Blarney Pilgrims Irish Music Podcast

Episode 46: Hannah Harris Interview (Fiddle)

April 21st, 2020  |  1 hr 24 mins

celtic, cork, ethnomusicologist, ethnomusicology, fiddle, hannah harris, irish, michigan, north carolina

On the Swannanoa Gathering with Finn McGill, on ethnomusicology, on the difference between Irish and Celtic, on her time in Cork and finding lock-down inspiration in Quarantunes.

Episode 45: Darragh Ó Héiligh Interview (Uilleann Pipes)

April 16th, 2020  |  1 hr 20 mins

blind, ceol fm, community, darragh ó héiligh, drogheda, equal access, music at the gate, uilleann pipes

On the creation of Ceol FM, on equal access; on finding the pipes, on creating community and space for upcoming players, and on seeing a need and acting on it.

Episode 44: Cameron Mather Interview (Banjo)

April 8th, 2020  |  1 hr 27 mins

banjo, cameron mather, fleadh, isolation, sydney

Talks about the strange, difficult moment we're all facing. About isolation and its challenges; his love of Irish music; hardcore training to compete in the Fleadh; the Sydney session scene and the beauty of being a teacher.

Episode 43: Jeremy Keith Interview (Mandolin)

April 1st, 2020  |  1 hr 20 mins

Founder and keeper of thesession.org, probably the greatest Irish music resource in the world. And this episode hopefully has something of the generous essence of that community. We talk making things and sharing them, music, people and being the janitor for an online community. There's so much in here, a treasure trove of insights (from Jeremy, not us.)

Episode 42: Darren, Dominic, Uncle Leo and Sean Mathews

March 24th, 2020  |  1 hr 31 mins

An unexpected journey, in the company of Darren, Dom, Dom's Uncle Leo, Sean Matthews and the landlady in Carberry's, Drogheda.

Episode 41: Emma Lewis Interview (Fiddle)

March 17th, 2020  |  1 hr 28 mins

australia, emma lewis, fiddle, melbourne, traditional

On travels in Ireland and random festival invites; on gender and inequality; on how tunes connect us all; on friendships and on returning home to Australia.

Episode 40: Rob Zielinski Interview (Fiddle)

March 10th, 2020  |  1 hr 16 mins

andy davey., clare, dermot byrne, donegal, fiddle, hughie doherty, james byrne, junior davey, mick doherty, mickey mor, perth, rob zielinski, sean doherty

On Mick Doherty, on Hughie Doherty and on Mickey Mor. On growing up in Perth, on Donegal style and on Clare Style. On Sean Doherty, on Dermot Byrne, on James Byrne, Junior Davey and on Andy Davey. On returning to Australia and recording and archive his life-long friend and mentor. An incredible story.

Episode 39: Catherine McEvoy Interview (Flute)

March 3rd, 2020  |  1 hr 15 mins

birmingham, birmingham ceili band, catherine mcevoy, flute, peig mcgrath, roscommon, sligo, táin ceili band

On Growing up in Birmingham, on the Sligo-Roscommon style, on slowing down Seamus Tansey records, on the Birmingham Ceili Band and Táin Ceili Band, on Peig McGrath, on women in traditional Irish music, on piano accompaniment and on Michael Grinter and Rudall and Rose flutes.

Episode 38: Joe Fitzgerald Interview (Accordion, singing)

February 26th, 2020  |  1 hr 19 mins

accordion, east clare, irish, joe fitzgerald, melbourne, singing, traditional

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 Interview (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 Interview (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 Interview (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 Interview (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 Interview (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 Interview (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 Interview (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.