Nevins, the Band Saoirse Continue St. Patty's Day on March 23rd at Belen Public Library

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Bill Nevins

LOS LUNAS, NM (03/13/2013)(readMedia)-- Bill Nevins, adjunct English instructor at UNM-Valencia Campus, and the Celtic eclectic band Saoirse will continue the celebration of St. Patty's Day on March 23rd at the Belen Public Library. The theme for this year's celebration, scheduled to start at 1 p.m., is "Maeve's Fierce Laughter: Irish Song and Verse."

The event is described as "an afternoon of Irish and Celtic poetry and song revealing the wild, the mysterious, the magical and the surprising in our brave heritage of Irish free expression." From the ancient to the modern, Nevins and others will present poetry, stories and music, ranging from The Cattle Raid of Cooley; to the music of Sinead O'Connor, Black 47, DKM and Dempsey Damien; to the poetry of W.B. Yeats, Paul Muldoon and Terence Winch.

Others scheduled to perform include Nate Maxon, a UNM student and widely-celebrated performing poet and author; Missy Pinson, a step dancer and daughter of Harlow Pinson who plays the bagpipes for Saoirse; and John Anderson, assistant professor of anthropology at UNM-Valencia.

Saoirse is described as New Mexico's Celtic eclectic music group that just released their second album entitled "Rigs." Members of the band include Laura Io Berg, lead singer, percussion; Suzanne Taichert, vocals, piano, percussion; John Brinduse, drop-d rhythm guitar, vocals; Lisa Nichols, flute, sax, vocals; Glenn Maxwell, bodhran, bones; Norm Toy, bass; and Harlow Pinson, violin, Uilleann pipes, concertina, banjo, whistles, vocals.

Nevins teaches writing, literature and public speaking at UNM-Valencia. He grew up near New York City, graduated from Iona College and writes cultural journalism for The Celtic Connection, Local iQ, RootsWorld, An Scathan Celtic Mirror, Z and other magazines; he has published poetry in Malpais Review and many other anthologies.

This year's post-St. Patty's Day celebration focuses on Maeve, originally a fierce Irish goddess, who later took earthly form as the historical but legendary war-Queen of the West of Ireland. Her bold campaign of seizing the prized Bull of Ulster is recounted in the Irish epic Tain Bo Cualigne (The Cattle Raid of Cooley).

The Iriish poet W.B. Yeats celebrated her in verse in the early years of his career, but always throughout his career heard "Maeve's fierce laughter" ringing in his ear.

Contemporary rock composer Mike Scott and his band The Waterboys recently revisited Yeats and Maeve in their album, "An Appointment with Mr. Yeats," which serves as inspiration for the performance on March 23rd.

"We hope it will be an enjoyable ride," said Nevins about the program.

The event is free and open to the public. The Belen Public Library is located at 333 Becker Avenue in Belen.

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