Alana was born and raised (mostly) just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, which is also where she picked the fiddle and got her foundation in Irish music.
In additon to the huge influence of the great musicians in her hometown, her musical schooling came in the form of sessions and workshops like Scoil Eigse as well as at summer camps like Augusta and Swannanoa where she later served on staff. Along the way she was lucky enough to absorb a variety of styles within workshops settings with Liz Carroll, Charlie Lennon, Eileen Ivers, Brian Conway, Willie Kelly, James Kelly, Dougie MacIsaac, Siobhan Egan and many others.While still in Cleveland, she balanced teaching with individual and ceili classes at the now defunct Irish Music Academy of Cleveland, as well as private lessons and frequent appearances with bands like Harp Unstrung, and Tap the Bow. Alana has also performed around the Irish festival circuit, from the Cleveland Irish Cultural, Philadelphia Ceili festival, Wolftrap and the Washington Irish Festival, to Green Linnet's weekend in the Catskills. Somewhere she has a shoebox containing numerous medals in the solo, duet, trio, ceili and grupai cheoil categories from her competitive Fleadh Cheoil past.
Alana left Cleveland for New York City in 2002. She began working at the legendary Paddy Reilly's Music Bar, where she met her future partner in crime, Darryl Conlon, who was entertaining there as part of the McCabes. She and Darryl, along with percussion master Steve Holloway, began a regular Wednesday night gig and also joined up with local faves AlternaTrad.
In 2003, the trio of Darryl, Alana and Steve were offered the opportunity to join a cast of amazing musicians in opening a pub, the now hugely popular Nine Fine Irishmen in the NY-NY Hotel & Casino. Steve departed that same year, but Alana and Darryl remain there, and joined by the crazy talents of Randy, Kyle and Tara, entertain the crazed drunken masses six nights a week.
