Celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, beloved multi award-winning Newfoundland & Labrador folk group, The Irish Descendants bring their annual holiday show, The Irish Descendants Christmas to Halifax.
Concert goers will be treated to a feast of Christmas songs and stories reminiscent of long-lived old-time holiday celebrations from the “Rock”, all presented and told by seasoned storyteller and long-time front man Con O’Brien.
“For many of our faithful fans, The Irish Descendants Christmas has become an annual tradition, now crossing three generations of devoted admirers,” says O’Brien. “Many families who gather annually claim it has become the official start to their holiday season. Join us for an ‘Irish You A Merry Christmas’, Descendants style. We can’t wait to see you at the shows!”
The show will present songs from The Irish Descendants two Christmas albums, The Gift (2001), and the 2025 East Coast Music nominated album, An Irish Descendants Christmas (2023) plus more festive favourites.
The Irish Descendants are Con O’Brien on lead vocals and guitar, Rowan Sherlock on mandolin, fiddle, piano and vocals, Jeff Kinsman on bass and vocals, and Madeline Carter on fiddle and vocals.
This year, to mark their 35th anniversary, the group released a limited edition 35th Anniversary Box Set and on September 4, they released a brand-new album, featuring eight songs, including title track “Those Were The Days”, a poignant look back at better times and missed homelands. The new recording features an array of live show favourites, including the first time recording of Tara Browne’s “Wild Fields of Home”, a rousing set of tunes penned “Blowing Snow”, and a powerful version of folk legend Ewan McColl’s “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. To round out the recording there are vocal and instrumental versions of one of their signature songs, “Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary’s”. This song, written by the late Otto Kelland, was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) in May 2025.
Venue Opens 7pm
Theatre Opens 7:30pm
