Irish Music Magazine - April 2026 Issue

COVER STORY

TÉADA AT TWENTY-FIVE

Seán Laffey talks to Téada’s Oisín Mac Diarmada and asks him what’s it like to be celebrating the band’s 25th anniversary?

FEATURES

GRÁINNE BRADY’S BACK AND FORTH

Seán Laffey talked to fiddle player & composer Gráinne Brady a week after her Celtic Connections preview show in Glasgow and before the release of Back and Forth.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF THE IRISH DESCENDANTS

Seán Laffey chats to Con O’Brien of Newfoundland’s Irish Descendants, who have recently released an anthology marking their 35-year career.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW FROM FIANA NÍ CHONAILL

Fiana Ní Chonaill’s second album Something Old Something New follows on from Dathanna an Cheoil (2016), both now stylistically linked, writes Anne Marie Kennedy.

A NEW WAY OUT FROM ISHNA

Seán Laffey talks to Tara Novak and Ciarán Nagle about Slí Amach: Way Out, the debut album from Boston-based Irish folk band Ishna.

FLEXIBLE PATHWAYS FOR BOTH MUSICIANS AND SCHOLARS

Seán Laffey talks to Course Director Sandra Joyce about Irish Music Studies at the University of Limerick.

MY DRUTHERS ARE COMING UP 3’S

John O’Regan talks to Stuart Fensom about the New London Connecticut based My Druthers.

BODHRÁN PLAYERS unitHED

It’s About Time to Act. Seán Laffey has a WhatsApp call with bodhrán maker Christian Hedwitschak, who tells Seán “it’s about time to act”.

FESTIVALS

A selection of wonderful Festivals and Summer Schools from Ireland and abroad.

BELFAST TRADFEST

Belfast TradFest will bring a vibrant celebration of traditional music, song, and dance back to Belfast from 26 July to 2 August 2026.

FÉILE PATRICK BYRNE

Carrickmacross March 25th – 29th , 2026. Seán Laffey talks to Féile organiser Seán Ó Roideáin about this year’s Féile Patrick Byrne.

GULF COAST CRUINNIÚ – TRAD IN TEXAS!

Mark Lysaght recently spoke with Laura Michaelides, one of the organisers of the event, to find out more about this year’s programme.

CASCADE CELTIC FESTIVAL

John O’Regan talks to festival founder, Alice Cloutier.

BRINGING CELTIC MAGIC TO CALIFORNIA

Anne Marie Kennedy spoke to Annie O’Dea Hestbeck, a radio DJ who presents Celtic Cadence on KVMR Community Radio.

IÚR CINN FLEADH AUGUST 27th – 31st

Visit Newry described the 2025 Iúr Cinn Fleadh as ‘one of the best events ever’. Seán Laffey talks to Fleadh committee member Columba O’Hare for IMM.

REGULARS

LETTER FROM MISS KATE TULLY

We continue our series of stories, songs and poems titled Let the Memories Be, brought to you by the legend of Irish Music that is Johnny McEvoy.

CONCERTINA TECHNIQUE with Francis Cunningham

Brought to you in association with the Online Academy of Irish Music (OAIM.ie).

STORY BEHIND THE SONG

Irish Ways and Irish Laws. Seán Laffey writes; followers of Irish Music Magazine’s Facebook page may have seen a version of this song by Erin Ruth on a post we uploaded in February.

LIVE REVIEWS

WOMEN OF NOTE AT TRADFEST DUBLIN 2026

Mark Lysaght reports for Irish Music Magazine.

CELTIC CONNECTIONS, GLASGOW, 2026

Dave McNally reports from Celtic Connections.

CD REVIEWS

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

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