The Blarney Pilgrims Podcast

Episode 38: Joe Fitzgerald (Accordion, singing)

February 26th, 2020  |  1 hr 19 mins

The great Joe Fitzgerald, of east Clare and Melbourne. On first hearing his mother play the melodeon. On drovers, the bush, and working with his father. On lost players: Mick Minogue, Mrs Brady, Mrs Purcell and Frank MacNamara. Growing old and the curative power of music and song. 

Episode 37: Hajime Takahashi and Kaoru Sumitomo (Guitar and Fiddle)

February 18th, 2020  |  1 hr 7 mins

fiddle, guitar, hajime takahashi, japan, japanese, kaoru sumitomo, kyoto, session, tokyo

The Mountains of Pomeroy with Eileen O'Brien at 4 in the morning, the session as a conversation, finding your own style, Junji Shirota, Japanese folk songs and Good Times in O'Hara's

Episode 36: Sean Lally (Uilleann Pipes)

February 11th, 2020  |  1 hr 13 mins

manchester, reeds, statia donnelly, the blackbird / colonel fraser, the may morning dew, tionól, uilleann pipes

Floating Tionóls, learning traditional Irish music, temperamental reeds, South American Shaman, growing up in Manchester, the importance of learning on a good instrument and carrying on a cultural tradition.

Episode 35: Cathy Custy (Concertina)

February 5th, 2020  |  1 hr 21 mins

cathy custy, concertina, irish music australia

Concertina player Cathy Custy on quietly slipping into a session after not playing in public for many years. On gently making a space for music in her life again. On growing up, leaving Ireland and making a home elsewhere. On the challenges of teaching adults to play simple tunes well, and how a teacloth covering the sandwiches in a cafe in Palmerston North nearly changed her life.

Episode 34: Jody Moran (Whistle, Banjo, Lilting and Piano Accordion)

January 28th, 2020  |  1 hr 13 mins

irish banjo australia, irish music wodonga, jody moran, piano accordion, wodonga musicians

Finding a set of Uileann Pipes in Yackandandah, VIC; getting your eyes gouged and goolies grabbed in the south of France; winning at the Fleadh when you're eleven; lilting, teaching your children to play at a young age. And getting to know and love Australia.

Episode 33: Tola Custy (Fiddle)

January 22nd, 2020  |  1 hr 59 mins

comhaltas, comhaltas ceoltóirí éireann, frank custy, irish fiddle, micho russell, the last jar, tola custy

Clare born fiddle player Tola Custy on how Irish music nearly died and how his father and others of his generation saved it. About out of tune whistling, the woman who bossed the Tulla Céilí Band, Radical Comhaltas, the waltzes in his head and much else besides. Epic.

Episode 32: Geoff McArthur (Mandolin, Guitar, Singing)

January 15th, 2020  |  1 hr 14 mins

ballarat, eureka stockade, geoff mcarthur, koroit, lake school, songwriting

Lunasa disturb the sleeping Geoff McArthur, Martin Hayes bewitches him, and hey presto - Geoff falls in love with Irish music. We also talk songwriting, teaching and mentoring young musicians at the Lake School of Celtic Music, Song and Dance in Koroit. And he sings a song and makes us cry. Can't ask for more than that.

Episode 31: Jack Brennan (Uilleann Pipes)

January 8th, 2020  |  1 hr 7 mins

coppers and brass, handmade, jack brennan, lake school, leo rowsome, pipes, uilleann pipes

Jack Brennan talks to us about finding the pipes, The French Resistance, catching serial killers, Leo Rowsome, Coppers and Brass and loving your instrument.

Episode 30: Smash Hits 2019 - Volume 2

December 31st, 2019  |  54 mins 13 secs

(too big for ya) boots - michelle doyle and mickey o'donnell, as the crow flies - liz carroll, clan o'grady march - ciaran o'grady, donal og - kate burke, john doherty tune - tracey mckeague, mullingar races - david game, she moved through the fair / danish song / borders tunes - sarah wade, that's right too/the leading role -liz carroll, the donegal lass / the black frog / the sanctuary - tony mctigue, the golden keyboard - ado barker, the home ruler / kitty's wedding - tony o'rourke, the january man - mark willson, the musical priest - angus barbary, the town of uranquinn - tony o'rourke, untitled jigs - ciaran o'grady and kate burke, untitled jigs - davydd mcdonald and kit joyce, untitled reels - ciaran o'grady and kate burke, untitled reels - davydd mcdonald and kit joyce, untitled reels - jim dalton

Part two of our "best of" episode featuring nothing but the best tunes and songs of 2019.

Episode 29: Smash Hits 2019 - Volume 1

December 24th, 2019  |  56 mins 29 secs

con cassidy tune - jamie molloy, fisherman's day - gerry mckeague, gerry crossing to france - paddy fitzgerald, hoedown throwdown - austral, london town - kevin burke, lucy's fling - kevin burke, maudabawn chapel - kevin burke, newry town - jamie molloy, pat rainey - daoirí farrell, stór mo chroí - maggie carty, ten thousand miles away - bush gothic, the boys from dooley gate - sean mathews, the green gowned lass - mary macnamara & eileen o'brien, the jolly beggarman - john carty, the rambling pitchfork - chris fitzgerald, the sligo maid - paddy fitzgerald, tunes - beth - beth mccracken, whistler at the wake - corinn strating

Part one of our two "best of" episodes. This episode features nothing but tunes and songs from our previous guests, and it's an absolute belter!

Episode 28: Tracey McKeague (Fiddle)

December 18th, 2019  |  1 hr 36 mins

donegal, dublin, fiddle, homesickness, riverdance; trinity college, strabane, tracey mckeague

Music in Strabane; Donegal fiddle playing; life before Riverdance; Trinity College and Dublin; homesickness and music

Episode 27: Ciaran O'Grady (Concertina)

December 11th, 2019  |  1 hr 20 mins

ciaran o'grady, concertina, dublin, english folk, francis droney, identity, irish, luton

Growing up in Luton, meeting Francis Droney, the anatomy of the concertina, English Folk music, and many many thoughts on identity, home and what "being Irish" means.

Episode 26: Sarah Wade (Scottish Small Pipes, Recorder)

December 4th, 2019  |  54 mins 47 secs

Learning to enjoy music, and learning who you are as a musician via reeds, recorders, baroque music and Danish pipe bands.

Episode 25: Tony McTigue (Banjo)

November 27th, 2019  |  1 hr 15 mins

banjo, irish banjo music, irish music australia, irish traditional music, last jar, melbourne, tony mctigue, trad

Music is the opposite of work. Learning and re-learning how to play. And practicing as far away from the rest of your family as possible. A cracking chat with banjo player Tony McTigue. 

Episode 24: Mark Wilson (Unaccompanied singing, spoons)

November 19th, 2019  |  1 hr 10 mins

mark, spoons, unaccompanied singing, wilson

Wallpaper factories; snowy German winters; yoga gurus and music as therapy

Episode 23: Davydd McDonald (Fiddle - with Kit Joyce on accordion)

November 12th, 2019  |  58 mins 47 secs

brisbane, camp, competitive dance, davydd mcdonald, fiddle, kit joyce, line dance, liz carroll, quasitrad, riverdance

Line dance; Riverdance; competitive dance and finding the fiddle. How Davydd McDonald found the music via his feet.