComiskey whose careers define the genre. Younger players like fiddlers Eileen Ivers and Athena Tergis, flute player Seamus Egan, guitarist John Doyle and singers Karan Casey and Susan McKeown have become stars in their own right. Dancers Niall O'Leary and Darrah Carr rattle the boards of the little Irish Arts stage. And two old-time legends of the music, flute player Mike Rafferty and dancer Jo McNamara, appear in show-stopping cameos. Piper Jerry O'Sullivan, concertina player Tim Collins, piano player Brendan Dolan, fiddler Rhys Jones and banjo player Mac Benford round out the all-star line-up.



Produced by filmmaker Paul Wagner for American Focus
http://www.paulwagnerfilms.com/

Filmed before a live audience at the Irish Arts Center in New York City http://www.irishartscenter.org

The DVD is available from WGBH (beginning September, 2008) http://shop.wgbh.org

The soundtrack CD is available from Compass Records (beginning September, 2008) http://compassrecords.com