WATERLOO, Iowa (KWWL) – People from all around the world will soon be celebrating all-things Irish in downtown Waterloo.
The 13th Iowa Irish Fest starts on Friday. Known for bringing traditional Irish music, entertainment and cuisine to the Cedar Valley, the three-day festival draws nearly 50,000 people every year.
To kick off the countdown, KWWL has been bringing you an “Irish-themed” story every day this week leading up to the big event. We’ve explored Celtic artwork, traditional Irish music, spinning and weaving, and the behind-the-scenes production.
Today, we’re meeting with Seo Linn.
Seo Linn means ‘off we go’ in Irish Gaelic.
The band has been together since 2013. They started teaching Irish Gaelic to kids through song, and now they’re touring all over the world sharing their Irish culture with others.
The five musicians flew into the states on Wednesday, and they’re ready for their second year of Iowa Irish Fest.
They said they’re looking forward to playing for everyone, but first they’re going to run in the Shamrock N’ Run 5K.
“You have to come out. It’s unbelievable,” Stiofán Ó Fearail said. “Everyone is on just such a good buzz. There’s going to be a 5K we’re going to run in as well just to kick things off. It’s going to be unreal… just crack.”
Seo Linn said their favorite part of Irish Fest is the people.
“I suppose because it’s an annual thing, it’s a fresh energy every single year. It’s growing as well. We were going down here with [organizers] and looking at all the different stages, where they’re going to be this year as opposed to last year,” Stiofán Ó Fearail said. “It’s showing that the festival is growing, which is a testament to its success, really.”
Seo Linn released their new album, ‘Marcus in the Wood,’ last week. They will be playing some of their new songs at the fest. Five songs are in English and the other five are in Irish Gaelic.
FRIDAY
- 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Seo Linn’s Stiofán Ó Fearail explains Gaelic football at the MercyOne Stage
- 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Seo Linn at the Nagle Sign/KWWL Stage
SATURDAY
- 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Seo Linn’s Irish language workshop for adults at the Black’s Building Mezzanine
- 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Lincoln Savings Bank Stage
SUNDAY
- 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.: Irish language workshop for kids at the MercyOne Stage
- 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m: Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation Stage
For more information about Iowa Irish Fest, visit: https://iowairishfest.com/
For more information about Seo Linn, visit their website or their Facebook page.