Irish Trad Music Blog

Girsa's music video for "Immigrant Eyes" filmed on Ellis Island July 4th 2009. The young ladies in Girsa play traditional Irish music and perform at events, concerts and festivals. They currently are attending high schools and colleges and come from northern NJ and Pearl River NY. The song was written by Guy Clark and recorded at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum , courtesy of the National Park Service, and was produced by the volunteers of WCTV.

Image via Wikipedia " Turlough O'Carolan , a blind Irish harper and composer from the early 18th century, has found a home in Worcester. Fans of his music have built an annual festival that is now in its fourth year. What started as a gathering of friends and acquaintances primarily from central Vermont who wanted to play O'Carolan's music and celebrate his work, has became a popular, albeit small festival. The fourth annual Carolan Festival will be held on Saturday, June 26, beginning at 1 p.m., at the Mallery Farm in Worcester. For the past three years about 75 people have gathered at the Mallery Farm to play some of the 215 melodies attributed to O'Carolan. Included in the day's events have been workshops, Irish step-dancing , performances by attendees, discussions of the composer's work and a tasty potluck supper." Music of Irish legend celebrated: Times Argus Online :

"Girsa (pronounced “gershah”), which is Gaelic for “girls” is the coming together of 8 to 12 young second generation Irish American ' New York ' young ladies. America's most prolific Irish Musicians and Performers, between all of them: Maeve Flanagan- fiddle , whistle, sucka m.c Deirdre Brennan- fiddle, mandolin , vocals Pamela Geraghty- accordion , guitar , vocals Emily McShane- piano , guitar, vocals, bodhran Blaithin Loughran- accordion Bernadette Flanagan- piano, bodhran Margaret Dudasik- fiddle, vocals Kristen McShane- fiddle" Second Generation Irish American Girl Band "GIRSA" Take The USA and the World By Storm | IrishCentral :

Image via Wikipedia "The music of Ireland is known for its presentation and distinct melody created by performers that make it immediately identifiable as hailing from the Emerald Isle. But the instruments used-such as fiddles, banjos , accordions and harps-can also be found in the musical traditions of other countries. Irish music ensemble Bru Boru has been playing at the Shanghai Expo's Ireland Pavilion. The group has been proving to audiences from around the globe that knowledge of Irish culture or even the country itself is not necessary to savor its music. Eileen O'Brian is a lecturer at the University of Limerick . She plays the fiddle in the group and has been with Bru Boru for many years. 'Music is the universal language , same as Chinese music , any music from any other society in the world. You're able to communicate through your music. We've always felt it was a great way of breaking down barriers and making contact with people of other ethn...

Image via Wikipedia "THE IRISH music centre Glo in Co Clare “nearly went under” last year before huge cuts were made in the centre’s operation, its director said yesterday. Katie Verling said Glor recorded a loss of €2,500 to the end of December last, which she said was “an extraordinary achievement in the circumstances”. The Ennis -based centre is to celebrate its 10th anniversary next year. Ms Verling said it was facing a loss of €140,000 in March of last year before cuts amounting to €580,000 were made." €580,000 in cuts saved music centre - The Irish Times - Wed, Jun 23, 2010 :

Colgate Park will host Bennington Irish Music Festival - Bennington Banner : "BENNINGTON -- Colgate Park will host the first Bennington Irish Music Festival to take place Saturday, Sept. 4 and Sunday, Sept. 5, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. both days. A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit three area organizations: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, the Center for Communication in Medicine and Sacred Heart Saint Francis de Sales School. Over the course of two days, the event will boast over 20 hours of music including internationally know acts such as Maura O’Connell, Black 47, Young Dubliners, McPeake and 10 times Irish National Fiddle Champion, Seamus Connolly. Other performers include Jerry O’Sullivan, Laurel Martin Trio, Kieran Jordan and the Highland Rovers."

Documentary - Irish band Danú accompany the Taoiseach (prime minister) on a trade mission to India in January 2006, meet some great local musicians and get around town to explore and meet people, with a few surprises on the way! Includes footage from inside the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai in all its glory prior to an attack by terrorists on November 26 2008.

"One word would not be adequate to describe the musical style of Iona, a renowned Celtic band from the United Kingdom. After 21 years together, six studio releases and three live albums, they still haven’t nailed down a specific category their music fits into. “We’ve used a variety of descriptive words over the years,” says Joanne Hogg, the lead vocalist. Hogg, who also plays acoustic guitar and keyboards, is a native of Northern Ireland. “Melodic, atmospheric, progressive — it’s been called all of those.” The band’s musical style is a blend of folk, classical and progressive rock with a touch of Celtic. Much of their music features the uilleann pipes and Irish whistles, Hogg says." ReporterHerald- Jig is up for Celtic band Iona :

"Irish music isn’t just fiddles and jigs in 2/4 time. The scene is actually much more diverse, with influences of hip-hop, reggae and jazz finding their way into many modern bands. For a taste of that diversity, you can’t do any better than Aviator’s Irish Music Festival on June 26 and 27, when 10 bands will bring Irish music, both traditional and contemporary, to Floyd Bennett Field. Headlining both nights is Black 47. Now in its 20th year on the road, this Manhattan-based band has become the face for American Irish rock music — a poor man’s U2. Not that that’s a bad thing. The band has gained fans for their Celtic leanings, with music that borrows from Irish instrumental tradition and adds in reggae, hip-hop and jazz influences — a true child of the city." YourNabe.com > Archives > Brooklyn Heights Courier > Ent News > Rad trad! Irish Music Festival at Floyd Bennett Field this weekend :

"David O’Docherty was remembered by Island friends and family this week as a gifted musician, an expert in traditional Irish music, artist and storyteller. Mr. O’Docherty died while swimming in Katama Bay on Saturday morning, Massachusetts state police confirmed on Sunday. He was 75 and had come to the Vineyard last week to play the tin whistle for the annual Bloomsday celebration in Vineyard Haven. A resident of Lynn, he had been coming to the Vineyard since 1973 and had lived on the Island for a time in the late 1970s." Dubliner, Irish Music Expert Dies While Swimming in Bay - 6/22/10 - Vineyard Gazette Online :

"VODAFONE IRELAND is in talks with the record industry to join Eircom in its “three strikes and you’re out” rule for those involved in illegal file-sharing. The company is the second biggest internet service provider (ISP) in the State with 21 per cent of all fixed broadband connections along with a substantial mobile broadband customer base. Between them Eircom and Vodafone provide nearly two-thirds of all household broadband connections in the Republic." Vodafone in line to join file-sharing clampdown - The Irish Times - Wed, Jun 16, 2010 :

The Irish Emigrant : "Connecticut Irish Festival, Feis and Agricultural Fair will once again highlight the best in Irish dance, sport, music, and culture at the North Haven Fairgrounds on June 26 and 27. Organized and presented by the East Haven-based Irish American Community Center (IACC), the festival has proven a hit, year after year, among all ages. According to Connecticut Irish Festival representative Dennis Regan, 'Every year the hallmark of all of our efforts and all of our community involvement is the festival, where every facet of Irish culture is on display and available for enjoyment.'"

Image by MPBecker via Flickr Chicago's Irish Community Comes Together To Help Natasha McShane - cbs2chicago.com : "From the South Side to the North Side, the City of Chicago banded together�Sunday�to help Natasha McShane. The woman from Northern Ireland remains hospitalized after she was severely beaten in the Bucktown neighborhood. As she makes a slow and steady recovery, Chicagoans came together to raise money for her, as CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports."

Irish festival kicks it up a notch : "The Worcester Irish Music Festival was founded just three years ago, but it already looks like it will become evergreen. The first year the event drew 2,500 people, and last year 3,000 showed up. “We're hoping that with the strong talent that we've brought in this year, we're going to be able to build on the numbers from the previous years,” said John W.S. Creedon Jr., event co-chairman. “It's come together pretty effectively. I think it resonates with a lot of people in Central Massachusetts and throughout New England.”"

Image via Wikipedia "A new website featuring information by some of Ireland’s best known artists and music groups has been launched. Irish Music Legends features band information, concerts reviews, discographies, line-ups. Featured artists include Clare’s Sharon Shannon and Martin Hayes , as well as Altan, Mary Black , Frances Black , The Black Velvet Band , Danu, De Danann , Dervish, Hothouse Flowers, Horslips, In Tua Nua, Eileen Ivers, Dolores Keane , Kila, L�nasa, Moving Hearts, Maura O’Connell , The Pogues and The Waterboys. For more see www.irishmusiclegends.com" Irish Music Legends Now On Show In One Location :

: "Tommy Sands has a lot of experience with conflicts. Crowned the Irish Pete Seeger for his musical political activism in his native Ireland over the course of five decades, the 64-year-old folk singer became known as the voice of reason during the bloody Protestant-Catholic battles in Northern Ireland. Now he’s hoping he can calm the jangled nerves of our region and use his Irish experience to show that even the most bitter of conflicts can have a sweet ending. Of course, the fact that he wrote “Shores of Gaza,” which was chosen to be the theme song for the Rachel Corrie ship, which sailed from Ireland last month as part of the Gaza flotilla of aid ships, might indicate his sympathies lie with a certain party in the Mideast conflict" A voice of reason

Image via Wikipedia "ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIAN and band leader Tom Cussen grew up in the Broadford/Newcastle west area of Co Limerick – known locally as ‘the gateway to the south west of Ireland’ – in the early 1960s. From an early age he was drawn towards traditional Irish music and was fortunate in that he lived in close proximity to the trad heartland just across the border in counties Clare , Kerry , and Cork . “When I was growing up I used to go to hear the Tulla and the Kilfenora ceili bands playing,” Tom recalls. “Certainly there was a lot of music in the area but it was in very small confined cliques. “While my own father and mother weren’t great musicians they certainly were always interested in music and were forever listening to the radio. You just had to shut up and listen quietly when the wireless was on! I suppose I sort of picked up their love of music by association and developed it much later.”" Influential trad group Shaskeen celebrate ruby anniversa...

Image via Wikipedia "Grada make a welcome return to Galway and the sessions to launch their exiting new album “Native Angle”. Taking time out from a hectic touring schedule last autumn the band recorded the album in Nashville with American folk icon Tim O’Brien as producer. The resulting album is part American, a tad bluegrass and all of the expertly played Irish music that Grada are known for. “there have always been similarities and connections between Scottish, Irish and American folk music due to the continual migration flow back and forth across the Atlantic” explains band member Andrew Laking “And we’ve always felt a connection with Americana music, which has strong historical links to Ireland”." The Stirling and Galway Sessions 10 Featuring El Sistema, Don Stiffe, Tom Doherty, Kinlochard Ceilidh Band, Fuaim Chonamara, John & Dessie O’Hallorhan, Mick Crehan & Colm Naughton, Iain McFarlane, Ingrid Henderson, Ewan Robertson & Charlie McFarlane, Jenna Reid,...

"The musical maelstrom known as Gaelic Storm again is raging toward the Muskegon shore. The acoustic band that in 2001 and 2008 performed here at the Michigan Irish Music Festival will headline the 2010 event, festival officials have announced. Running from Sept. 17-19, the festival, as always, will be held at Heritage Landing, which is located off the shore of Muskegon Lake in downtown Muskegon. Officials for the 11th annual event also have announced that scheduled to perform this year are Leahy, The Elders, Slide IE, Seamus Kennedy, Millish, Danny Burns, Blackthorn, Switchback, Kennedy’s Kitchen and The Waxies. “Any of the artists ... could be the headliner at this or any other Irish festival,” Chris Zahrt, festival president, said in a prepared statement. “To have them all here, in one place, is really quite remarkable.”" Band lineup set for this year's Michigan Irish Music Festival | - MLive.com :

Fleadh Nua 2010 Draws To A Close In Ennis : "County Clare’s reputation as Ireland’s Capital of Traditional Music gained further lustre with Fleadh Nua taking over the town of Ennis for the last 9 days. http://www.clareherald.com/art-a-entertainment/music/1953-fleadh-nua-2010-draws-to-a-close-in-ennis.html