Song Miss Fogartys Christmas Cake added by Mark Gilston

Happy Holidays! I've had a few requests this past week for a song I recorded with Robbie O'Connell many years ago called "Christmas in the Trenches" so I put it up on my website. Also, my late father, Jimmy "Horse" Keane, who celebrated his birthday on Christmas Eve was a great sean-nos singer so I also put a track of him singing "An Caisideach Bán" (Fair Cassidy) too. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.jimmykeane.com

Firstly to all our members, a very Merry Christmas and New Year. And what a year it's been. It was this time last year that myself and a couple of flute players who had been playing together every now and again decided to try and do a weekly practice, get a few more players involved and start a session. All with the goal of improving from where we were at and playing some…

I wish everyone here at Tradconnect a very merry christmas, and big thanks for the fantastic career so far!
Tony, you're the man!
And all participating members - you're the men and women! :)

There is no end to the many ideas that can be generated to promote music. At a local market beside me in Blackrock, Co. Dublin we have the wonderful idea thought up by the local barber. They came up with the idea of sessions in their barber and tattoo shop. They simply brought bands and musicians in and gave them a platform to perform and called it Session TV, creating a…

Anyone lucky enough to get into Newgrange this year?

Today saw the launch of the fourth Free Music Monday posting on GotIreland.com. We're very happy to have Cady Finlayson back on the site. Cady is an American fiddle player based in New York city.  She has performed at venues including Caramoor Center for the Arts, the Blackstone Celtic Festival, and the Great Irish Fair. You can check out the music she has kindly offered for download here …

This is a site we have highlighted before that provides some great tutorials on whistle and flute.  You can also check out the You Tube Channel.  Its been set up by a musician called Sean Cunningham. According to the site it was " created out of an interest in playing traditional Irish music and an interest in web design. The site went live on December 2nd, 2000, although it…

Following the Swedish influence with the Sea Stallions recent album we have similar influences here. Karusell is the debut album from Brian Friel. Official release was on November 18th at St Johns Theatre Listowel,Co Kerry. Brian is joined on the album by friends and fellow musicians Kieran O Loughlin (Guitars), Mick McAuley (Solas,Box),Perry Stenbäck( Nyckelharpa,Dobro),Paddy…

Today i got my new flute from Rob Forbes , a short foot Pratten-esque D- flute in Delrin.

Intonation is lovely, sound is strong and resonant, the flute buzz between your fingers! :)

Only had it for a few hours, but i am impressed so far! A bargain for the price, really!…

Ever wondered what was involved in winning an All Ireland Fiddle title. Here is Mac Dara Ó Raghallaigh competing in 1990. He didn't win that year but came back in 1992 to take the title. Little bit of a wait at the beginning but its worth it

I have long been a fan of Josephine Keegan having many years ago bought some old tapes which I still have and still listen to. It simple and uncomplicated music, but oh so wonderful. She has a new album out called Now and Then. Listen to the sound clips below and see if you agree. Its an album that I will invest in. Check it out.…

We Banjo 3 have just a Music Network Award for being one of the brightest yound music ensembles.

Featuring 3 tenor banjos, mandolins, tenor guitars, guitars, banjolin and vocals We Banjo 3 combine Irish music…

Came across this album which sounds great . Its an album that focuses  solely on the fiddle music from the south west area of Donegal and is called the The Far Side of the Glen. It was launched at this year’s Ennis Trad Festival.



The album  features two well respected Donegal fiddle players, Derek McGinley from Mín A’Chearrbhaigh, in the…

Based on the premise that ‘If you can’t hear it, you can’t play it’, Conal takes a progressive approach to building the students flute technique (What does it Sound like...How is it Done...Where is it Used), starting with the basics (Holding the flute, Breathing, Cuts etc.) and working up to more advanced techniques (Glottal Stops, Rolls and…

Here Is a Great Site, and  might Interest Folk's on here, and is Good for Learning Tunes. Especially Guitar Melody in Irish Traditional.. And he has done a Mighty job with some of my own Compositions.. '' Really Worth a Look ! ''

jim,,,

See Link -…

Delivering an album of Celtic fingerstyle guitar is as difficult a task as any in the Irish tradition. Doing it on your own, with your skill stripped bare for all to see is an even more daunting task. Maintaining the highest of  standards throughout the album takes a player of some technical skill and in…

Old Time and Celtic songs are about whiskey, food and struggle. Bluegrass songs are about God, mother and the girl who did me wrong. If the girl isn't dead by the third verse, it ain't Bluegrass. If everyone dies, its Celtic.

Old Time and Celtic bands have nonsense names like Flogging Molly, Fruit Jar Drinkers and Skillet Lickers while Bluegrass bands have serious gender-specific name like Bluegrass Boys, Clinch Mountain Boys and Backwoods Babes.

The most common Old Time keys…

Christmas 1861

From"The Irish Brigade and its Campaigns" by David Power Conyngham 


Near one of the huge fires a kind of arbour was nicely constructed of the branches of trees, which were so interwoven on one another as to form a kind of wall. Inside this, some were seated on logs, some reclining in true Turkish style.
 Seated near the fire was Johnny Flaherty, discoursing sweet music from his violin. Johnny hailed from Boston; was a musical genins, in his way, and though…

That's the name of my radopshow on www.omroeprijnwoude.nl.... :

SONG FROM IRELAND

is an Irish music programme on Radio Rijnwoude,

the local radiostation for Rijnwoude in the west

of The Netherlands.               

Wim van Gent is the presenter of the show:

"Every week I dedicate a few hours of my time to

Irish music by putting a new show together…