Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Kilrush: Bio

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION...PLEASE CHECK BACK SOON FOR UPDATES!!! many thanks....administrator.



QUICK BIO: Kilrush is a crowd pleasing Celtic Vocal and a Multi Instrumental Band... often described as energetic, Celtic/fusion, and inspiring traditional! Check out the links provided to purchase Kilrush's New CD "Keltoi Anam"!!
• GENRE: Celtic [World]
• INFLUENCES: Dervish, Flogging Mollys, Glenngarry Bhoys, Elders Cheiftans, Lunasa,Gaelic Storm, Hair of the Dog

• LINEUP:

Tim Sanphy- Fiddle/Guitar/Cittern/Mando/Bodhran/Voice


Colin Carpenter-
Guitar/Mando/Octave mando/ lead and Backup Vocals

Padraic O'Hare
Percussion/Trap/Backup Vocals

Dan
Bass/Backup Vocals

• BIO:
Kilrush is an Irish band based out of Elmira in the Southern Tier of New York. We are a high energy group that guarantees you will be moving to the rhythm. Fusing world percussion with traditional favorites, you will hear an entirely new approach to Irish music. Kilrush also plays the jigs and reels that have been passed down generation after generation through time honored tradition. If you are looking for a good time you owe it to yourself to give a listen.

A rich history of tradition and dedication to Irish/Celtic music and song provides the inspiration for these Singer-Song writers, and multi-instrumentalists. From dance halls and festivals to sessions and pubs, Kilrush has turned their passion for Irish music into a lively, energetic stage-show loved by everyone who experiences it!

Kilrush also specializes in stage performances, featureing live music to Celtic/Irish dance companies...working closely with the Ring of Chiarrraighe Celtic Dancers in theatrical performances over the past 2 years. Most recently Kilrush hosted one such event at the First Arena in Elmira NY...a 5000 seat facility...the band played live for over 50 dancers and hosted a festival style event that featured other well known groups and musicians; Cliudan, Siobhan, Nick Whitmer, and the RoC.

Kilrush has played with various Irish Folk and Progressive groups, and countless Irish sessions all over New York, Pennsylvania and Eastern Canada.

Kilrush's real passion is experienced through their live performances. You will mostly likely find them belting out tunes and leading crowds at Irish/Celtic Festivals or in Pubs and Bars across the North-East!

Where you may have seen them:
Banshee (Scranton, Pa)
First Arena (Elmira, NY)
Scranton Cultural Center (Scranton,PA)
The Bridgewater (Kingston,NY)
Darby's (East Durham, NY)
Horigan's(Elmira)
Snooty Pig (Corning)
Murphy's Woodhouse (Corning)
The Glory Hole (Corning)
Trotting Bull(Sacketts Harbor)
Literally Dozens of other pubs
Great American Irish Festival (Utica)
Hooley on the Hudson (Kingston)
As well as other AOH festivals

Kilrush has performed as the opening act for The Town Pants at the Corning Irish music festival in 2007,
And has performed on the same bill with great high profile Celtic Bands such as The Glengarry Bhoys, Enter the Haggis, Greenwich Meantime, Tommy Makem, West Of Clare, Cliudan, Cathy Ryan, Mac Talla M'or, Andy Cooney....and many others!

Featured on:

Radio AM 820
"Somewhere West of Clare" hosted by Pat Kane "The Balladeer of the Souther Tier"

Frequently featured on Monstermix Radio
Monstermix.net
________________________________________

Kilrush fans enjoy energetic, heartfelt live performances. Whether performing traditional and popular Irish drinking tunes or beautiful Celtic ballads, fans in Kilrush enjoy their interpretation of Irish/Celtic music and songs. Kilrush has recorded a CD of traditional songs and tunes, as well as recorded their first CD "On This Shore".

Their second CD debut was to a packed release party at Horigan's Irish Restaurant/Pub in Elmira, NY in March of 2008... and has been received with great reviews! The CD is called Keltoi Anam (Celtic Soul) and is a mix of songs from their festival/pub shows to some intimate instrumentals.


________________________________________

Tim Sanphy - Lead Vocals, Fiddle, Guitar, Mandolin(s), Citttern, Bodhran, Whiskey




Tim Sanphy Jr....lead vocals, fiddle, guitar octave mandolin/cittern, original composition...comes from a family of musicians...who's father stongly influenced his style and love of Irish music from childhood with a passion for the Cheiftains, Clancys, and Tommy Makem. Originally trained in classical guitar and voice, Tim shifted his style to Fiddle as a teenager. Later a student of Ed McGowan of Traonach (Sligo Style), and Seminar classes with Brian Conway, Buddy MacMaster, Joe Cormier, and Brenda Stubbert. Tim has played with a variety of bands in as many styles including orchestral, country, folk, rock and metal. Strongly influenced by the Chieftains, Kevin Burke, Leo Kokttke...Loves Joe Satriani, Dominique Rivière, Dervish, Danu, Gaelic Storm, The ELDERS (Ian is THE man!!) .....other facts: Is a RN more than 17 years in nursing, ER/Trauma/ICU..., has been sucessful as a large venue and festival promoter, builds own Citterns/Octave Mandolins, Family (Father of Shannon and Daniel, spouse Karen)....when musical career takes off will own a summer home in Margaree Cape Breton (close to the river...loves to Fly-fish!!!)

Colin Carpenter - guitar, octave mandolin, lead/backup vocals



Colin Carpenter Jr was born on Thanksgiving Day 1980 on Ft Benning Army Base in Columbus GA. Shortly after being born, was moved To Corning Elmira area in NY, where he remained until he was 13 and then moved to Beaufort SC, and from 17 years old bounced back and forth till at the age of 22 when he was a tree climber in Beaufort and fell 3 stories out of a tree, breaking his back. A year later and much therapy Colin moved to where there were very few trees, Albuquerque NM. In Albuquerque, Colin went into the construction field building houses. After living in Albuquerque for about 3 yrs Colin missed trees. Colin then moved back to the Twin tiers and now Currently lives in Millerton PA, due to NY having way to many Communist laws. Colin has had several occupations through the years such as golf caddy, mechanic,window washer, arborist, cook, and general contractor. Most dominate Jobs were Arborist, also his first, and Carpenter(Ironic ain't it) and Mechanic due to being poor and having to fix his own things! But of all occupations, Colin's true love is being a musician. Colin has been playing music in one form or another since he was 10. He started on guitar, and moved into bass, then at 17 started drumming due to lack of drummers, and in recent history has started dabbling into the mandolin and hopes to add a couple more instruments to the arsenal in the future. He has been in bands of many genre's of music, from punk to metal, folk to traditional Irish. Colin's Musical taste is very eclectic. It is not unusual to be at his house and hear his Itunes go from Johnny Cash to Slayer to Kilrush then the sex pistols! He is a lover of all things musical that wasn't "programmed" (You Techno nerds know who you are) Colin is also an avid outdoors man. His idea of a good time is very reminiscent of the song "A Country Boy Can Survive" by Hank Williams Jr. Colin likes to be in the woods hunting, hiking, camping, or finding a stream or lake to fish. "A shot gun, a rifle and a four wheel drive, a country boy can survive..."






Dan Folkers:::Bass and backup vocals

...it's hard to pin this one down....really! Daniel Folkers has played on nearly every continent on the planet! Before Daniel joined Kilrush he had just returned from Boston after an Asian tour in Japan with "Bone Gunn" Daniel spent the previous year down under and traveling New Zealand. He's also been seen on the shores of Costa Rica, Australia, Ireland, Norway, England...well, you get the picture! Daniel takes from his travels a love of culture and the root of what makes great Celtic Fusion!!

Padraic O'Hare - Drums/Percussion

Pardaic at the Blackthorne East Durham



the drummer of Kilrush hails from a large branch of O’Hare clan which spans from the Finger Lakes to Buffalo. Padraic is the steady pulse that drives Kilrush’s sound. Kilrush considers themselves incredibly fortunate to have Paddy playing with them as he is one of the most sought after drummer in upstate New York. Padriac has played for more than 2 decades on the club and festival circuit . Most recently playing with regionally popular act, "The Hooligans "

Marissa Ruper - Fiddle

ME4KILRUSH1_cropped


Marissa is originally from New Hampshire, which is where she got her start fiddling. At age nine, Marissa met an old-time fiddler at a contra-dance. She spent the next three hours standing next to him as he played, and afterward begged for lessons. Her mother searched for a fiddle teacher but there were none available. About that time she was also exposed to Celtic music and fell in love with it. Because there were no fiddle lessons available, Marissa tried the piano and flute but was uninspired and quit both. It wasn't until age 16 that she received her first fiddle lesson from a friend and from that moment on, her life has never been the same. In less than a year she was competing in the New Hampshire Highland Games, the largest Scottish cultural festival in the Northeast. For the first two years, she competed in the Novice class. She placed 4th the first year and 2nd the following. She then switched to the Open New England Regional Championship class, competing against well known names such as Calum Pasqua, Ashley MacLeod, and Douglas Lamey. She moved to NY in December of '06 and went back to NH to compete one more time, placing 5th in 2007, before switching to performing instead of competing. Marissa has played in various bands since, as well as performed for weddings, parties, state fairs, graduations, and bars all over. She is currently fiddling for Sisters of Murphy, Callanach, and Kilrush.