Irish Music Magazine - August 2025 Issue

COVER STORY

MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST
Experience the magic of Milwaukee Irish Fest at the Henry Maier Festival Park August 14-17!

FEATURES

CRUISING WITH JOANIE
Aboard the high seas with Joanie Madden and her Folk ‘n’ Irish family of music lovers, writes Seán Laffey.

SHERIDAN RÚITÍN’S FREAKSHOW
Rooted in traditional Irish balladry but laced with the raw folk energy of American back porch storytelling, New York’s Sheridan Rúitín has moved on considerably from their pub roots, writes John O’Regan.

CELTIC WORLD FORUM
Mark Lysaght spoke with Grammy-nominated singer Éabha McMahon via Zoom recently to find out more about this all-inclusive gathering of music professionals and enthusiasts, which is scheduled in Dublin this coming October.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS WITH ‘THE STILL OF THE NIGHT’
Seán Laffey talks to Caitríona O’Sullivan whose single The Still of the Night was Number 1 in the Irish iTunes charts, co-written by Caitríona and composer-arranger Gavin Murphy.

DESTINATION ‘GLEANN AN CHEOIL’!
Seán Laffey talks to Rónán Ó Dochartaigh, the Irish language director of Oideas Gael, a social enterprise that has been active in the Donegal Gaeltacht since 1984.

ELIAS ALEXANDER STARTS HIS OWN DANCE PARTY
Michael Lange catches up with the multi-instrumentalist moving people to hear traditional music in new ways.

ENDA REILLY FLYING THE FLAG IN MOTOR CITY USA
Mark Lysaght spoke with Enda to find out more about his recent activities and plans for the rest of the year.

FESTIVALS

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

PITTSBURGH IRISH FESTIVAL 2025 ENTERTAINMENT LINE-UP
The 34th Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival will be held September 5-6-7, 2025 at Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark.

IRISH ADVENTURE AWAITS IN DUBLIN, OHIO, USA
Read on to find out what will make this year’s Dublin Irish Festival truly unforgettable.

BALLYSHANNON FOLK And TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Mary Daly, Festival Director, took time out to tell Gráinne McCool about the upcoming 48th anniversary of the famous Donegal music festival.

THE IRISH FAIR OF MINNESOTA
The state of Minnesota has always been supportive of Irish Music, writes John O’Regan.

PEORIA IRISH FEST
Seán Laffey talks to Peoria Irish Fest’s Entertainment Chairman Tom McConnaughay.

INTERNATIONAL FEAKLE FESTIVAL OF TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC
The 38th International Feakle Festival of Traditional Irish Music returnss from August 6th to 11th. Seán Laffey spoke with festival Secretary Aoife Hayes, to find out what is planned for this August.

REGULAR

Béal na Bláth 22 AUGUST 1922
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. In this edition we feature Michael Collins.

GUITAR BASICS (ACCOMPANIMENT) with Jean Damei
Brought to you in association with the Online Academy of Irish Music (OAIM).

STORY BEHIND THE SONG
The Rare Old Mountain Dew has, for a very long time, been a staple of Irish ballads across the northern hemisphere, yet its origin lies in the Vaudeville theatres of 19th century New York.

LIVE REVIEWS

FESTIVAL INTERCELTIQUE DE LORIENT 2025 (Preview)
L’année des Cousins d’Amérique – The Year of the American Cousins. Mick Walsh reports from Paris.

CD REVIEWS

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

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