Montana Gaelic Cultural Society and the 2008 An Rí Rá

Cavanaugh's is an active member and steadfast supporter of the Montana Gaelic Cultural Society and their plans to bring Irish culture to Montana through their promotion of Irish language classes, music, film and historical events.

An Rí Rá, the Montana Irish Festival will be held in Historic Uptown Butte on August 8-10, 2008 (always the second full weekend in August). The growing festival will showcase our city's and our state's Celtic heritage.

The Montana Gaelic Cultural Society founded the annual Festival several years ago in Missoula, Montana. It began as a simple celebration on the street in front of Sean Kelly's Public House. In previous years, the festival was held at Caras Park in downtown Missoula. The need to expand the current festival resulted in moving the festival to one of the most Irish cities in America, Butte, Montana. Uptown Butte is the perfect setting for An Rí Rá. This is where the Butte Irish lived, worked, shopped and played and it is where they are still smiling upon us now.

This coming year's event will include music, workshops, history, lectures, childrens activities, and sports events. An Irish Mass with hymns sung in Gaelic/Irish will be held on August 12th. Sports events will include a scramble golf tournament and a 5k fun run. The festival will include even more workshops than previous years, including an opportunity to spend a weekend immersion in Irish language and workshops to learn Irish dance.

The ultimate goal of this celebration is to locate an Irish Cultural and Studies Center in Butte. This will bring attention to Butte from around the world. Butte has a special place in the hearts and minds of Irish America and Ireland alike and this Center is a natural fit for Butte and Montana.

Go raibh maith agat agus Fáilte (Thank you and Welcome)

Mike Tutty, Festival Committee Chairman
Lorretta Lynde, 2006 Montana Gaelic Cultural Society President

To find out more about the Butte event or to volunteer to help work the festival, call Brendan McDonough at 406-498-3983.

For more information about the 2008 festival, visit Montana Gaelic Cultural Society.