The Boarding House will present its bluegrass sounds during Music in the Parks on July 29, 2024, at Boardman Marina Park.

PENDLETON — In 1985, Pilot Rock brothers John and Leo Doherty started a family band based on traditional Irish music that had been passed down through their family.

According to a press release, The Irish Singers became a fixture of the local music scene around St. Patrick’s Day with performances at Great Pacific, as well as celebrations around Umatilla and Morrow counties. Named The Irish Singers, they became a fixture of the local music scene around St. Patrick’s Day with performances at Great Pacific, as well as celebrations around Umatilla and Morrow counties.

The Irish Singers last performed in 2019.

Now, the next generation is taking up the tradition.

The Boarding House, led by Jeremiah Doherty and his cousins, Nick and Pat Doherty, came together in mid-2023 through a series of informal jam sessions at Jeremiah’s house.

Jeremiah, who is an air traffic controller at the Pendleton Airport, had little experience playing instruments but taught himself to read sheet music and play the tenor banjo and mandolin.

“I definitely grew up with Irish music, and I have a love for it,” he said.

The idea to rekindle a version of the Irish band grew from a conversation Jeremiah had with local musician J.D. Kindle.

“In Pendleton, people loved The Irish Singers,” Jeremiah said. “He was lamenting the fact there was no Irish music.”

Soon The Boarding House was established, with many of the singers and musicians from the weekly bluegrass jam sessions held Saturday afternoons at Great Pacific.

Band members are: Joan Gray (fiddle), Melisa McDonald (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Pat Doherty (vocals, guitar), Nick Doherty (guitar), Jeremiah Doherty (tenor banjo), Carl Scheeler (banjo, harmonica), Jerry Copeland (mandolin), James Dean Kindle (vocals, guitar), Lori Brogoitti (vocals, bass, bodhran) and Harvey Neuber (accordion).

Shows

The band will play three shows in Pendleton over St. Patrick’s Day weekend:

• March 16: 6 p.m., Great Pacific, 403 S. Main St.
• March 17: 9 a.m., Rainbow Cafe, 209 S. Main St.
• March 17, 3 p.m., Backfire Station, 911 SW Court Ave.

Jeremiah said The Boarding House plays Irish dance music and traditional Irish instrumental music.

Songs include “Star of the County Down,” “Galway Girl,” Loch Lomond,” “Rocky Road to Dublin” and “Walk in the Irish Rain.”