The Ryan Clan performing at the Chenango Arts Council on Saturday, March 4. The Irish band is made up of members Frank Revoir on vocals and guitar; Bill Scranton on guitar, mandolin, and vocals; Tom Ryan on banjo and vocals; Pat Ryan on vocals; Brennan Ryan on bass; and Dan Ryan on bass and vocals. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH — Local Irish band The Ryan Clan has returned to the area's stages and pubs for the 2023 St. Patrick's Day season.

Made up of members Frank Revoir on vocals and guitar; Bill Scranton on guitar, mandolin, and vocals; Tom Ryan on banjo and vocals; Pat Ryan on vocals; Brennan Ryan on bass; and Dan Ryan on bass and vocals, the band kicked off the season last weekend with performances at Nips Saloon in Binghamton, the Chenango Arts Council, and Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub in Syracuse.

This weekend the festivities will continue with three performances. From 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 10, The Ryan Clan will be performing at the Canasawacta Country Club. There is a $10 cover charge for admittance. On Saturday, March 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. the band will be rocking the Sherburne Legion Post 876. There is a $10 cover charge for entry, and it includes a corned beef dinner. The band will then go to Hidden Springs Brewhouse on Sunday, March 12 with a 2 to 5 p.m. performance.

To ring in St. Patrick's Day, The Ryan Clan will be playing an 8 p.m. to midnight show at Park Place Sports Bar and Grill on Friday, March 17. To wrap up the season they will also be playing from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Oneida Lake Brew Haus in Verona Beach on Saturday, March 18.

The band is unique in that they only perform for two brief seasons per year: in March for St. Patrick's Day, and each fall for "Halfway to St. Patrick's Day" events.

"St. Patrick’s Day, and then we typically play in the month of September for a lot of ‘Halfway to St. Paddy’s’ gatherings and parties. So March and September, typically, and occasionally people will hire us to do a private party in the summer or something. But most of us like to spend our summers enjoying the nice weather, so we don’t play together much," said Revoir.

The Ryan Clan first formed in the 1970s with Norwich natives and musicians Mike Carnrike and Dan Collins, with occasional add-in Patrick Ryan. Revoir said he joined the band during his high school years, and over time the group went through several names and had a variety of members.

"We called ourselves lots of different band names. We were the Wild Colonial Boys at one point, we were the Sons of Ireland," Revoir explained. "Then eventually Mike Carnrike and Dan Collins, and then Mike Carnrike’s daughter Patty Carnrike, they formed their own band and they still perform and they play, and myself and my cousins, we formed the band and decided to call ourselves The Ryan Clan."

He credits the band's founders with sparking an interest and love of Irish music in the group's future members.

"All of us were musicians, we were exposed to lots of music including Irish music, and I couldn't tell you how we ultimately veered in the direction of actually having bands," said Revoir. "Mike Carnrike and Dan Collins were probably the inspiration behind all of that, because they were playing all the way back in the 1970s performing around here and in the Binghamton area. They were really the two guys that exposed everybody else, locally, to Irish music. So I’d probably have to credit that that’s how we ended up going in that direction."

"It’s fun to get together with family and play. And, you know, we do take pride in our Irish heritage," he added.

More information on The Ryan Clan and their upcoming performances can be found at TheRyanClanBand.com.