Jesse Ofgang and Kevin Elam bring Celtic thunder to the Library Annex on a stormy evening

Kevin Elam, left, and Jesse Ofgang, right, entertained guests at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex on March 5 with an array of Irish and Scottish musical fare.

Krista A. Briggs

Jesse Ofgang and Kevin Elam bring Celtic thunder to the Library Annex on a stormy evening

Acclaimed Irish flutist Desi Wilkinson advises musicians to “Play only tunes and songs you’re mad about … Emulate what you like and then do your thing.” It’s advice Jesse Ofgang and Kevin Elam have seemingly taken to heart as part of their “Prelude to St. Patrick’s Day” tour which landed at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex on March 5, where the Celtic-flavored duo found themselves playing to a nearly full house on a wet and windy Wednesday.

While neither Ofgang nor Elam is originally from Ireland, their musical souls are firmly connected to both the Emerald Isle and the Highlands. While Ofgang claims partial Irish heritage through his mother and believes his musical partner is not of Irish descent, Elam’s resumé is filled with accomplishments in Irish music. He took top prize in 2019 in men’s English singing at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann competition in Drogheda, Ireland and has medaled at both the All-Ireland Fleadh and CCE Mid-Atlantic Fleadh competitions. Despite his Irish roots, Ofgang’s musical focus is actually across the Irish Sea, where he earned a master’s degree in Scottish music and bagpipes. As a student, he performed with the 16-time world champion Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band.

Both musicians are multi-instrumentalists. Elam, the duo’s vocalist, is skilled in tin whistle, bouzouki, banjo, mandolin and guitar while Ofgang, a bagpiper, has mastered uilleann pipes and border pipes as well as the Irish flute and whistles, organ, guitar and piano. In addition to touring — together and separately — Ofgang and Elam both provide instruction to students in musical instrumentation.

“Prelude to St. Patrick’s Day,” which wrapped up on March 9 in Middletown, Connecticut, featured an array of Celtic tunes and songs. According to Ofgang, there’s a difference between the two. By definition, songs include lyrics and tunes consist strictly of music. Ofgang and Elam included both in their hour-long set at the Library Annex, which began with “The Foggy Dew,” a song lamenting Ireland’s political divide and the resulting violence of the Easter uprising, which was followed by a jig, “The Road to Lisdoonvarna.”

“Rocky Road to Dublin” drew an enthusiastic response from the crowd as did the folk song, “The Lakes of Pontchartrain,” which Elam and Ofgang introduced as a song about alligators. The ballad is actually of unknown origin and its subject matter centers on a Creole woman and the unrequited love a drifter holds for her in the Deep South. The duo believes the song may very well have been penned by an Irish immigrant to the United States.

Elam and Ofgang invited the crowd to join them in “The King’s Shilling,” another song exploring the realities of war with its introspective chorus “Come ladies, come. Hear the cannons roar. Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war.”

The duo then segued over to Scottish fare with the audience joining in once more for “Auld Lang Syne,” traditionally sung on New Year’s Eve, but the song is also used to close out occasions — ver as the evening slowly wound down. Ofgang, assisted by Elam, then wrapped up the night with traditional Scottish bagpipes, a worthy overture to St. Patrick’s Day 2025.

The concert was sponsored by the Ann and Abe Effron Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. Library director Rhiannon Leo-Jameson said the library is looking into additional grants to fund further programming for community enjoyment. For more information, visit nemillertonlibrary.org.

Latest News

Misjudging the American people

People who don’t study history – or think they can rewrite history to suit their ideals – are fundamentally unsound, morally and practically. Their undoing may happen all at once, over short periods of time, over periods of passionate revolt or, indeed, years. But it will happen, historical facts simply cannot be swept aside.

America was founded by disaffected people. America was populated – in waves of immigration – by disaffected people from across the globe. Not one person who immigrated to America who came here hundreds of years ago, two hundred years ago, one hundred years ago, fifty years ago, or in the past few decades came here to become part of a rigid and fixed establishment, to become a sheep as a followers, nor just someone to fit in with a crowd. Americans, each and every one of us, are ambitious, fiercely independently minded, setting personal freedom as our core existence, never permitting the concept of loss of liberty to become commonplace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Classifieds - May 29, 2025

Help Wanted

A Plus Detailing Hiring: Open position for a Full Detailer & Cleaner. Depending on experience $21 to $30 per hour. Contact Ryan at 959-228-1010.

Driver: For The Lakeville Journal and Millerton News newspaper routes, part time Wednesdays, Thursdays and some Fridays. Call James Clark. 860-435-9873, x 401 or email publisher@lakevillejournal.com.

Keep ReadingShow less
Legal Notices - May 29, 2025

Legal Notice

Notice of formation of Pioneer Window Cleaning & Paint LLC. Arts. Of Org. Filed with SSNY on 2/5/25. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY designate as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Timothy Thompson, 4 Mc Arthur Pl,

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunny skies shine on Millerton Memorial Day festivities

Members of American Legion Post 178 and local veterans march in the Millerton Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26, 2025.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The sun came out in full force for Millerton’s annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26 — a welcome change from the recent stretch of cold and rainy weather.

Sidewalks were filled with friends, families and furry companions as the community came together to honor fallen service members.

Keep ReadingShow less