The Ruffians (
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Their fans say they are not for the faint of heart. “A Ruffians gig,” wrote the Irish Echo 10 years ago, “is a zany experience of lyrical, sometimes angry songs about the vagaries of the life of the common man, performed by Sean Griffin and his three comrades, Dan Griffin on bass guitar, Jerome Morris on drums, and Kevin Meehan on button accordion.”
They are coming to play for the First Annual Greenwood Lake Irish Festival during a two-day Memorial Day event, May 28 and 29, 2022.
Sean and Dan began their musical journey in a downtown New York Irish pub in 1998, the same year David Wells pitched a perfect game, as he and the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins, 4–0, and the same year the Yankees won their 24th World Series championship with 125 wins, and just 50 losses.
The Ruffians are an original “Celtic rock band that entwines the heart and soul of Celtic music with the exuberance of punk rock,” they proclaim on their website.
The Chicago Sun Times’ called them the “Y-Generation Pogues.” The Ruffians were asked to play for the “Good Friday Agreement” peace talks, renowned for the so-called vague wording of some of the provisions, described as “constructive ambiguity.” They have also played for the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Rose of Tralee Pageant, as well as many pubs throughout the northeast.
Other popular musicians, beer gardens, Irish dance troupes, a whiskey tasting pavilion, pipe and drum performances, and special activities and amusements for kids are also planned . To learn more about this new Hudson Valley event, click on https://gwlirishfest.com.
Photo: provided by The Ruffians