This duo are famous for their collaborations on fiddle and guitar, and this album features music by Bill Whelan, Tommy Peoples, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin amongst others. Personal favourites on this album for this writer are track 6 – ‘Capaillín Dubh Ina Thaibhreamh’, by Steve Cooney, and track 5 – ‘Trip…

One of the more modern bands, Beoga were introduced to a more mainstream music audience via their collaboration with Ed Sheeran.  At home, they have been the role model for many other musicians and groups, including Moxie from Sligo as well as Goitse from this part of the world –…

The name Begley is strongly associated with music and Kerry, and Cormac Begley is regarded as one of the finest concertina players around today. This album has a distinctive design in that the sleeve notes are shaped like a concertina, and Cormac plays a wide range of differently tuned concertinas…

Altan is the word that comes to mind for many people across the world when they hear traditional Irish music.  A powerhouse of a band over the last 30 years, they were founded by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and the late Frankie Kennedy.  The influences of Donegal and the Irish language…

The trio in question are made up of three legendary musicians – Eileen O’Brien on fiddle (whose father Paddy O’Brien was the composer of a body of classic trad tunes), Andrew MacNamara on accordion, and Dr Geraldine Cotter on piano and whistle. This album unites two stylistically contrasting musical traditions…

A graduate of Spink Comhaltas as well as a former teacher, Yvonne Bolton is from a musical family in Kileshin, on the Laois/Carlow border.  A multi-instrumentalist, she is primarily known as a concertina player.  Her debut album in collaboration with Alan Jordan on guitar and vocals, features original compositions by…

Turlough O’Carolan is synonymous with the harp, and for many people, Derek Bell is too.  This solo album features 15 tracks of O’Carolan.  Derek Bell had a classical music background as well as traditional Irish and joined a ‘tatty folk group’ that went on to international renown as ‘The Chieftains’….

Voted ‘Tradconnect Album of the Year’ in 2013, Edel Fox is regarded as an outstanding concertina player and teacher.  Originally from Co Clare, she is now based in Waterford, and is a regular performer at Consairtín each year. The album is named after one of the reels in the closing…