We wanted to post up these two tunes which originated in Scotland but have become a part of the regular Irish session repertoire. We hope that you like our version!

1^st Official Packie Duignan Traditional week-end, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim

By Deirdre Parnell, PRO Comhaltas Drumshanbo

Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim would be best known in musical circles as the home of the Joe Mooney Summer School but it has added another string to its bow in the last few years.

Every January for the past…

For those of you that don't know me, I'm Enda Seery a traditional Irish musician from Co. Westmeath, Ireland. I'm currently on the Masters in Irish Traditional Music Performance course at the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick. I have been on an extended Xmas holiday for the past while and I have been composing alot. I thought I would give some views on composing…

Content is king for forums like TradConnect and I want to encourage as many people as possible to use the blog facility on TradConnect. You all know that our aim as a community is to connect as many musicians as possible and you will have read this earlier…

Sometimes it is worth dipping into the video vault and extracting videos that can get easily lost. For any budding guitar player this is a great great version of Si Bheag Si Mhór and one that I keep returning to every now and again. In fact I sent a link to our own session guitar player and said , now learn that by Thursday. I think he is still working on it.

Thanks Ed for this great version. Nice to see your fancy new website as well. It looks great. Members…

I have just discovered that our own Katie Davis Henderson is one half of Killarney which also features Colin Bott's, another Tradconnector, on octave mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass and vocals. Indeed you may not know this but Katie herself is a fine singer and features on a number of tracks on the album. On TradConnect we have had the pleasure of her New Tune a Day which we have used extensively on our…

The Alan Kelly Gang - Small Towns & Famous Nights

This sounds like an exciting prospect from the Alan Kelly Gang and I look forward to getting my hands on a copy of it.

The band is fronted by Ireland’s piano accordion maestro, described by New York’s Irish Voice as ‘in league with the best piano accordionists in the world’, and with three of…

The three greats of Irish music, Martin Hayes, Kevin Crawford and John Doyle are starting their Irish tour off. Get in early as tickets are going like hotcakes, for what is a much anticipated set of gigs.

We…

For more information click…

This year TradConnect will be giving some assistance to one of our members, Máire O' Keefe in the promotion of the Joseph Browne Spring School of Music, which is on February 16th-18th this year.

By background the Joseph Browne Spring School of Traditional Music was initiated in February 2007 in response to the tragic and untimely death of nineteen year-old Joseph…

For fans of Solas you can catch them on the second part of their Irish tour at the moment where they are getting great reviews.  This tour celebrates their latest recording Shamrock City which has a great story behind it.

"This project is somewhat of a milestone for us. It marks the first time in our 15 year history that we are making an album without the support of a…

J im Murray is one of the best and most respected accompanists in traditional Irish music. Hailing from County Cork Jim has toured both nationally and internationally with the A-Z of Irelands top musicians. His new trad Guitar site teaches rhythms, accents and strumming patterns for the Reel, Jig, Slip Jig, Fast Slide, Slow Slide, Polka and Hornpipe. Learn about choosing chords,…

There are many Irish traditional festivals organised throughout the summer months but there are few people who will dispute that Fleadh Nua which started in Dublin in 1970, is the forerunner of them all. The concept of bringing together concerts, céilithe, music, song and dancing workshops, street entertainment, pageants/parades and much more was innovative in its time.…

TradConnect member Paddy O’Brien of County Offaly has just released a second volume of his ground breaking tune collection. Paddy is an All-Ireland accordion champion renowned as one of the most powerful and passionate players of Irish traditional music today.

The collection is called The Paddy O’Brien Tune…

Don't forget tonights folks. Check for tickets first. Frankie started playing the tin whistle at age four, making his first T.V. appearance three years later. At the age of ten years old Frankie began to play fiddle and at the age of seventeen he placed first in the All Ireland Fiddle Competition and in the All Ireland Flute Competition, both on the same…

Plans for the 2012 festival are well underway, we are creating the biggest and best festival programme to date.  As part of the 2012 festival the Dubliners will celebrate their 50^th anniversary concert in the historic surrounds of Christ Church Cathedral, some very special well know guests will join in the celebrations on Friday the 27^th and Saturday the…

For fans of John Doyle who has just teamed up with Martin Hayes and Kevin Crawford under the name the Teetotallers, you can catch is latest release called Shadow and Light, This is his second solo effort and the follow up to Wayward Son(2005), Doyle establishes…

The Gathering Traditional Music Festival  is regarded as being one of the best traditional events in Ireland - one review said it was "like The Willie Clancy Summer school under one roof!" 



The five day events includes concerts, céilí, instrument masterclasses, set dance & sean nos workshops, numerous free music sessions, a full education programme and much more. 

You must know at this stage that I am a big fan of John Carty. This time he has joined up with the legendary Matt Molloy who has been a member of the Chieftains for more than 20 years, and who was one of the founding members of the great Bothy Band. They have just released a live album from Matt Molloys called Pathway To The Wellwith the great Arty McGlynn on guitar. Have a listen…

Submitted by Lorcán MacMathuna

Northern Lights brings a new program in which Traditional Irish music and…