Irish vocalist and Celtic harpist Elise McKnight will begin her Monday St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a Sunday concert at the Lakewood Public Library. Everyone is invited to sing along when they know the words. Lesser-known ballads will also be sprinkled in to give celebrants a chance to sit back and enjoy the depth of the beauty of Irish culture. And because it’s a party, light refreshments like Irish soda bread baked by the performer herself will be provided. “Irish Songs to Melt the Heart” takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the New Main Library Auditorium on Sunday, March 16.

You don’t have to be Irish to appreciate McKnight’s sonorous voice and delicate playing. Everyone who enjoys good music is invited. Still, the St. Patrick’s Day holiday means a lot to the performer. She’s grateful to the Friends of Lakewood Public Library for the opportunity to be, “presenting real cameos of Irish culture instead of drinking songs. I am Irish 365 days of the year and grateful that America was and is a haven for so many heritages, wronged abroad and accepted here.”

Originally a vocalist, McKnight picked up the Celtic harp three years ago. “I needed an instrument to accompany my singing. The harp has such an entrancing sound and it’s similar to playing the piano, which I already knew. The smaller sized harp (without pedals) is light and easy to take into many settings. I’m also interested in the therapeutic power of harp music. And I’m drawn to the fact that it was played by both King David and the Irish King, Brian Boru.”

For McKnight, calling her show “Irish Songs to Melt the Heart” is a personal goal, not a boast. Her favorite part of performing these songs is, “connecting the audience and myself to another realm of beauty and understanding. It heals. It inspires. It reveals things to all of our hearts that otherwise would be buried.”