Traditional Irish music and storytelling captivated audience members in the Helen Kraus Room at the Rockville Centre Public Library as local musician Greg Ryan performed “The Songs and Music of Ireland.”
Ryan’s program, part of the library’s live concert series, brought together vibrant folk tunes, emotional anthems and multiple instruments for an audience celebrating Irish culture.
Throughout the March 8 performance, Ryan played guitar, harmonica and the tin whistle, often singing while accompanying himself on an instrument and occasionally playing two at once. Between songs, he shared stories about their meanings and cultural significance.
The program featured many well-known Irish classics along with traditional songs that included phrases and lines in the Irish language.
“You have to do the classics,” Ryan said. “Like ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,’ the George M. Cohan medley, ‘The Wild Rover,’ of course. I always try to insert some really Irish songs in the Irish language.”
Ryan’s performance also included beloved ballads that many audience members recognized once he began to play them.
“‘Danny Boy’ is a beautiful song,” he said. “‘Carrickfergus’ is another great song.”
Ryan left time in the middle of the program to ask the audience for song requests, making the performance more interactive and unique. He said he tries to play as many of the requested songs as possible.
“I know most of the songs,” he said. “I may have to go dig the words up on the iPad, because you may not sing them for two or three years before somebody asks for it again.”
The audience played an active role in the performance. Some joined in singing when they recognized the lyrics, while others clapped along to the beat or swayed their heads to the music.
Laughter filled the room as Ryan shared humorous and candid stories from his life, while more emotional ballads created moments of thoughtful reflection. His easy interaction with the crowd energized the audience as much as the classic tunes he performed.
For many listeners, the music carried personal meaning beyond the afternoon’s performance.
Dorothy Moody said the concert resonated with her because of her family’s connection to Ireland. Her husband was Irish, and she said hearing familiar songs during the program brought back memories of traveling through the country together and visiting relatives.
“‘Danny Boy’ — my favorite,” Moody said. “What it brought back was my memories of traveling through Ireland.”
She described the trip as a cherished experience and said the performance reminded her of how much she enjoyed her time there.
“We had a wonderful time. Ireland was great, and that’s what brought me here today,” she said.
As the performance concluded, Ryan reflected on the experience of being a Rockville Centre native and playing for a local audience.
“It’s been a real pleasure to play to my hometown crowd,” he said.
