ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Every Sunday at Temple Bar and Grill, a group gets together to listen to live Celtic music. Some of them have been doing it for 35 years.

The group does not have a formal name, but it spans several decades, and has outlasted several bars in the area. Every week this little community joins together to celebrate great music, and even greater friendships.

It started with a chance meeting.

Bob Lann said, “I heard an ad on the radio in 1989 Guinness and Irish music Rochester Brew Pub Sunday nights and at that time, it wasn’t easy to find Guinness or Irish music.”

Over 30 years ago he happened to meet a group of strangers who all had the same thing in common.

“First time I came into a place like this, everybody in the Irish bar was singing and I cottoned on to it and it was the greatest thing ever, and I’ve loved it ever since,” said Martyn Richards.

The group started at Rochester Brew Pub. Then they went to Michael O’Leary’s bar Milestones. When he sold that, they moved to his new place, Temple Bar and Grill. Which is named after the Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland.

“Wonderful people coming out having a really nice time. A lot of camaraderie. Seeing the same faces for 25 years is pretty incredible, O’Leary said.

After a few decades, founding member Laurie Beahon said the group’s still together because of more than just music.

“People looked after me when family members have died and just enveloped me with love and support. And all of the minor occasions in between. Good days, bad days, we love together, we sing together, we grieve together.”

They have collected friends of all nationalities, religions, and ages as the years went on.

Corey Razevich started coming with his now-husband a couple years back.

“We kind of made it a tradition early on in our relationship and we continue that today.”

And they don’t just listen, it’s a sing-along for everyone in the pub.

“Being here on Sunday nights is like traveling back in time 200 years to a neighborhood Irish pub with good friends, sitting around the fire warming themselves, singing the night away. It’s special, it’s unique and once you’ve been part of it, your life is never the same. It’s wonderful,” said Lann.

Harry Roberts was one of the original members of the group and would often sing a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah. He died in his home hours after being with his beloved music and friends at Temple Bar and Grill on Sunday March 10.

Group members told us things won’t be the same without him, but they’re glad he got to spend his last night singing the music he loves with people who loved him.