Merry Christmas from The Barra MacNeils!

Oakville and Welland Ontario Sold Out!

We are always excited to get the chance to perform in lovely venues. It’s even more rewarding when there’s not a seat empty in the house... not even room for a mouse!

Oakville has such beautiful homes, amazing decorations and a lovely downtown. Thanks so much for the great welcome!

Our soundman for the Ontario dates was none other then Welland’s Trevor Coppen. We brought him back to his hometown to visit his old school. Thanks for the great sound!

We were treated to a Christmas meal with turkey and all the trimmings. Delicious! The meal ended with traditional Christmas Crackers! We all received lovely paper crowns! Royalty for a day...hooray!

See you in the Maritimes

A lovely day in Charolottetown!

Back to Canada! It’s been quite a few years since we had the opportunity to be back

in Prince Edward Island for a Christmas show. It’s always a pleasure to play the

Confederation Centre in Charlottetown.

Our good friend Sherry Hogan surprised the band with a lunch at The Culinary Institute.

New Chefs from around the world attend Holland College to expand their culinary skills

and we were lucky enough to sample some of their creations! They offer meals year

round but this time of the year is extra special because of their popular Christmas Buffet.

We want to send out special thanks to our server from Cape Breton. We heard it was her

first day and we were so impressed with her attention to detail… a lovely experience.

This show was a late addition to the tour. Thanks so much for the great turn out and all of

the help to get the word out on such short notice. We definitely want the opportunity to

play the island again soon!

The Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center in South Carthage, Maine is a

real wilderness getaway. Perched on the top of a hill overlooking a

breathtaking mountain range makes this theatre a perfect place for a

Christmas show.

The theatre is fully outfitted with pine walls and hardwood floors with

lovely decorations for the season. It has a rustic feel that includes a

wood stove on the stage…and that’s not the best part!

The audience is one of the most excited crowds we have seen in a while!

From start to finish, they were fully engaged in the concert with singing,

stomping, and clapping. Phil MacIntyre has brought Celtic culture to

Maine and has a loyal following that supports his newfound musical

spirit. Thanks so much Phil!

We’d also like to thank Pam for the wonderful selection of chocolates that

were left in our dressingroom.

See you soon America! Back to our home and native land tomorrow!

Back in Unity!

It’s great to be back in Unity! It’s been two years since we played the Unity College Center for Performing Arts, a cozy environment for a concert.

The band was treated to a wonderful meal of enchiladas topped off with homemade pie. Is this America or what! Thanks to the staff for making our stay so enjoyable.

A shout out to Sue from Maine for the lovely baking! Hello to Judy! See you all soon!

Hello America!

This year, The Barra MacNeils are taking some of their Christmas

cheer to America. Our first show was this evening in

Williamstown, Massachusetts at the Sterling and Francine Clark

Art Institute.

Our drive through the mountains was very exciting! The wildlife

was out in full force with a highway welcoming by a deer and a

skunk…two close calls. They really shouldn’t play on the

highway. ;)

Williamstown was having their annual Christmas celebration

weekend. Tonight they had their Holiday Walk and Tree Lighting

Ceremony before our concert. The lovely old university town was

very festive.

The audience was filled with enthusiasm the entire show. They

even let out a gasp during an acrobatic move by Sheumas. His

piano stool collapsed between numbers. Luckily he was okay.

After the show, we talked to new fans and even some people who

attended the show in 2004. Thanks for the support! Special hello

to the Big Beach Crew who travelled two hours to see the show!

Next stop Unity, Maine! See you there.

Starting the Christmas Tour 2011

Hello and welcome! Here we are on another Christmas tour sponsored by our friends at Scotiabank . Our first show took us to Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton. It was nice being close to home.

The first day of a tour is always a memory game for all of the family members. Everything from remembering our lines to remembering all our instruments and technical equipment means that we all have to dust off the old noggins for another festive year.

Everyone was in seasonal spirit today from beginning to end. We added some new numbers to the show and of course, will be playing some of the tried and true selections for our fans.

Speaking of fans, a family travelled all the way from the West Coast of Newfoundland to see our show! We thank you for the great effort in getting to the show and the enthusiasm afterward at the meet and greet.

Don’t forget to try the cookie recipe that we posted previously on our blog. Tell us how they turned out.
Stay tuned for more tour updates! See you soon!

One Month Until Christmas! Let's bake some cookies!

Hello everyone! We are pleased to be entering into the Christmas season once again! Hope to see you at one of our shows. Here's something to help you get ready for the season! Be sure to watch for updates. See you soon!

2011 Christmas Dates!

December 2011

December 2, 2011 Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute -- Williamstown, MA, USA Holiday Concert at the Clark (8:00 pm) 225 Soutt Street December 3, 2011 Unity College Center for the Performing Arts -- Unity, ME 42 Depot St. Office and Reservations: 207-948-7469 Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (7:30pm) A presentation of New England Celtic Arts December 4, 2011 Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center -- South Carthage, ME 2 Highland Dr. Office and Reservations: 207-562-4445 Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (7:00pm) A presentation of New England Celtic Arts December 6, 2011 Confederation Centre -- Charlottetown, PEI BUY TICKETS December 9, 2011The Oakville Centre -- Oakville, ON Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert December 10, 2011  SOLD OUT! Dr. J.M. Ennis Auditorium (Centennial School) -- Welland, ON 240 Thorold Road West Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert December 12, 2011 St. John's United Church -- Moncton, NB Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (7:30pm) 75 Alma St. [Click for map] Tickets: $38, available as of Oct 17th Info: 506-858-8289 or sjuc(at)nb.aibn.com December  14, 2011 Astor Theatre -- Liverpool, NS Tickets on sale now! December 15, 2011 Marigold Cultural Centre -- Truro, NS Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (7:30 PM) BUY TICKETS December 16, 2011Marigold Cultural Centre -- Truro, NS Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (7:30 PM) BUY TICKETS December 17, 2011 Holy Heart Theatre -- St. John's, NL Christmas with the Barra MacNeils (8:00 PM) BUY TICKETS | VIEW POSTER (pdf) December 18, 2011 King's Theatre -- Annapolis Royal, NS (8:00pm) "A Celtic Christmas with the Barra MacNeils" BUY TICKETS December 19, 2011 Rebecca Cohn -- Halifax, NS, Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (4:00 PM) BUY TICKETS on sale September 16, 2011! December 19, 2011Rebecca Cohn -- Halifax, NS, Barra MacNeils Christmas Concert (8:00 PM) BUY TICKETS on sale September 16, 2011! December 20, 2011 Savoy Theatre -- Glace Bay, NS (7:30 PM) Christmas with the Barra MacNeils is one of Canada's most popular seasonal celebrations. With their true Celtic harmonies and world-class instrumentals, The Barras play a selection of familiar and not-so-familiar holiday selections that entertain the entire family. BUY TICKETS

Day 39

Merry Christmas folks! We made it! Through rain, sleet and snow and then picking up our children we continued on to Glace Bay, Cape Breton. Our reunion with family, relatives and close friends has only just begun.

Traveling from the east to the west and back again; The Barra MacNeils brought a little bit of Christmas to everyone, one day at a time. We hope we made a few people happy. That’s all we can really ask for. At a time when people are busier than ever, it’s nice to give everyone a chance to reflect on their family, friends, and loved ones. It is truly a magical time of year.
We would like to thank all of our families for sharing us with our fans. We love you all. We would also like to thank our adopted brother Jamie Gatti, our solid playing man and for good times as well. Thanks to Donnie MacNeil for keeping the show sounding great and making sure we made it to the gig on time… And let’s not forget Vinnie MacNeil (the other Kyle MacNeil on the tour) for your selling skills (and let’s not forget the dance moves).
Now we will put our feet up for a while and enjoy the holiday. Maybe someone will make Cabbage Rolls or even RUMCake !! God Bless and Best Wishes in 2011.

Day 38 Heading For Halifax

Halifax was a two show day. This has been a tradition for many years now. Our show times were 4:00pm and 8:00pm. An extra early morning in Antigonish was necessary to make sound check on time. Paul Kennedy at Seaside FM introduced the band at our evening show. It has become part of our Halifax show ever year. Thanks for the support Paul! The past few years we had a pile of snow at these shows. We couldn't have picked a better day this year. No matter what the weather, the people are always amazing. Thanks to Diaga Dance and the Beth Greene Irish dancers! Nice job!!

A great deal of our closest friends and relatives live in the area and came to both concerts. One more sleep…zzz

Day 37 Antigonish

We made it to Antigonish in Jig time. John almost got a speeding ticket today. The RCMP flashed their lights as a warning. Today we are performing on campus at St. Francis Xavier University. It was the last day of exams and you could see some students fitting in some last minute studying.

Today Boyd and Stewart’s wives met up with us on the tour. They were excited to see their husbands home.

The concert was great tonight. The MacKay Room was turned into a festive concert venue. We had Makala MacNeil as a special guest on our last group of tunes. Thanks Makala!

The audience was dressed in Christmas colours with flashy scarves and broaches. Halifax tomorrow…bring on the Christmas sweaters

Day 36 Saint John

Wow! A sold out show at a beautiful theatre! Our drive to Saint John was very short

in comparison to some of the drives we’ve been making. Everything is decorated for

Christmas and we’re almost home!! The excitement is definitely building with these last

few shows.

Vinnie was excited because a package of vintage Barra MacNeils LP’s, 45’s and tapes

that arrived just in time for Christmas. Ah…it takes us back!

Day 35 Fredericton Private Function

We traveled safely overnight to Fredericton and woke up in time to check-in to the hotel. Today was a fairly relaxing day for us. Nothing to crazy happened really, which was a good thing after the past few days. We had a surprise performance for a private function which was a nice change. Some familiar faces attended the event. Off to Saint John tomorrow.

Day 34 Last day in Ontario

Hello everyone! Today is the last day for our Ontario portion of the tour. Things are starting to come to an end.
The Brockville Arts Center has had a major facelift since we last played here. They did an amazing job with lobby and theatre. They even spruced up the dressing and green room area. We took advantage of the new flat screen to watch some of the Montreal vs. Philly game.
Brockville was a rescheduled show because of weather. There were many lovely people in the lobby. Tales of trips to Cape Breton and attending our Celtic Colours Festival were nice to here. Some people also told stories of missing home which is very natural this time of year.
We would like to thank Terry and Robin McCrae from Shantero Productions for bringing entertainment to the Ontario region. You always do great work and help with our show immensely. Robin has become one of our brothers after the many years of touring with us.
Now we will be driving overnight on the bus to make it in time for our private show in Fredericton. Off to the Maritimes we go.

Day 33 Sliding In To Ottawa

My goodness what an exciting day!! We were still in Sarnia…breakfast at 5:30am and bus rolling at 6:00am. Highways still closed except an alternate route. We back tracked a little to the 40 South and managed to make our way to the open section of the 401. The military were rescuing over 300 stranded vehicles off the highways, 200 of those vehicles where transfer trucks…pretty crazy.

To say the least it was a slow slippery drive. We had a couple of dead stops on the 401 which lasted over an hour. We only traveled 50km/hour for most of the trip…and that was the faster speed.

We finally made it to the airport and switched drivers. Our farewells to our wonderful driver was very quick. During all the hubbub Rob forgot his winter jacket (we’ll send it to Calgary for Christmas with your relatives…you might need it there.) We welcomed John, freshly squeezed from Florida. And we were off!

We occupied our time practicing carols…just kidding, we watched some movies, The Grinch with Jim Carey, Groundhog Day, and the White Stripes new documentary Under Great White Northern Lights. The documentary ends with Buddy MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac playing fiddles at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay. Jack White sang an alternate line in one of his songs about our home town, Sydney Mines.

Our show was postponed to 9 pm from 8 pm. We arrived at the front of Centerpointe Theatre at 9:15pm. Donnie really worked his magic with the set up and a record load-in by the crew had the show starting earlier then expected. We also would like to thank the staff for making this show happen. They called and e-mailed all the ticket holders for the show. An amazing effort by everyone involved. Terry at Shantero Productions had a nail biting day for sure. His positive outlook kept the machine running.

We couldn’t finish our day without thanking the audience for making today’s trip worth while. The warmth and excitement during the after show meet and greet was overwhelming. A very patient audience -like waiting for Christmas to come. Thanks so much Ottawa!!

Day 32 The Chronicles Of Sarnia

Here we go to Brockville…maybe not. Well, here’s what happened. Our day started early, breakfast at 6:00 am, bus rolling at 7:00am. The weather was blustery and cold and it was still dark outside. Some of us decided to have a nap on the bus because it was going to be a bit of a journey.
As a side note, today we were meant to change drivers in Toronto. Rob was heading back to Southern Texas to visit his family in the warm sun for Christmas and another driver named John was flying up from Florida to continue the tour.
After two hours of driving, the bus was parked at a mall parking lot. Rob informed us that the highways were closed until further notice. So we wandered through the mall for a while. Stewart, Jamie and Vinnie went to a restaurant which had some interesting conversations going on. Someone called Jamie Santa Claus. If they only knew!
We then went to another mall with a few more options for hanging out. We were greeted by a cart man in the parking lot. He told us “You picked the worse day EVER to come here” Our bus, along with many, many transfer trucks awaited some good news in the very windy parking lot. We ended up postponing our Brockville show until Dec. 15.
Back to the same hotel. Did we mention that it was the 13th?...Jamie’s lucky number. One thing positive that did happen today is that we got to have supper with Donnie’s brother in-law Jimmy and his wife, Florence. We have to look at the bright side of things. Let's see what tomorrow brings . . . .

Day 31 Snow In Sarnia

A great deal of snow today. We made it in one piece. This was our first time playing in Sarnia after all these years and it was worth it. Even with a great deal of snow and cold weather the audience still made it and they were great. Really lively!! We are worried about tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.

Day 30

Stewart took a walk through Lindsay today before sound check. He really loved Victoria Park. All kinds of vendors were selling their wares in gingerbread style house Kiosks. Burl Ives voice filled the park with Christmas songs… very lovely.

After the show we learned that the Academy Theatre has a friendly ghost. Funny enough her name is Mary. There are several songs in the show about Mary… I hope she liked it.

Day 29

It was the strangest weather today in Kingston. It started out very cold and windy and then snowed for hours. By the time we finished sound check it was above the freezing mark. Very warm and very mild!
One of the highlights of Kingston in the wintertime is the outdoor skating rink. They even have a Zamboni. People of all ages come to skate and on Saturdays they set up a farmers market beside the ice. Brave people!
It has come to our attention that the Simpsons had a 39 days of Christmas episode last week. It would be kind of cool if they picked the number from our video blog. You never know. Speaking of video blog, just wanted to let you know that there is a new clip at the end of each blog. Also, the outside of our bus is getting extremely dirty so we apologize for the poor window shots. We haven’t found a car wash big enough and most hoses are turned off this time of the year.