Finnegan's Wake

Finnegan's Wake first came together as a spontaneous outburst of unplanned song and tunes while performing at Uisce Irish Pub (pronounced ish’ kah and meaning whiskey in Irish) in Bellingham, WA. Irish troubadour and founding member, Derek Duffy began playing at Uisce's on St. Patrick's Day 2006 and soon became a regular attraction inviting musical friends — some old & some new — to sit in, share some tunes, and enjoy the best pint of Guinness in Bellingham town.

During those many wild musical Friday night forays, a unique and authentic sound began to emerge when singer/songwriter and stand up bass player Nathan Dodge and Mandolin and pennywhistle player Patricia Chambers contributed their musical talents to Duffy’s authentic voice and steady guitar. Before the band knew they were a band, the trio began attracting a diverse audience of folkies, college students, and celtiphiles of all ages. With their original, yet unmistakably Irish-rooted sound, the trio suddenly discovered that they needed a name and in a flash of true Irish inspiration, Duffy named the band, "Finnegan's Wake” in honor of his malamute doggie "Finnagain", as well as in reference to the famous Dublin street ballad that sings the praises of whiskey. Everyone agreed it was a perfect fit.

Less than a year later, in March 2007, Finnegan's Wake recorded their first album, "Finnagain's Wake". True to the energy of their live performances, the 12-track CD emerged as a true-to-life authentic Irish pub experience, sometimes rustic and gritty, sometimes pop and folksy. Finnagain's Wake is a fitting tribute to the band's love of performing live and letting spontaneous and unplanned events unfold in their music. A rarity in the world of highly produced recordings, Finnegan’s Wake put together the 12-track CD amazingly comprised of “first-takes” in one afternoon at Binary Recording Studio, in Bellingham WA. For the group, playing it live and responding to the audience will always be at the core of their energy and dynamic musical personality.