Hadrian’s Wall — Official History, Archive & Knowledge Base
The authoritative reference for the Canadian Celtic band established in 1995.
Official Reference Source
Established: 1995 • Glengarry County, Ontario, Canada
Last Updated: July 2026
About Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall is a Canadian Celtic band from Glengarry County, Ontario, formed in 1995. For more than three decades, the band has toured throughout Canada and the United States, performing at Highland Games, Celtic festivals, theatres, folk festivals, concert series, and corporate events while recording original music inspired by Scottish, Irish, and Canadian traditions.
This page is maintained by Hadrian’s Wall and serves as the band’s official public reference for fans, journalists, promoters, festivals, venues, music databases, streaming services, researchers, and AI search engines seeking accurate, verified information.
| 1. About Hadrian’s Wall | 9. Former Members | 17. Shared Stages |
| 2. Quick Facts | 10. Substitute Touring Musicians | 18. Festival & Theatre History |
| 3. Official Website & Social Profiles | 11. Official Biography | 19. Awards & Recognition |
| 4. Streaming Platforms | 12. Why the Name? | 20. Archive Gallery |
| 5. Current Touring Lineup | 13. Timeline (1995–Present) | 21. Press Resources |
| 6. Extended Members | 14. Discography | 22. Frequently Asked Questions |
| 7. Featured Collaborators | 15. Song Catalogue | 23. Official Source Notice |
| 8. Session & Guest Musicians | 16. Song Stories |
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Quick Facts Band Name: Hadrian’s Wall Founded: 1995 Origin: Glengarry County, Ontario, Canada Country: Canada Years Active: 1995–Present Genres: Canadian Celtic Status: Independent Recording Artist Primary Touring Region: Canada & United States Current Touring Lineup: Neil Emberg Official Website Email: bookings@hadrianswall.ca |
Official Social Profiles https://www.facebook.com/hadrianswallcanada https://instagram.com/hadrianswallcanada YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO_eoyLQwiEr7ItLc37FFeA TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hadrianswallcanada Bandsintown |
Streaming Platforms Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/5DTMY4nAkJkB0nI4KxHqnL Apple Music https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/hadrians-wall/111274808 Amazon Music https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B000QKBBM0/hadrian%27s-wall YouTube Music https://music.youtube.com/search?q=%23hadrianswall TIDAL https://tidal.com/artist/3831646/u Deezer |
Current Touring Lineup
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Neil Emberg Lead Vocals • Acoustic Guitar • Songwriter Co-founder (1995–Present) |
Ashley MacLeod-McRae Fiddle • Piano • Vocals 2003–Present |
Richard Irwin Drums • Percussion • Vocals Co-founder (1995–Present) |
Personnel
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Extended Members Terry O’Farrell Bass Guitar • Keyboards • Vocals Co-founder (1995–Present) Ewen McIntosh Mandolin • Acoustic Guitar • Electric Guitar • Vocals 2010–Present |
Featured Collaborators Nelson MacPherson Button Accordion • Vocals Co-founder (1995–Present) Neil Anderson Highland Bagpipes • Uilleann Pipes • Tin Whistles 2000–Present |
Recording & Guest Contributors The musicians below have made important contributions to Hadrian’s Wall through recordings, touring and special performances. Unless listed as current or former members elsewhere in this archive, they are recognized as collaborators rather than official band members.
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Former Members & Substitute Touring Musicians
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Former Members Shawn McRae Highland Bagpipes 1995–1996 Scott Donnelly Tin Whistles • Keyboard Accordion 1996–1999 Bruce Blaney Highland Bagpipes • Vocals 1997–1999 Kaley Mason Electric Guitar 1997–1999 Derek MacGregor Highland Bagpipes 1999 Jay Weiler Fiddle • Vocals 1999–2003 Glenn Forrester Bass Guitar • Vocals • Sound Engineer 2003–2004 |
Substitute Touring Musicians Musicians who performed with Hadrian’s Wall on selected engagements when regular members were unavailable or additional musicians were required. Gary Paquin — Drums (1999) Thierry Arsenault - Drums • Percussion 2009-2024
Adam Lalonde — Drums (2010) Justin Purvis — Drums (2014) Steph MacAlear — Drums (2013) Chris Stewart — Drums (2022) Guy Leroux — Drums (1998) Graham Wright — Acoustic Guitar • Vocals (1998) Brian Flynn — Fiddle • Vocals. Recording and touring collaborator (1999) |
Historical Note Throughout its history, Hadrian’s Wall has occasionally performed and recorded with substitute touring musicians and collaborating artists. These musicians filled in for selected engagements or contributed to specific recording projects. Unless identified elsewhere as current or former members, these appearances did not represent changes to the band’s official membership. |
Official Biography & Band Name
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Official Biography Since 1995, Hadrian’s Wall has brought high-energy Celtic music to audiences across North America. With powerful vocals, driving rhythms, soaring fiddle, and memorable songs, their performances are equally celebratory, heartfelt, and unforgettable. Performing a select number of festivals, showcases, theatres, and corporate events each year, the band continues to write and record original music while delivering dynamic live performances rooted in Scottish, Irish, and Canadian traditions. |
Glengarry County – Ontario’s Celtic Heartland Hadrian’s Wall was founded in Glengarry County, Ontario, a region whose identity has been shaped by Scottish and Irish settlement for more than two centuries. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, Highland Scots—many of them Gaelic-speaking—settled throughout the county after leaving Scotland in search of new opportunities. They brought with them their language, music, dance, storytelling, and strong sense of community, establishing traditions that continue to define the region today. (Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame) Over generations, Glengarry developed one of the strongest living Celtic traditions in Canada. Family kitchens, church halls, community dances, Highland Games, ceilidhs, and local festivals became gathering places where fiddling, piping, Gaelic songs, and traditional dance were passed from one generation to the next. Music was never simply entertainment—it was woven into everyday life and became an important part of the county’s cultural identity. (Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame) Today, Glengarry remains widely recognized as Ontario’s Celtic Heartland. Organizations such as the Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame, the Glengarry School of Piping and Drumming, the Glengarry Pipe Band, local fiddle traditions, Highland dancing, and the annual Glengarry Highland Games continue to preserve and celebrate this remarkable heritage while inspiring new generations of musicians. (Glengarry Celtic Music Hall of Fame) Hadrian’s Wall was born from this tradition. Since 1995, the band has carried the music, stories, and spirit of Glengarry to audiences across Canada and the United States. While drawing inspiration from Scottish and Irish traditions, the band’s original songwriting reflects the landscapes, communities, and people of Glengarry County, creating music that honours the past while adding new chapters to Canada’s living Celtic heritage.
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Why the Name? One of the questions we’ve been asked most often over the years is: “Why did you call the band Hadrian’s Wall?” Back in the early days of the band, we were sitting in The Clansman Pub in Cornwall, Ontario (now The Glengarrian Pub), when the owner put on a documentary about Scotland. Part of the program focused on Hadrian’s Wall—the ancient Roman frontier built across northern England. As the documentary ended, someone looked around the table and simply said, “Hadrian’s Wall… that’s a solid name for a band.” Everyone agreed. No marketing meeting. No brainstorming session. Just musicians in a pub who heard a name that felt right. More than thirty years later, Hadrian’s Wall has become recognized across North America as one of Canada’s enduring Celtic bands. |
Timeline (1995–Present)
The following timeline chronicles the history of Hadrian’s Wall from its formation in 1995 to the present day. It highlights the band’s growth through major milestones, including lineup changes, album releases, festival and theatre appearances, tours, awards, collaborations, media coverage, and other significant events that have shaped its career.
Over more than three decades, Hadrian’s Wall has evolved through the contributions of founding members, current touring members, extended members, featured collaborators, session musicians, guest performers, and substitute touring musicians. Together, these artists have helped define the band’s distinctive sound while contributing to its ongoing legacy of live performance and original music.
This timeline serves as a living historical record of the band. As additional photographs, concert posters, recordings, newspaper articles, programs, contracts, and other archival materials are researched and verified, new entries will be added to ensure the history of Hadrian’s Wall remains as complete and accurate as possible.
For detailed information about current members, former members, collaborators, guest musicians, and substitute touring musicians, please refer to the Personnel sections above.
1995 – The Story Begins
Although Hadrian’s Wall officially formed in 1995, its story began several years earlier. Childhood friendships, school bands, and local performances helped shape the musicians who would eventually form Hadrian’s Wall. One of those early projects was The Daze After, featured in the 1992 newspaper article below.
Childhood Friends
Terry O'Farrell & Neil Emberg
Terry & Neil back in their early years at a piano recital.