For banjo players, John Carty is a strong influence and inspiration.  Considered by many as one of Ireland’s best traditional musicians, Carty plays fiddle, tenor banjo, tenor guitar and occasionally the flute.  He is very interested in the North Connacht traditional music style.

Carty was born in London and now lives in Boyle, County Roscommon.

His first fiddle album, Last Night’s Fun, which released on Shanachie Records in 1996 has been described as a milestone in recorded fiddle music.  In 2003 he was awarded Traditional Musician of the Year by the Irish Television station TG4. The award placed him in the company of previous winners, such as Matt Molloy and Paddy Keenan.

This album was released in 2005, and one of this writer’s favourite tracks is No 3 – Queen of the West / City of Savannah (hornpipes).

Don’t just read the review, buy the CD!

This article is part of a series of articles on selected traditional Irish musicians and CD’s.  At Spink Comhaltas, we believe it is critically important to support and promote our musicians, and never more so that at this time as the Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the music industry.

Having role models and heroes is important in any walk of life, and this is true of musicians too.  Some of our strongest musicians who have developed with Spink Comhaltas over the recent years have learned as much of their music from listening to these artists – both on CD and live – as they have learned in formal classes.  We encourage our current generation of young musicians – and their parents – to consider building up their own collection of music.  And while we live in a world of streaming, there is something special about being able to read the sleeve notes on an album that an artist has put a lot of energy and effort into that will always be much more meaningful than listening on a streaming service.

The musicians we have featured here are outstanding performers.  Different music styles, instruments, and interpretations will appear – as well a mix of solo and group music.  For most of the musicians featured, the CD featured is one of a number of works by that artist.

Spink Comhaltas promotes traditional Irish music across Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare and further afield.  With excellent teachers and resources, as well as one of the largest music instrument banks in the country, Spink Comhaltas is an excellent place to begin your journey in traditional Irish music.

In addition to teaching and promoting music, Spink Comhaltas also fosters connections – with musicians across different counties and counties, different genres of music, and other artistic and creative groups.  Check out our website for more details.