Tag Archives: Irish folk music

Proud to be Irish.

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proud to be Irish

Proud to be Irish with photos by tourism Ireland

Don’t be afraid to show your Irish pride, You will not be alone. Be you a Gambler, a Pharaoh, or The Redeemer, for St Patrick’s day, We are all proud to be Irish.

You have to hand it to tourism Ireland for inviting all to the St Patrick’s day celebration.

proud to be Irish-LEANING-TOWER-OF-PISA-

photo tourism Ireland

Whether you lean to the left, are a squishy moderate, or a staunch conservative, all can agree that there is a special connection to our Irish heritage. A love for land that bore the saints, scholars, rebels, and heroes,  that we celebrate on St Patricks Day.

Even Pesa is celebrating the Patron Saint of Ireland.

 

It is time to sing the praises of being connected to your Irish past, They are wearin the green in Serbia too.

 

So the next time some Irish know it all tells you you’re a plastic paddy for enjoying your St. Patricks day, tell them to stuff it. You are not alone. Besides the greening of the worlds iconic monuments, Dublin continues it’s week long celebration of Paddys day. Check out St. Patrick’s festival Dublin, there is still time to pop over to Ireland’s capital city. The “People’s Parade” is set to invite 8000 people to march in the Dublin St. Patrick’s day parade as well. Then there are the parades in Boston, New york, and Chicago.

Maybe learn an old Irish song, or at least find a cd or two and listen to some great Irish music. Favorite Irish music of mine include the classic Irish folk music of the Dubliners, Luke Kelly, Paddy Reilly.

Even better, listen to some good traditional Irish music, Paul Brady, Sharon Shannon, The Bothy Band, The Ivy Leaf.

Proud to be Irish, let me count the ways.

  1. Find a parade
  2. wear your green
  3. sing an Irish folk song
  4. Have a St Patricks day party
  5. Salute ould Ireland with a proper pint
  6. Plan an Irish vacation
  7. Wear your Aran sweater
  8. Buy a pot of Shamrocks
  9. Wear a sprig of shamrocks on your lapel.
  10. Wear a green carnation bout.

St Patricks day is my favorite holiday of the year. No one is obligated to do anything, you get to choose what festivities you like. So lighten up, enjoy the day, have a pint and strike a blow for freedom.

Cheers.

Other stories you might like.

The Best St Patricks day party ever.

St. Patrick’s Day in America-How to cook corned beef dinner

Best Irish Songs

 

 

 

 

Irish Folk Music Meets the Walking Dead.

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In this modern day many a person thinks Irish folk music is reserved for St. Patricks day, or for an occasional pub sing along. This however is as far from the case as one can get. Music is an art form. A fluid medium, sometimes the Irish folk music is updated and is ruined, sometimes it is updated and is reborn. It is clear that when one is defending oneself from waves of zombie walkers there is a need for emotive Irish folk music.

The other nice thing about a good Irish folk song is it is just nice and reassuring to sing around the campfire, lets you suspend you problems of the day. This is especially reassuring when the day was spent avoiding being dismembered or torn apart by post apocalyptic walking dead. So I find it soothing and hopeful that if doomsday hits I have a few good Irish folk tunes to sustain my comrades through the unknown.

Cheers.

 

 

Irish Musician George Murphy, Rising Irish folk star

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Finally, I’ve stumbled upon an Irish musician who respects the folk tradition and has the stuff to back it up. George Murphy is his name and this young man along with assistance from the band The Black Donnellys are the real deal.

Irish musician, Irish folk music

Irish musician George Murphy

One Irish musician and then another comment on George Murphy

“George is the most exciting vocal find in Ireland…”

Phil Coulter

“George has a voice beyond his years.”
Ronnie Drew

George Murphy comes from the tradition of the Dubliners which makes sense as he calls the North Dublin suburb of Beaumont home. A new voice thrust into the spotlight by appearing on the Irish music show “You’re a star”. This gave him the opportunity to sing with some of the legends of Irish folk music, and Irish music in general, such as the Dubliners, Phil Coulter, the Furey brothers and more. George has taken Ireland by storm but still remains relatively unknown over here in the States. We’ll have to remedy that.

For years as the older classic Irish musicians have been dieing off or getting long in the tooth, I have been asking, indeed pleading with folks to find the next Luke Kelly, Jim McCann, or Ronnie Drew. Now I won’t put that amount of pressure on this young fellow, but he is the closest thing to these giants of Irish music that has come along in a long time.

This quote from the Watertown daily times, N.Y. sums up why this young fellow is to be appreciated………

“My development in taste of Irish music kind of grew a few years after I went to see the Dubliners play,” Mr. Murphy said. “I thought they were incredible. Then I listened to some old recordings of Luke Kelly. Those songs really rang out with me. I felt his delivery and performance was second to none.”

Talent and appreciation of the legends of Irish folk, God love him.

Seems like it will be fun to get this fella to play in the Boston area, next thing on my to do list………..Get George Murphy to Boston for some gigs.

Until then if you know of an Irish musician that is starting out and should be heard, spread the word and leave a reply.

Cheers.

 

Irish folk singers are all women

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Now before any of you burly male Irish folk singers get your kilts out of whack, I’m not calling you women. It seems that in this stage of Irish folk, my favorites, the Irish folk singers that sing with such feeling and talent seem to all be women.

Irish Folk singers

Irish folk singers?

I posted a youtube video on the last post of Irish folk singer Luke Kelly, and renowned blogger Emerald at emeraldsire.com agrees that Luke Kelly is legendary. It is said his like will not be seen again, I thought at least a few men would attempt it though. With the passing of Luke, and other giants of folk music Ronnie Drew, Barney McKenna, Tommy Makem, few are left to carry on. Where are you young fellas to keep the music alive, Paddy Reilly won’t live forever you know.

So I went a searching for some male Irish folk singers on the computer and youtube, and with every decent fella that gave it an attempt I would find a better, more soulful, and just can’t be beat lady, singing a better version. So Here’s to the women of Irish Music and beyond.

Delores Keane, Incredible. She does a lot of original and crossover stuff, but I love her versions of classic Irish folk music.

Maura O’Connell, singing The water is wide, slow and haunting version.

Niamh Parsons, I’ve seen Niamh twice now in person, in small cozy halls, where her beautiful soulful voice just takes hold. She’s a very nice person to talk with as well, very normal.

The Corrs better known for the modern pop rock style, the girls aren’t ashamed of their Irish roots and do several Irish folk songs with a bit of updating.

I think I could go on and on, Mary Black, Frances Black, Dervish, the ladies are the backbone of todays Irish folk scene. Many would say that there are plenty of male musicians and singers. They would be right, but these fellas are primarily trad artists. They have done a great job resurrecting and forwarding the traditional Irish tunes. There is a difference. For just good old Ballads and folk songs I think the fellas need to remember their roots or keep a bottle of folk viagra around for the few that are left.

Cheers

Best Irish Folk music, Luke Kelly.

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The more I search the more I am convinced that there will not be another Luke Kelly emerging on the Traditional Irish Folk music Scene. Now granted, it’s a high caliber of singer who even approaches the combination of talent, passion, and feel for the music that was Luke Kelly. Some came close but they are no longer with us either, the likes of Ronnie Drew, Jim Mccan, Paddy Reilly, they sing no more. Where is the next great Irish ballad singer? I search like Diogenes to find an honest Irish folk singer who besides having a talented voice can spill his guts out into a song.

Last night I spent three pints time in the local Irish center pub listening to a singing session, the music wasn’t what prompted this post but the conversation with the fresh faced barman come over to the States on a J1. He was a personable young man doing his studies in real estate management and hailing from Tipperary named Mark. The session lagged and was asking for some requests (never a good sign) so Mark chimed in “Seven drunken nights”, “no”, “well how about Hills of donegal”, “really, well you know Raglan road”. So as a guitar wannabe butchered Raglan road, We had a little chat about Irish folk music.

The talk started like most but was turned into a decent discussion when Mark mentions that ‘they were no Luke Kelly”. I say back ” who is”?, there were some who came close, and one fellow tried to say that the Three Kings who are popular to day were an equal. His words were tolerate but met with disgust, not on the same planet as luke Kelly or Ronnie Drew for that matter. Now the sad part, I ask this young fella from Tipperary, who is replacing the Irish folk singers that have passed, are there any Young Luke Kelly types on the horizon, maybe someone who is tearing up the Irish countryside being true to traditional Irish folk music. His answer was no. There were a few bands playing for a bob or two, but none he could think of that cared as much as the former generation  of musicians. Probably has do do with border relations and the rebel songs causing problems, or maybe a loss of appreciation for the Irish ballads, whatever. So here’s to hoping there is a group of players that love the old songs, and connect to them, like the players of old, but until they make it, I thank God for recordings and I’m breaking out my best of Luke Kelly cd.

Cheers.

Galway Traditional Irish Music festival

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  Galway Traditional Irish Music Festival, Galway Sessions   June 2012

 The Galway Sessions celebrate the annual festival of  traditional Irish music, from Sunday June 11th to Sunday June 17th. Oh crap that’s this weekend, If you are in Galway then thank your lucky stars, but if you are in Dublin or Clare you might think about spending a day or two in Galway and hear some Great Irish Trad.
The Crane

The Sessions  beginnings are traced to The Crane Bar’s Mick Crehan who loves Irish Music and Scottish traditional bands

The Highlights of the 2012 Festival will include:

  • Mundy
  • Curtis Blackwell (USA) & His Dixie Bluegrass Boys
  • Tulla Ceilí Band
  • Kinlochardd Ceilidh Band (Scotland)
  • Museum Folk Dancers (Norway)
  • Lazik (France)
  • Cormac Cannon
  • Lamond Gillespie
  • John Blake
  • Danny O’Mahoney
  • Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh
  • Michelle O’Brien
  • Laoise Kelly
  • Anne Conroy-Burke

You can find the traditional  Irish music flowing from The Crane Bar. For information call

The Crane Bar  091 – 587419

www.thecranebar.com 

 

Galway is a lively city and what I like best, is it almost always has great Irish music, the variety of Irish music is what is most enjoyable. The Irish folk singers belting out the best Irish songs that have been sung for generations, or the newer classics by Pete St. John or the Furey brothers. Then there are the Irish session players, skillfully playing Irish tunes and staying true to their roots, really doing justice to the music. There really is nothing to compare with the anticipation of a great night when you hear the music flowing out of a classic Irish pub like the Crane. And when you have a ceili band playing and the folks dancing around you have the recipe for some mighty craic. So make your way down to the crane this weekend, try to use some good pub etiquette, listen and appreciate some of the best of Irish folk songs and Irish session music that can be found.

Cheers.

Niamh Parsons, a true gift from Ireland

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Niamh Parsons will be performing at the Rhode Island Ceilidhe Club Cranston,  on June 16 2012. Niamh has the most harmonic and melodic voice in the folk scene period. To listen to the effortless production of pure emotion in song, is indeed a pleasure. It is not often when a singer can appeal to such a broad an audience as Niamh does, I am an old Irish folk lover grounded in the days of Luke Kelly and Paddy Reilly, my daughter is an Irish session player and lover of the next generation of Irish tune players. We both marvel at the talent of Niamh Parsons. My hope is to have a few words with her after the Rhode Island appearance and regardless will review the event.

The fellow playing the guitar Graham Dunne  a Dubliner whose abilities and subdued sensitivity are an awesome match to Niamhs’ singing. Rarely can it be said that the parts are truly as good as the whole, but in this case it is pleasantly so.

Some of the local venues on the east coast for Niamh parsons;

Rode Island Ceilidhe Club

The Commodore barry Club Philly

Blue Portland Maine

 

and if you are in the Portland area on May the 30th checkout another favorite of this website traditional Irish band” The Ivy Leaf.”

 

Hope to see you you at the concert and looking forward to hearing Niamh and Graham,

Oh and if you have some up and coming Irish musician I’d appreciate you sharing and leave a comment,

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

Ireland, Irish folk music legacy

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Ireland, the legacy of Irish folk music may be the greatest gift given to her emigrant sons and daughters. I have my opinion on who is the best Irish folk group to listen to on St. Patricks Day, who is your favorite Irish folk music band, of today or yesterday?

Yea, Paddy is my favorite Irish music singer of Ireland,link to Dara records for Paddy Reilly cd’s, You really can’t go wrong with The double cd- Gold and silver days-  For other great Irish folk music artists and Irish folk music songs, check out my top ten Irish music cd’s.

cheers

Tell me who is your favorite Irish folk music band?

Irish Folk Musician, Chris Lucas, Johnny Foxes

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The Irish music coming out of Johnny Foxes one winter evening was some of the best traditional Irish folk music I had  heard on my whole trip to Ireland some fifteen years ago. The Irish musician Chris Lucas was playing at Johnny Foxes and he was terrific. We got to talking and I have Chris get me a cd so I could submit it to a couple of fellows who distributed Irish music in the states. Chris handed over the recording and with a, you are so full of it shrug, returned to playing his classic Irish folk music. I put the cd in my bag and when I got home made some calls on his account, a few months pass and one of the cd distributors ask if he would be willing to do some personal appearances, that it’s a tough business, no guarantees yadda yadda yadda. So nothing ventured nothing gained, I call the number on the cd case and it’s disconnected, I try to find him in Dublin phone directories, no luck, google him for Irish folk musician Dublin, nothing. I call back my friend at the distributorship and he tells me that it was probably a long shot anyway, let it go.

So time passes and “Troubled Times” by Chris Lucas is one of my favorite Irish music cds and gets full play at the St Patrick’s celebration I have each year. Other lovers of Irish music ask me were they can get a copy and I have to let them copy mine, which kills me because I like musicians to make money on their talent, not have it recorded and given away. My daughter while at Providence College, DJ’d an Irish music radio show on the college station, and wouldn’t you know my copy of Chris’s cd ended up on her playlist, It did sound nice hearing it on the Irish radio station.

Paddy Barry's

Irish Music-Paddy Barrys

Each year on occasion I would google a search for Chris Lucas Dubliner, Irish Music, Irish folk singer, but nothing would turn up. Now this will show how small the world is. This year just before Christmas I’m at Paddy Barrys Pub in Quincy Ma., the best little pub in Massachusetts, and there are several local musicians in attendance. I’m talking with Paul Kenney, An accomplished Irish Musician in his own right, about nothing in particular,when I ask Paul what part of Ireland he is originally from. Paul tells me he’s from Dublin and goes on to talk about some of the parts of Dublin and has some funny stories to tell, so I ask him if he ever heard of an Irish musician named Chris Lucas. “Oh Chris, he grew up two house down from me in Dublin” , I nearly fell off my stool, I ask Paul where has he been for the last 15 years, and he tells me he’s still playing and that he was over in the Boston area a few years ago. I finally did manage to find a youtube video, but I wasn’t sure if it was him, he seemed a lot older than he was 15 years ago.

Cheers

Finnegans Wake

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Finnegans Wake, the classic up tempo Irish folk music song is a must have for the Irish song troubadour. There are two ways to learn Finnegans Wake that will ensure it is sung with true Irish feeling and empathy.

  • The first is to lock yourself up in an ancient Irish castle or round tower and read the entire works of James Joyce, culminating with his 676 pages of Finnegan’s Wake.
  • The second would be to listen to different versions of the Irish folk music classic and keep an ear out for the proper feel of this Irish folk song.
It’s a tough choice I know but if you are willing to put in the time, I’ll suggest a few Irish folk musicians who do the song justice.
Finnegans wake by Christy Moore, slower tempo but has good feeling

Finnegans wake byThe Irish Rovers, they do a decent job, a little more life in this Irish folk music classic

But the Best version Of Finnegans Wake is and always has been the Clancy Brothers, You would think that after all this time there would be an Irish folk group to do the music justice, The story telling before the song gets a little old though. The Reunion cd.

Modern Irish music groups that have given Finnegans Wake a try include The Dropkick Murphy’s, a good old Boston rock/Irish influenced version if you like the Murphy’s you’ll enjoy this rock version.

The Fenian Sons give it a try, but still don’t have the true feeling for the song.

The best hope for new old Irish folk music might be The Orthodox Celts from Serbia

Yea I know this video isn’t Finnegans wake, but their youtube version just didn’t come through right and I wanted to give these guys some credit.

Cheers.