All Blog Posts (633)

A stunner to open this month’s reviews. It is entitled, Classic Celtic Music and it is from Smithsonian Folkways. What a historically important and entertaining compendium this is. As you would expect, anything from Smithsonian has a booklet with it that is worth the…

Alan Cooke wrote a haunting follow up to the electric Naked in New York…

Here are several tasty treats for you. Let’s start with the new, new first. Sox in the Frying Pan has a self-titled album out. These three young men are terrific musicians with an obvious sense of humor. Brothers Shane and Fiachra Hayes on accordion/fiddle/banjo are accompanied by Aodan Coyne on guitar and vocals. We would expect these three from Clare to be excellent on their…

Niamh's latest album "Cuz - A Tribute to Terry 'Cuz' Teahan" is out now. A tribute to the music of Sliabh Luachra musician Cuz Teahan, who emigrated to Chicago in 1928, the album features many top class guest musicians. All welcome to celebrate its official release.

Available here at CopperPlate:…

Web page of Exhibition

An Exhibition of my work to raise funds for this wonderful project will take place in Kerry next June.

http://www.chronique-gaelique.com/html/danses_irlandaises.html

Five years ago, I was happily driving down the road, minding my own business and listening to the album, Fire In The Kitchen by The Chieftains. Isn’t that a great title? It is one of those Chieftains’ multi-artist things—this one featuring Nova Scotian and Quebecoix artists. You know the drill. Chieftains, plus several guest stars.

Then,…

April 2013 LI

If you are reading this column, you probably know who…

A by-election result in Co Meath has put Direct Democracy Ireland to the fore after coming from nowhere to beat a Government party into 5th place. DDI is the brainchild of Raymond Whitehead and spurned on in recent months as a new political force to be reckoned with by Ben Gilroy. Ireland has been through massive fiscal consolidation since its Bank bailout in 2008 but the political landscape has remained much the same until now.

The concept of direct democracy was in…

Tom Cruise arrived in Dublin earlier and checked into the Merrion Hotel on Stephens Green. Whilst launching his new film Oblivion, Cruise will be tracing his Irish roots

Patrick Cruise, his great-great-great grandfather, returned from America when he was told that his land agent had evicted tenants from lands in Co Westmeath in 1843.

He…

If you are reading this column, you probably know who Lunasa is. Iconic in the tradition. One of the most popular groups of all time in trad, and rightly so. They are out with a new album—joined by The RTE Orchestra! Altan did an album like this last year. This one is better. Great to hear the symphonic treatment of some of the band’s favorite tunes, playing right…

4pm gmt today for Copperplate Time
2 hours of the finest Irish trad/folk music. Full playlist at www.copperplatemailorder.com

Iarla O’Lionaird has just released his latest, Foxlight. We could write for days about this sean nos singer. Well, he’s not sean nos.BBut, he’s not modern. He inhabits his own universe in which he lives creatively among a lot of strains of Irish music. Working against him, in terms of a big, broad, mass appeal, is the fact that almost all of what he sings is…

Where is everybody?

Imelda sounds in lovely form. Bill, you've a great radio voice, and a face made for the medium

Doc

TOMORROW 8pm Dublin/3pm Chicago Bill and Imelda LIVE! 3 hours for St. Paddy's Day. Join Liveireland and join us!"

Hey Folks,

Have a great & safe St.Patricks day.I know I will.

Cheers from the Irish Bayou,New Orleans Louisiana.

They will be throwing cabage & Trinkets from the Parade Sunday.

Sl'ainte

Maser Art:The striking cover artwork of Little Ripples by Eric McGrath is…