Irish Music Magazine - Annual 2024 Issue

COVER STORY

NOW AND THEN FROM SHARON SHANNON
Seán Laffey in conversation with Sharon Shannon for Irish Music Magazine.

FEATURES

SINA THEIL
Robert Heuston chats with singer songwriter Sina Theil for Irish Music Magazine.

ALTAN’S ROAD AHEAD
Seán Laffey talks to Altan’s founder, fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, about the band’s plans for the new year and looks back on a genre defining career.

MEADHBH WALSH
Robert Heuston in conversation with Irish Folk Music sensation Meadhbh Walsh.

THE MAGIC OF DOOLIN’
Seán Laffey talks to Wilfried Besse, the lead singer and accordion player with the top French Irish traditional band Doolin’, about family and their most recent album Circus Boy.

ENDA SCAHILL STAYS IN TUNE
Michael Lange catches up with Enda Scahill in Galway, The City of Tribes.

GEORGE MURPHY’S NEW BEGINNINGS
Anne Marie Kennedy brings us the latest news about George Murphy and the Rising Sons.

ELEANOR McEVOY REVISITS SOUTH ANNE STREET
Mark Lysaght in conversation with Eleanor McEvoy for Irish Music Magazine.

PHILIPPE BARNES AND TOM PHELAN’S THE CLEARWATER SESSIONS
Seán Laffey talks to flute player Philippe Barnes. We get to hear of his work with a number of bands and a close relationship he has built up with a prestigious instrument maker.

CATCHING THE MUSIC WITH BRIDÍN
Seán Laffey discovers that BRÍDÍN’s grandfather was an important link in her musical career.

MEET MOLLY MODLINSKI
Milwaukee Festival Director, Molly Modlinski chats with Robert Heuston for Irish Music Magazine.

UNEARTHED WITH CONOR MALLON
Conor Mallon is at the leading edge of 21st century uilleann pipers. He talks to Seán Laffey about his new album, Unearthed.

REVERIE ROAD
Anita Lock interviews Reverie Road’s Winifred Horan on their debut album, Reverie Road.

ASHLEY DAVIS
Anita Lock interviews Ashley Davis on her upcoming 10th solo album, Music for Yoga & Meditation.

MICHELLE MULCAHY
Multi-instrumentalist Michelle Mulcahy in conversation with Deirdre Cronin about her highly-acclaimed new solo album Lady on the Island.

THE BYRNE BROTHERS
Gráinne McCool finds out how these music exiles are getting on.

NOEL O’GRADY
Frank Greally in conversation with Noel for Irish Music Magazine.

MEET NINA RICCI
Anita Lock interviews Nina Ricci, a rising new guard of the 1960s folk movement.

RACHEL GOODE
Anne Marie Kennedy talks to Ballinasloe based Rachel Goode.

THOMAS WALSH’S FAMILY TREE
Thomas Walsh tells Seán Laffey that his latest album Eva’s Tree, is rooted in family, with many of its new compositions named for his grandchildren.

BLEU BLEU : A COLLECTION OF NEW SONGS FROM SOPHIE LAVOIE
Sophie Lavoie in conversation with Gráinne McCool for Irish Music Magazine.

YOUR ROOTS ARE SHOWING
Ireland’s Folk Conference. A celebration of culture, music and more this coming January.

FRIENDLY FOLK RECORDS
Seán Laffey talks to Kathy Keller about her Friendly Folk Records and the health of the Dutch music scene.

HARALD’S HEALING HANDS
Busking has had a lot to do with Harald Juengst’s Healing Hands, which brings Donegal musicians together for a worthy cause. Seán Laffey finds out more from Harald Mór.

FIONA RYAN IS DREAMING HER DREAMS
Seán Laffey in conversation with Fiona Ryan for Irish Music Magazine.

FESTIVALS

TULSA IRISH FEST 2024
Tulsa IrishFest returns on the second weekend in March 2024, based in Oklahoma. One of its organisers, Don Burdick discusses the festival with Gráinne McCool.

TRADFEST 2024
TradFest announces extended programme of artists for National Stadium concerts & a new musical commission to commemorate the tragic sinking of The RMS Tayleur, Dublin’s Victorian Titanic.

IMBOLC 2024
Just as the traditional Gaelic festival welcomes new life as a marker of spring, IMBOLC will once again be bringing in the brighter months ahead with a stellar line up that celebrates all iterations of folk, roots, and traditional Irish music…

REGULARS

THE LEGENDS SERIES
Chapter 32 : Gerry ‘Banjo’ O’Connor. An appreciation by Mark Lysaght.

FIDDLE BASICS with Niamh Dunne
Brought to you in association with the Online Academy of Irish Music (OAIM).

STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Seán Laffey goes fishing for the source of the Leitrim emigration song, The Shores of Lough Bran.LIVE REVIEWS

LIVE REVIEWS

THE WOMEN, WE WILL RISE
The Everyman Theatre, Cork, Saturday 30th September 2023. Seán Laffey reports for Irish Music Magazine.

JOHN DOYLE : LIVE IN MILWAUKEE
Mary Beth McCormack reports from the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in downtown Milwaukee.

RETURN TO LONDON TOWN FESTIVAL
The Crown Hotel, Cricklewood. October 27th – 30th, 2023. Seán Laffey reports.

JOANIE MADDEN’S SEABORN FESTIVAL IS OFF THE CHARTS
Paul Keating reports for Irish Music Magazine.

CD REVIEWS

Another selection of CD Reviews from the International World of Folk and Traditional Music.