Aran : An Irish Band  from Rural Western Pennsylvania
Click here to hear a selection from our new demo CD "Aran in Concert: 7/16/05"

The “Aran Band” is a group of seven good friends who enjoy performing Irish, Scottish and other Celtic music.  The name Aran comes from the Aran Islands, located near Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland, and the last Irish land seen by most emigrants who sailed to America.  We enjoy playing fast instrumental numbers, slow aires, and singing traditional ballads, drinking songs and shanties.  We have members from a wide area, but are centered around Johnstown, in Western Pennsylvania.   The band’s roots go back more than twenty-five years, when Ron Hamilton (pennywhistles, button boxes, bouzouki, percussion) began performing with Gary Noll (lead singer, guitar, bodhran, pennywhistle).   Next came the two “Seamuses,” Jim Brett (lead singer, guitar, bouzouki), and “Banjo” Jim Kupchella, (lead singer, banjo, guitar).   Joining soon thereafter were Jerry Clark (mandolin, bouzouki, pennywhistles, low pennywhistles), Carl Rahkonen (fiddle, bass, bodhran), and Matt Willen (mandolin, bouzouki, guitar, uilleann pipes).    We gather for a dozen or so public performances every year, and many more private get-togethers to enjoy the music we all love.
L to R: Jerry Clark, Carl Rahkonen, Gary Noll, Ron Hamilton, Jim Brett, and Jim Kupchella, at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, June 21, 2008.

Performances in 2009:
February 14th  Private Party for the Dorian’s 7:30 to 10:30
March 14th    Knights of Equity Party following St Patrick’s Day Parade at Sportsrock Café, Pittsburgh, about 1:00 – 4:00 pm
March 17th    Murphy’s in Johnstown about 6:00 pm --
March 21st    Johnstown Elk’s (new location – former Geistown Country Club) 7:30-11:00
March 22nd  Concert at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 2:00--3:00 pm
May 30th  Altoona Curve Stadium "Pint for Pets" Event
June 13th  Westmont Arts Center for the Hibernian's Irish Festival
July 11th   Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site 8:00-9:15 pm
July 17th   Pasquerella Center for the Community Foundation  5:00 pm
July 19th   Dillweed Bed and Breakfast 4:00 pm
other performances TBA

To see our Photo Gallery  click here.

Web-site created and maintained by Carl Rahkonen.  © 2000-  Last modified 1/20/09
Comments and/or suggestions may be e-mailed to: rahkonen@.iup.edu.
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