For the moments that call for atmosphere rather than volume, The Doggy Few plays pure, acoustic Irish music. In an understated, (semi-)acoustic line-up we bring the Celtic tradition to life — as warm background music while your guests arrive, or as a concert people sit down to listen to.
Whether it is a ceremony, a reception, a cultural evening or a small hall, the music adapts to the room instead of filling it.
The Doggy Few is based in Groningen and has played Irish and Celtic music since 2003. The same band that can turn a pub upside down also plays quietly — that is a deliberate choice, not a watered-down version. Irish music holds as many still songs as fast ones; the slow ballads are where the story lives.
Our bodhrán player and singer Peter comes from Drumcondra, on the north side of Dublin. He once opened the first proper Irish pub in the north of the Netherlands — and this band grew out of it, when a few regulars decided to start playing together. What you hear from us is not an imitation: it comes from someone who grew up with it.
Between 2016 and 2025 we played Zomerfolk in the Stadspark in Groningen four times. The same band that gets a festival crowd dancing will play your ceremony as softly as it needs to be played.
Celtic Live Music for Your Wedding
Looking for a distinctive, warm musical setting for your ceremony? Celtic music gives a wedding day something romantic and personal. Depending on the room and what you have in mind, we play as a full band or slimmed down to an Irish folk duo.
During an acoustic set the emphasis is on craft:
- Traditional Irish ballads: beautiful, story-telling songs and close harmony singing.
- Traditional instruments: the warm, recognisable sound of acoustic guitar, tin whistle, bodhrán and mandolin.
In practice we usually split a wedding day into three moments: quiet music while the guests arrive, one song at the moment that matters — walking in, the rings, walking out — and then something looser during drinks. Which songs those are, we go through with you beforehand. A song that means something to you personally we are glad to learn; just let us know in good time.
The Irish Dance Workshop: Your Guests Join In
This is where an evening with us turns. Alongside playing, we run a ceili workshop — Irish group dancing, to live music. We get people out of their chairs, teach them a few basic steps, string those into a dance, and then play for it. No dancing experience needed; if you can follow a step at a steady pace, you can join in.
At a wedding this is the moment the two families end up in the same line. The groom's cousins and your grandmother, side by side. It works better than any icebreaker, and nobody needs to know how to dance.
The workshop is optional and lasts as long as suits your day — fifteen minutes between two sets, or a longer block as the centrepiece of the evening. Tell us what kind of crowd is coming and we will pitch it accordingly.
A House Concert by an Irish Folk Musician
Bring the Irish tradition literally into the room with a house concert. This is the purest way to hear the music: informal, with plenty of space for the stories behind songs that are centuries old.
A house concert asks very little: a room where people can sit, and a socket in case we want any amplification. Usually we do not even need that. Nothing has to be built, there is no sound engineer, and afterwards everybody simply stays and talks — that is part of it.
The Ballads: Where the Stories Are
Acoustically we draw mostly on the Irish and Scottish ballad tradition: songs about leaving, longing, the sea and coming home. From our repertoire you might hear:
- Spancil Hill — an emigrant's dream of returning to Clare at night.
- Black is the Colour — one of the finest love songs in the tradition.
- Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go? (Wild Mountain Thyme) — the song everyone knows without knowing where from.
- Fiddler's Green, Caledonia, Loch Lomond and Clare to Here — songs about leaving and missing.
- The Foggy Dew and Back Home in Derry — Irish history, sung.
The full repertoire, with lyrics and chords, is on our songs page.
Line-up to Fit: From Duo to Five Musicians
Not every room calls for five musicians. We match the line-up to the place and the occasion:
- Duo: vocals and guitar with fiddle or Irish flute. Right for a ceremony, a reception or a small living room.
- Trio or quartet: the bodhrán joins, and the melodeon for anyone who wants something livelier too.
- Full band: five musicians — vocals and guitar, Irish flute, melodeon, fiddle and bodhrán — playable acoustically if the room allows.
Not sure which fits? Describe the room and the moment in your enquiry and we will advise you honestly — including when a smaller line-up is the better answer.
What it costs, roughly: a duo starts at € 550, the full band at € 1,250. Call us on +31 6 5371 6249 and we will agree one total price — travel, sound and VAT included — put down in a contract. So you know exactly where you stand, and so do we.
Frequently Asked Questions about Irish Wedding Music
How much does it cost?
A duo starts at € 550, the full band at € 1,250. Call us on +31 6 5371 6249 and we agree one total price including travel, sound and VAT, put down in a contract, so there are no surprises afterwards.
How does the dance workshop work?
We teach the guests a few basic steps of Irish group dancing, string them into a dance and play live while everyone dances. No experience needed. It is optional and lasts as long as suits your day.
Can you play without a PA system?
Yes. In a living room, a small hall or outdoors with a limited group we play fully acoustically. For a larger group or noisy surroundings we use light amplification.
Will you play a song we choose ourselves?
Often, yes. If it suits our style and we hear about it in good time, we are glad to learn it. Ask when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether it will work.
How long do you play during a ceremony?
The day decides that, not the band. It usually comes down to a few separate moments rather than continuous sets. We agree the running order with you or your master of ceremonies beforehand.
Do you travel outside Groningen?
We play throughout the Netherlands; Belgium and Germany by arrangement. Travel is part of the total price we agree, so you know in advance what it comes to.
After something louder — a pub night or a festival full of jigs and sing-alongs? See our page on the Irish party band. Want to see us live first? Our gig calendar is on the home page.
Talk Through the Repertoire and Check a Date
Every occasion asks for its own music. We are happy to go through the setlist with you so the music sets exactly the right tone for your day.
Use the form below to ask about a date, or call us and we will talk it through.