'It's World-Class': Crowds Show Out For Return Of Tulsa IrishFest

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tulsa IrishFest is back. Tulsa IrishFest was last celebrated in 2020. However, the festival had to go on hiatus from 2021 to 2023.

For some people, it's their first time experiencing Tulsa IrishFest. For others, like musician Danny Boy O'Connor, they're happy to see the festival get back to Tulsa.

"I’m super excited to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma celebrating Irish heritage right across the street from where I live," O'Connor said.

Every year IrishFest has been put on in Tulsa, it's grown. This year, all the fun is at River West Festival Park after being in the downtown Tulsa area initially. Festival emcee Eamonn de Coigan believes the festival will only continue to get bigger and bigger.

"It’s world-class. It could compete with anywhere. The only place I could imagine would be better would be the sphere in Las Vegas. The money that they put into this, they really put a huge tremendous effort into making this one of the best Irish festivals in the world," de Coigan said.

Author TJ English got his first taste of Tulsa IrishFest this weekend. He said events like these are important for Irish Americans to honor their heritage.

"We often lose touch with our roots, and we need to remind each other. We need to celebrate it, and it needs to be a part of our annual cultural experience," English said.

Many of the Irish Americans are proud of the way Tulsans are embracing Irish culture through IrishFest.