With two fiddlers, guitar, cello, whistles and bodhrán, this Portland group performs traditional Irish music that you might hear in a pub on a great session night.  The pace is fast and exciting, and these tunes are an invitation to dance.  Woven in with the tunes are vocals that range from familiar Irish and Scottish ballads to a variety of more unexpected songs.  

These songs include a murder ballad from the 16th century, a Northumbrian lullaby begging a teenager to get out of bed and start doing chores, a 1979 Stan Rogers classic song of optimism through adversity, and a poem written by William Blake in 1771 set to music by Al Petteway.   

Whitethorn Crossing has been performing together since 2017.  Maggie and Julie also co-teach festival workshops for beginners and advanced players.  The band sometimes performs as a trio or duet under the band name “The Whitethorn Branch”.

Upcoming performances:

  • Festival - Benefit for NW Portland Hostel      Saturday June 6 (all evening) 
    Whitethorn Crossing performs  5:00 to 5:45
    1810 NW Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97209
    Website with full festival schedule coming soon - multiple bands will be performing at this event.  Admission is sliding scale or whatever you can donate.
    The Hostel Café and Northwest Portland International Hostel have experienced a steep decline in international travellers in recent months and are hosting a benefit concert to stay in business. They give to our communities in many ways, including having mulitple music and art groups have FREE meeting space to play together. Time for us to support them! 
    (Time subject to adjustment, as this is a human thing! Come early)   
     

Past performances:

  • Cooper Mountain Ale Works St. Patrick's Celebration - 2026
  • McMenamin's Wilsonville Old Curch and Pub St. Patrick's Celebration - 2026
  • Benefit for Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, Kells Irish Pub - 2026
  • Corvallis Celtic Festival - 2025
  • Washington Acoustic Music Association (WAMA) Pickersfest - 2025
  • Cooper Mountain Ale Works,  Sherwood  - St Patrick's Day 2025
  • Cooper Mountain Ale Works, Tigard - St Patrick's Day 2024 and 2025
  • Corvallis Celtic Festival - 2024
  • Corvallis Celtic Festival - 2023
  • Time Traveler's Ball - 2018
  • Christmas Music at Pittock Mansion - 2018