The Mahoning Valley Irish Festival, Youngstown, OH (2026)

09/07/2026

☘️🇮🇪 THE ANSWER IS… B! 🇮🇪☘️

If you guessed that the WHITE in the Irish tricolour represents peace and unity between different traditions in Ireland — YOU GOT IT! 👏

Ireland’s flag may look simple — green, white and orange — but those three colors carry a powerful message.

💚 GREEN represents the Irish nationalist tradition.

🧡 ORANGE represents the Orange tradition and those associated historically with William of Orange.

🤍 And between them is WHITE — symbolizing the hope for peace and unity between those traditions.

And that placement matters.

The white doesn’t simply fill the middle of the flag. It represents the aspiration for lasting peace between the green and the orange. 🇮🇪

The Irish Constitution describes the national flag as the tricolour of green, white and orange, and the symbolism traditionally associated with it reminds us that Ireland’s flag isn’t simply a national emblem.

It’s also an expression of hope. ☘️

So if you answered B, give yourself some bragging rights! 😂👏

And if the meaning of the white surprised you, you’re definitely not alone.

Thanks for playing another round of Sunday Irish Trivia with us!

We’ll have another question waiting for you next Sunday. ☘️🇮🇪

09/07/2026

🇺🇸☘️ BUILT BY HARD WORK. CARRIED FORWARD BY GENERATIONS.

Labor Day has always been about more than a day off.

It is a day to recognize the men and women whose work built our communities, strengthened our industries and created opportunities for the generations who followed them.

For Irish immigrants who came to America, that story has particular meaning.

They worked on railroads and canals. In mines, mills and factories. They built roads, raised buildings and took on some of the hardest and most dangerous jobs available to them.

Here in the Mahoning Valley, generations of working families helped build a region known for something that still defines us today:

We know how to work.

Their jobs may have changed over the generations, but that spirit hasn’t.

Today, we honor the tradespeople, teachers, first responders, healthcare workers, small business owners, factory workers, service workers and every person who gets up each day and puts in the work to provide for a family and build a better future.

And we remember the generations who did the same before us.

From all of us at THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival, Happy Labor Day. 🇺🇸☘️

To those who built before us, those working beside us and those who will carry it forward — thank you.

Lá an Lucht Oibre sona daoibh. 💚
Happy Labor Day to you all.

09/06/2026

☘️🇮🇪 SUNDAY IRISH TRIVIA! 🇮🇪☘️

We all recognize it instantly…

🟩⬜🟧

But how well do you know what Ireland’s tricolour actually represents? 👀

🇮🇪 What was the WHITE in the Irish flag intended to symbolize?

A. Ireland’s ancient Gaelic clans
B. Peace and unity between different traditions in Ireland
C. The Catholic Church
D. Ireland’s independence from Great Britain

Think you know? 🤔

👇 DROP YOUR ANSWER — A, B, C or D — IN THE COMMENTS!

And you know the rule…

NO GOOGLING. 😂☘️

We’ll reveal the answer Monday at noon!

09/05/2026

From The Mahoning Valley Irish Festival, Congratulations on the Blue Ribbon, Teagan!!!!

09/05/2026

☘️🐺 Irish Wolfhounds of Northeast Ohio

🇮🇪🐾 SOME OF OUR FESTIVAL GUESTS WERE A LITTLE TALLER — AND A WHOLE LOT FURRIER — THAN THE REST.

If you had the chance to meet the Irish Wolfhounds of Northeast Ohio at THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026, chances are you didn’t forget them. ☘️

It’s pretty hard to overlook an Irish Wolfhound. 😂

These magnificent gentle giants are one of the most recognizable dog breeds associated with Ireland, with a history stretching back centuries in Irish culture.

Known for their tremendous size and characteristically calm, dignified nature, Irish Wolfhounds have a fascinating history — originally prized in Ireland as hunting and guardian dogs and appearing throughout Irish legend and lore. 🇮🇪

And getting to see them up close is an entirely different experience from simply reading about them.

That’s why we were so happy to welcome Irish Wolfhounds of Northeast Ohio to this year’s festival. 💚

Their regional community brings together Irish Wolfhound owners and enthusiasts while helping people learn more about these extraordinary dogs, responsible ownership and the breed itself.

And judging by the attention these guys received during festival weekend…

WE’RE PRETTY SURE THEY HAD A FEW FANS. 😂🐾

To everyone from Irish Wolfhounds of Northeast Ohio who joined us — both the two-legged AND four-legged members:

GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH! ☘️🇮🇪

Thank you for spending part of your weekend with us and for bringing another wonderful piece of Irish heritage to THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival.

👇 Did you meet the Irish Wolfhounds at the festival?

We’d LOVE to see your pictures! Drop one in the comments — and tell us if seeing one in person made you realize just how BIG these beautiful dogs really are. 😂💚🐾

09/04/2026

☘️💚 LONG BEFORE THERE WAS A FESTIVAL WEEKEND, THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE TRYING TO BUILD ONE.

The gates opened for two days.
But THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026 was months in the making.

Before there were stages filled with musicians…
Before the dancers performed…
Before the vendors set up…
Before the food was served…
Before a single festival-goer walked through the gates…

There were meetings.
Lots of meetings. 😂

There were phone calls, emails, spreadsheets, contracts, schedules, permits, sponsorships, entertainment arrangements, menus, advertising, logistics, troubleshooting and approximately 47 million conversations that began with:

“Okay… what else do we need?” 😂☘️

Behind every festival is a group of people willing to take an idea and do the decidedly less glamorous work required to turn it into something real.

For months, the committee behind THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival worked through the details, the decisions, the changes, the unexpected problems and all those little things most people never know happened.

And then August 15 arrived.

The gates opened.
The music started.
The dancers danced.
The food was served.

People laughed, visited, listened, ate, shopped and celebrated.
And suddenly all those months of work became a festival. 💚🇮🇪

To every member of our 2026 Festival Committee:
GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH.

Thank you for the meetings.
Thank you for the planning.
Thank you for the late nights.
Thank you for answering the phone.
Thank you for solving the problems nobody else ever knew existed.
Thank you for showing up.

And most of all…
thank you for believing that Irish heritage and tradition are worth working to preserve and celebrate right here in the Mahoning Valley. ☘️

The public saw two days.
You know everything it took to get there.
And that’s something worth being proud of. 💚

09/04/2026

🍽️☘️ WHEN WE NEEDED PEOPLE TO STEP UP, THEY STEPPED RIGHT INTO THE KITCHEN.

There are a lot of moving pieces behind a festival, but there is one area where organization, teamwork and timing become especially important:

The kitchen. 😂🍽️

And during THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026, the members of Fr. Corby Assembly #3137 of the Knights of Columbus stepped up and took care of ours. 💚

From preparing food to filling orders and serving our festival guests, they kept the kitchen moving with precision, organization and an incredible willingness to work.

Anyone who has ever worked a festival kitchen knows what that means.

It’s hot. It’s busy. There are multiple things happening at once. Food has to be prepared. Orders have to keep moving. People have to work together.

And once the crowd arrives, there is no pause button.

The Knights rolled up their sleeves and got to work. ☘️

They didn’t simply show up to volunteer for a few hours.

They stepped up and took ownership of one of the biggest operations of our festival weekend.

And we are incredibly grateful.

There’s also something particularly fitting about having Fr. Corby Assembly #3137 as part of an Irish festival.

Their assembly is named for Father William Corby, the Irish American Holy Cross priest and Civil War chaplain remembered for ministering to the famed Irish Brigade and giving general absolution to soldiers before battle at Gettysburg. 🇮🇪☘️

Service was part of Father Corby’s legacy, and service was certainly what we experienced from the Knights who joined us that weekend.

In appreciation for everything they did, THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival was proud to make a donation to Fr. Corby Assembly #3137 of the Knights of Columbus. 💚

It was one way for us to say thank you for a contribution to our festival that was worth far more than what most people ever saw.

To the Knights who prepped, organized, served, cleaned, solved problems and kept everything moving:

GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH. ☘️🇮🇪

A thousand thanks to you all.
Thank you for stepping up.
Thank you for feeding our guests.
Thank you for bringing precision and order to a very busy kitchen.
And most of all, thank you for being there when we needed you.

THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026 was better because you were part of it. 💚☘️

09/04/2026

🛍️☘️ YOU CAN’T HAVE AN IRISH FESTIVAL WITHOUT A LITTLE SHOPPING ALONG THE WAY! 🇮🇪

From Irish and Celtic treasures to handcrafted goods, gifts and plenty of things we didn’t necessarily need but somehow still had to take home… 😂☘️

Our vendors helped make THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026 a whole lot more fun to explore.

They packed their vehicles, hauled in their merchandise, set up their displays and spent the weekend sharing their businesses, talents and creations with all of us.

And just like our musicians, dancers, sponsors and volunteers, our vendors are part of what creates the festival experience. 💚

There’s something special about wandering through an Irish festival, hearing music in the background, stopping to talk with a vendor and discovering something you weren’t expecting to find.

To every vendor who joined us for 2026 — GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH! ☘️🇮🇪

Thank you for choosing to spend your weekend with us and for helping us create a festival filled with Irish culture, community and plenty to discover.

And to everyone who shopped with them:

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES. 💚

Those purchases matter.

👇 Did you bring something home from the festival?

Show us what you bought in the comments — or tag the vendor you found it from! ☘️

09/03/2026

🎩☘️ RYAN T. McBRIDE — 2026 MAYOR OF MALARKEY

🎩☘️ EVERY FESTIVAL NEEDS A LITTLE MALARKEY… AND THIS WAS THE MOMENT WE MADE IT OFFICIAL. 🇮🇪

At THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026, we had the pleasure of announcing Ryan T. McBride as our 2026 Mayor of Malarkey!

And if you weren’t there when it happened, here’s the moment Ryan received the honor. 💚☘️

But there’s a lot more behind our 2026 Mayor of Malarkey than the title.

Ryan’s connection to the Mahoning Valley and his Irish heritage reaches back generations.

His great-great-grandfather settled in the Youngstown area in the early 1800s, with the McBride family establishing roots throughout the Struthers, Springfield and Poland communities. His Irish ancestry traces to County Donegal, as well as neighboring counties including Antrim and Down. 🇮🇪

Through those generations came something Ryan still carries today:

Faith. Family. Hard work. Community.
And a commitment to doing the right thing.
Or, as Ryan himself has long said:

☘️ “Anything worth having is worth working for.”

Born and raised in Poland, Ryan graduated from Poland Seminary High School in 1998 and earned his degree in Civil Engineering from Youngstown State University in 2002.

Since 2013, Ryan has served as Vice President of Operations and partner/owner of The Diamond Steel Construction Company, continuing a Mahoning Valley tradition of hard work forged through generations of his family.

But Ryan’s commitment to his community extends far beyond his professional life. He has served on several community boards and organizations and spent
Fifteen years coaching his three sons in baseball and soccer.

And at the center of it all is family. 💚

Ryan and his wife, Dr. Laura McBride, first met in the fifth grade and married in 2004. Together, they have raised three sons, and Ryan continues to carry forward the Irish heritage, faith and values passed down through generations of the McBride family.

His philosophy is grounded in those values:
Work hard. Believe in God. Raise a family for the betterment of society. Treat people right. Live for the moment.

And perhaps most appropriately for someone entrusted with the title of Mayor of Malarkey…
Make people laugh. 😂☘️

Ryan was humbled and honored by his election as Mayor of Malarkey and looks forward to carrying the Shillelagh into the future.

So, as we continue looking back on an incredible festival weekend, we’re raising a glass one more time to the man who earned one of our favorite titles:

☘️🇮🇪 SLÁINTE TO RYAN T. McBRIDE, OUR 2026 MAYOR OF MALARKEY! 🎩

Ryan, thank you for representing the heritage, humor, family and community spirit at the heart of THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival.

And we’ll leave you with Ryan’s favorite Irish blessing:

☘️
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
☘️💚🇮🇪

Sláinte, Ryan!

09/02/2026

💚☘️ THE FESTIVAL LASTED TWO DAYS. THE WORK BEHIND IT LASTED MUCH, MUCH LONGER.

There is no THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival without volunteers.

It’s really that simple.

Long before the first musician took the stage, the first dancer stepped out to perform, or the first guest walked through our gates, volunteers were already working.

They planned. They organized. They made phone calls. They sent emails. They picked things up and dropped things off. They set up tables, hung signs, moved equipment, prepared food, worked the gates, sold tickets, staffed booths, answered questions, cleaned up messes, solved problems and stepped in wherever another set of hands was needed.

Then festival weekend arrived…

and they kept going. ☘️

Some were there before the gates opened.

Some stayed until long after they closed.

Some spent the weekend in the kitchen. Others worked outside, at the gates, with vendors, around the stages or wherever they were needed next.

And some of the people who helped make this festival happen were never seen by the public at all.

But every single one of them mattered.

Volunteering isn’t simply giving your time.

It’s giving up a piece of your day, your weekend, your energy and sometimes a whole lot of sleep because you believe something is worth doing. 💚

To EVERY volunteer who gave any amount of time to THE Mahoning Valley Irish Festival 2026:

GO RAIBH MÍLE MAITH AGAIBH. ☘️🇮🇪

A thousand thanks to you.

Whether you gave us months, weeks, days or a few hours…

you helped build this festival.

When our community walked through those gates on August 15 and 16, they saw the finished product.

We saw the people who made it possible. 💚

And we hope you know just how grateful we are.

👇 Were you one of our 2026 volunteers? Let us thank you properly — drop a ☘️ below.

And if you know someone who volunteered, tag them and help us fill these comments with the people who made the weekend happen.

The Mahoning Valley Irish Festival

09/07/2026

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