Irish Trad Music Blog

Since 1993 the Irish Traditional Music Archive has been involved in a programme of audio and video field and studio recording of singers, musicians and dancers. The resulting recordings are being systematically transferred to CD or DVD and catalogued, and many (but not yet all) are available for consultation within the Archive. The rights to these recordings are held by the performers. The Archive has regularly recorded at the Inishowen International Folk Song and Ballad Seminar, which has been held annually in Ballyliffen, Inishowen, Co Donegal, since 1990. Seven songs recorded at the Seminar in the Ballyliffin Hotel in 2008 are freely made available for listening here, with the generous permission of each of the singers ITMA Refno. Song Title Performer 2034-ITMA-DAT Michael Dwyer's Lament Jim MacFarland 2034-ITMA-DAT The Bleacher Boy Maurice Leyden 2033-ITMA-DAT The Greenstone Midge Brian Doyle 2033-ITMA-DAT Larry Morgan  Miceal Ned Quinn 2033-ITMA-DAT Caroline of Edinburgh Town ...

From the 2007 Comhaltas Tour of Ireland concert, a selection of reels started off by button accordionist Peter Staunton of Dublin playing "The Pride of Rathmore Reel". Pete is joined by the full group of musicians and five dancers, concluding with "The Ivy Leaf Reel". The dancers are Aidan Mc Koughlin (Leitrim), Teresa Donaghue (Westmeath), Laura Crossna (Leitrim), Cathal Mc Garrigle (Offaly) and Hannah Longmore (Wicklow).

The famous Rowsome family from Dublin with two jigs: "The Clare Jig" and "The Leitrim Jig". On uilleann pipes -- Kevin, grandson of the great piping master Leo Rowsome, Kevin's wife Lorraine Hickey on fiddle, their daughter Tiarna also on fiddle, Helena and Olivia Rowsome on whistle and piano respectively. They were playing at the annual Tionól Leo Rowsome held at Comhaltas headquarters, Cultúrlann na hÉireann in September 2007 at the special tribute concert to Pádraig Ó Ceallaigh, former President of Comhaltas.

The Evergreen Band live performance of original and traditional Celtic music with Guest Shane Mitchel from "Dervish".Irish music. Accordion Fiddle Bones Cajon Whistle Flute

From the Comhaltas Blog Fleadh Nua Dancers Lay Siege to Ennis in May 2009!! Fleadh  Nua 2009 was launched by well known musician and Clare FM radio presenter Pat Costello in the Glór Irish Music Centre last night (Tuesday, 17th February). An exciting programme of events was announced by Cathaoirleach, Micheál Ó Riabhaigh for the expected 50,000 visitors to Ennis during this 8 day traditional festival. First off will be a record breaking Siege of Ennis. In September, 2005, 8,371 dancers danced the Siege of Ennis in Cork setting a world record for this event but Fleadh Nua, in conjunction with the Special Olympics, expects to break this record on Sunday, 17th May, appropriately in Ennis. To motivate the dancers (if this were necessary in the Banner County) music will be provided by Clare’s own Kilfenora  Céilí  Band. In the year 2009 we celebrate 40 years of this great Irish traditional festival. Headline acts will include Super Trad Group “The Chieftans” in concert in Ennis Cathedral on...

Irish traditional tune index Looking for that tune? This non-profit site is especially useful for both experienced and novice players of traditional Irish music as well as for musicologists. It appears to be unique in the world for its coverage of recorded sources of Irish traditional music. At this point in time, the site offers you at least the following uses: Locate commercial recordings of a tune, given any one of its titles. Locate transcriptions of a tune in a book, given any one of its titles. Discover whether the tune you are listening to or looking at is known under other titles. Find out whether multiple tunes recorded or printed under a given title are actually the same tune or not. Identify unnamed tunes on a recording. Every tune indexed here can be found even if you only know the track title, such as "Sliabh Luachra Polkas" or "Light Jigs." Just use the Tune Search and Finder page to search for the track title. Identify printed tunes that have no title...