Let’s hear it for the Ladies! Cherish the Ladies, that is. The group began in 1985 to celebrate the rise of women in what had been a male-dominated Irish music scene.

Cherish the Ladies has moved to the forefront of that music genre, with performances at the White House and the Olympics and on a national public television special.

The ensemble is led by Joanie Madden, who plays flute and whistle, and its shows — including the one on March 1 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center — are known for offering up superb vocals, musicianship, and step dancing.

Cherish the Ladies, 7:30 p.m. March 1, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; $47; (860) 510-0453.