Danú: An Emerald Isle Christmas

Following their sold-out “Sounds of the Season” performance in 2022, Danú returns with An Emerald Isle Christmas, bringing the extraordinary music, song, and dance of Irish holiday traditions to Saratoga. Recognized worldwide as one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles, the group blends ancient Irish music with fresh repertoire, delivering a mix of virtuosity and energy. For over two decades, their musicians — on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals in both Gaelic and English — have toured globally, winning multiple BBC and Irish Music Magazine awards. Featuring celebrated vocalist Nell Ní Chróinín and the vibrant flair of Irish step-dancers, Danú embodies the rich traditions of Ireland in a joyous holiday celebration.

Our 2025 Sounds of the Season series is being held in the Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall in Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College while Spa Little Theater undergoes renovations as part of SPAC’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2026. Learn more about Zankel Music Center here.

Please note: this performance is excluded from SPAC Member discounts.

Performers

Danú
Benny McCarthy, accordion/melodeon 
Nell Ní Chróinín, vocals/penny whistle
Éamon Doorley, bouzouki
Oisín McAuley, fiddle  
Tony Byrne, guitar
Ivan Goff, flutes/uilleann pipe/penny whistle  
Billy Sutton, bodhran 

Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. The group’s standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. 

For over two decades, Danú’s virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English), have performed around the globe and recorded seven critically acclaimed albums. Their live DVD, One Night Stand, was filmed at Vicar St. Dublin. Winners of numerous awards from the BBC and Irish Music Magazine, Danú has toured throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North America with stops at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Symphony Space in New York City, and major concert engagements in the United Kingdom, India, Israel, and across Europe. Danú takes its audiences on a musical journey to their native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience. Danú’s popular recordings are available on the Shanachie label and live performances are often broadcast on NPR, the CBC, and the BBC.