La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

Lovers of Irish music and culture will gather at the Lincoln Theatre Tuesday, March 8 to hear something new. Starting at 7:30 p.m., the audience will witness Dervish, a native Irish folk band, play music from their latest album “The Great Irish Songbook,” along with their fan favorites.

Dervish is recognized with a BBC lifetime achievement award and has been nominated for album of the year by Folk Alliance International. Founding members Cathy Jordan (vocals, bodhran, guitar), Michael Holmes (bouzouki), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Tom Morrow (fiddle), Liam Kelly (flute, vocals) and Brian McDonagh (mandola, vocals) were childhood friends in Sligo, a county in northwestern Ireland.

The band got its name from McDonagh seeing a documentary on whirling Dervishes, which are members of a Muslim religious order that practice physical meditation. According to Jordan, McDonagh “liked the parallel that they saw themselves as poor but spiritual people who become enraptured by music, just like us.”

This isn’t the band’s first time to Washington State, or even Skagit County. Dervish has performed in Mount Vernon before, and loves playing historic venues like the Lincoln. They have played several global venues including but not limited to the Great Wall of China, Dublin Castle, the Palladium in London and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

“We never take for granted the wonderful opportunities that have been opened to us because of the music we play that was handed down to us from our ancestors,” Jordan said.

Americans can keep Irish folk music prevalent by continuing to support and listen to bands like Dervish. Jordan explains how music plays a huge role in bonding America and Ireland. This bond between the two countries has gone back generations, since the Irish first immigrated.

“This is a beautiful relationship,” Jordan said, “and one which I feel is a very positive, powerful and important to preserve for the generations to come.”

Jordan is most excited for the Skagit Valley audience to hear their rendition of “Galway Shawl” Tuesday night. This traditional Irish folk song is one of Ireland’s greatest hits and she is sure it will get the crowd on its feet, singing along.

“I simply love when everybody sings together in unison, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”