CASTINE, Maine (AP) — Maine Maritime Academy is getting into to the St. Patrick’s Day spirit a week early with an Irish sea shanty concert.

The group From Away DownEast will perform a show entitled “Songs of Irish Sailors.” The concert Saturday was featuring songs from the era when many sailors on British and American ships were Irish and Irish-American, and they passed the time with songs that were both raucous and sentimental.

The term comes from either the English word chant, or the French word chanter (SHAN’-tay), which means to sing.

Besides celebrating the Irish holiday, the concert will promote an upcoming maritime music course taught by group member Stephen Sanfilippo at Maine Maritime Academy.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.