If "Danny Boy" is your definition of Irish music, then you need to meet Ryck Kaiser, Jamie O’Brien, and Aoife Clancy. These three very talented performers who appeared last Thursday evening, May 18, at The Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg will soon have you whistling a new tune, that is, if you’re not too busy toe-tapping or figuring out when you can find the time to take up guitar or fiddle lessons!

Ryck Kaiser on fiddle opened the show with several Scottish and Irish jigs that sported such names as "Munster Buttermilk" and "Whiskey Before Breakfast." He played a lovely waltz, "The Secret Wish," so beautifully that one wished it were a dance instead of a concert.

Jamie O’Brien on guitar soon joined Kaiser to further invigorate the audience with more jigs and reels. Both dressed in khakis with button-down shirts, the two shared an easy, casual manner that was welcoming, as if you had just happened upon them sharing a tune in their backyard.

"The Orphan" was an evocative jig that appears on O’Brien’s album Launie Tunes. The one song O’Brien sang, "The Old Man and a Baby" also appears on this album. It is a wonderfully haunting song of the unusual story of a man rocking his wife’s child to another man. O’Brien says he has been singing this song for longer than he can remember and he must love doing so, as there is an obvious tenderness for this piece. The duo ended with a set of inspiring reels, leaving the audience ready in anticipation for Aoife Clancy.

Aoife (pronounced EE-fah) Clancy is an Irish-born singer from Carrick-on-Suir which is the town of Carrick on the river named Suir (Sure) in County Tipperary. She performed at a young age with her father, a member of the well-known Irish band, the Clancy Brothers. Most recently, she appeared with the highly-acclaimed Irish/American group, Cherish the Ladies. This was one of her first solo appearances since leaving the group.

A petite woman, Clancy appeared dressed in a basic white shirt, black leggings, and a simple, silver necklace. That image would be consistent with her lovely and serious publicity photo. However, beyond all of that and her self-described "frazzled" locks that frame a radiant face, she displays a most charming demeanor. This offhand charm in no way interferes with her ability to deliver a song with great depth of emotion, but entices one to enter her world to experience her eclectic choice of material.

While some of her selections may have unusual or amusing titles, Ms. Clancy sings everything straight from the heart and that sincerity coupled with her rich voice are her strengths. She is equally able to move one while singing an Irish song about a farmer who would give up four cows to have his love back in his arms again, as well as a "love" song such as "The Broken," inspired by a tragic Norwegian shipwreck.

Clancy accompanies herself on guitar and she is a fine musician. However, she establishes a comic, yet sweet (hopefully not offensive to men!) moment singing "Don’t Get Married Girls" a cappella. There was a rainbow of special moments in her show, one of which was her rendition of "Colcannon" for which she accompanied herself with the bodhran, the definitive Irish drum. The song is about a dish that Irish mothers make of mashed potatoes, scallions, and cabbage "in the little skillet pot," but you soon realize that it is about much more — life, love, memories and sentiment.

Yet another moment is a tender song of a couple who meet at the Roseville Fair. Clancy’s voice and sincerity might well move one to tears. With the song "Reconciliation," she invites the audience to participate with a "Too-ra-loo-ra" chorus.

This audience contribution enhances the songwriter’s subject of the peace process in northern Ireland — another beautiful moment in the set.

When Clancy invited Kaiser and O’Brien to join her onstage, the audience knew they were in for a real treat. The three, Kaiser on fiddle, O’Brien on guitar, and Clancy on the bodhran, played a few jigs and everything seemed to stop in time. The space was perfect. Although some bar noises were audible, through the open window, one could hear the trains pulling into the Harrisburg station that only enhanced the sentimentality of the music. The love these performers share for their music is so infectious, from O’Brien’s wide grin, Kaiser’s quiet smile, and Clancy’s sparkling eyes, you can feel it as it surrounded the room.

Ms. Clancy closed the show alone with a song from her native Carrick. The audience gave her a standing ovation in appreciation. She returned for an encore to perform a sweet song she wrote based on a Yeats poem. Both to those who are familiar with Celtic music and to all first-timers, this was a memorable evening. Many of her songs can be found on her two solo albums, It’s About Time and Soldiers and Dreams. It would be nice to see more of this type of music in the area and hopefully, Ms. Clancy and her friends will again grace this area with their fine presence.