Releases > Releases November 2025

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BRIAN CONWAY
Wallace Avenue
Lisnafin Records LIS-1842, 16 Tracks, 66 Minutes
www.brianconway.com
Classic Irish fiddle music from New York: this third solo album from Brian Conway follows in the footsteps of Coleman, McGann and others from the heyday of Irish American music. The accompaniment here has an equally fine pedigree, as Brian’s long association with the late Felix Dolan has led to working with Felix’s son Brendan on piano. A number of Brian’s family members also feature on this recording, on fiddles and piano, and the final track includes twenty of Brian’s fiddle pupils for a rousing set of well-known reels.
Most of the material on Wallace Avenue will be familiar to any follower of Irish fiddle music, and probably contributed to the Conway family sessions in the house from which, this album takes its name. Reels and jigs, hornpipes and barn dances are supplemented by Carolan pieces and slow airs. There’s a pair of waltzes old and new, and a mighty medley of Scottish strathspeys topped off by The Contradiction to remind us of the closeness of Caledonian and Hibernian traditions in New York and elsewhere. The Tailor’s Thimble, The Frog in the Well, Loftus Jones, The Dear Irish Boy, Lord MacDonald’s, Mrs Kenny’s, The Showman’s Fancy and many more are all delivered with skill at a steady pace.
Conway’s Sligo style is never flashy, with very little of the flamboyance of Gavin or Hayden but with a deep respect and affection for the music. He has chosen recent compositions by Billy McComiskey and Colin Farrell, and also the rarely heard Martin Wynne’s Number 5, but otherwise this album is almost all drawn from tunes which have stood the test of time with generations of session musicians. Interestingly there are no stories to accompany the tracks, no explanation for the choices here: the music must speak for itself, and it does so most eloquently.
Wallace Avenue is a clean, powerful, absorbing recording of some of the finest Irish fiddle music to be heard anywhere.
Alex Monaghan

CIARÁN Ó MAONAIGH le SEÁN ÓG GRAHAM
Lost in the Music - Caillte sa Cheol
Own Label, 11 Tracks, 49 Minutes
www.caitlinciaran.bandcamp.com/album/caillte-sa-cheol-lost-in-the-music
Ciarán is a fiddler from Donegal and member of the famous Ó Maonaigh family – Mairéad from Altan is his aunt and his grandfather Proinsias (Francie) was himself an accomplished fiddler. This is Ciarán’s second solo album, released twenty years after his first, when he was just 20 years old, followed by several albums with various musicians, Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Cathal Ó Curráin, Na Mooneys, as well as three other albums with the Donegal band, Fidil.
It has been a long wait, but it was worth it, as Lost in the Music - Caillte sa Cheol, recorded with the help of guitarist Seán Óg Graham, is nothing less than a musical gem.
As a member of the band Fidil, Ciarán has explored all facets of Donegal music, and his new album continues his musical quest in the tradition of this northern Irish county. This region has produced many fiddle masters such as Néillidh Boyle, Con Cassidy, Tommy Peoples and John Doherty, several of whose compositions feature on this virtuoso’s album. These include the three reels that open the album, Farewell to Leitrim, The Moving Bogs and The Repeal of the Union. The album continues with other reels, Creamers, Píobaire an Chéididh, The Blackberry Blossom, Kitty Gone a Milking, and jigs, The Rakes of Clonmel, Bean ag Baint Duileasc, Over the Hills and Nóra Chríonna.
Ciarán strays from Donegal with Unst Bridal March, a tune originating from the Shetlands. Then there are tunes for his children, Frankie’s Frolics composed by Liam O’Connor for his son and Rosie from Donegal dedicated to his daughter. As well as St Brigid’s Day written by Caitlín Nic Gabhann to celebrate Saint Brigid, honoured on 1 February in Ireland.
Seán Óg Graham accompanies Ciarán on all the tracks, while Ciarán’s wife Caitlín joins him on five tracks on concertina and foot tapping. Finally, Jim Higgins contributes to three tracks with his wild bodhrán. And to round off a superb album, Liam Ó Maonlaí adds his touch and the rhythm of his bodhrán to the last track on the album.
Ciarán Ó Maonaigh is an incredibly talented musician who displays a passion that is expressed through his attack and his percussive and impressive bowing. Let’s hope he doesn’t wait another twenty years before offering us another album of this quality.
Philippe Cousin

THE FRIEL SISTERS
Northern Sky
Own Label FRL003, 12 Tracks, 54 Minutes
www.frielmusic.com
Born in Glasgow to a family originally from Donegal, more precisely Doire na Mainséar, right next to Croithlí, the three Friel sisters have always been surrounded by Irish music, as far back as they can remember from their childhood. Their frequent visits to their family’s homeland have had a lasting influence on their musical style, which is naturally rooted in Donegal.
The twins Anna and Sheila both play the flute and tin whistle, with Sheila also playing the uilleann pipes. Their younger sister Clare plies her talents on the fiddle, an instrument emblematic of Donegal, which earned her the title of Young Musician of the Year in 2018. Then, a few months ago, she joined the band Altan. No small feat!
After two albums that were unanimously acclaimed by critics in 2014 and 2018, they are back this year with Northern Sky, which alludes to the sometimes stormy skies of the north of Ireland. In the meantime, they have enlisted the services of Cathal Ó Curráin, with whom they have been playing since their teenage years. Cathal is a prodigious musician who plays bouzouki on the album, but also excels at banjo and fiddle. And then there is the latest recruit, Marty Barry on guitar and bodhrán.
All five also sing on the six songs on the album. Seán Óg Graham, who recorded the album in his studio in County Antrim, joins the quintet on moog on one track. There are twelve tracks on this excellent opus, spanning thirty tunes and songs.
Since we are in Donegal, reels, jigs and highlands follow one another in perfect harmony. At random, you will rediscover or discover some gems of tradition. Such as Old Cuffe Street, already featured on Altan’s very first album in 1987. Or the very old song Bíodh Orm Anocht, recorded by Mick Hanly and Michéal Ó Domhnaill in 1974 and more recently performed by the band T With The Maggies. This is followed by Morrison’s Jig, which Bretons will recognise as Alan Stivell’s Ian Morrison Reel. The album concludes with the very moving song On Diarach, the lyrics of which were written 100 years ago by a member of the Friel family.
Once again, this delightful group demonstrates incredible talent and brilliance. Pure joy.
Philippe Cousin

HARTWIN DHOORE
This is the Place
Trad Records TRAD039, 9 Tracks, 34 Minutes
www.hartwin.be
Accordion, violin and cello combining the romantic and mystical sounds of Iberia, Eastern Europe, and Belgium: this music is a truly unique blend. Written by Hartwin for his collaboration with Flavia Escartin and Pavel Souvandjiev, the nine pieces here reflect his Flemish eclecticism.
In the Mountains is almost classical with overtones of a Baroque trio sonata. The contemporary 5/4 waltz Eagle Feather fits well in the northern European bal folk canon, despite being born in the mountains of Italy. Olive Green brings more of a mediterranean flavour, sweet soaring violin and earthy cello, like a fine wine from a Tuscan terroir. Ronda is perhaps my favourite, bubbling along like a brook from the Balkans to Brussels, with an elusive melody which seems as old as time, reminding me of Charpentier or Carolan.
The mix of free reeds and bowed strings on This is the Place is very effective, even when they are separated out on A Bit Lost: they create a soundscape which allows Hartwin to bring the listener into his circle of firelight and tell them stories. Liberi Danzatori is one such story, children dancing unrestrained perhaps, one of the wilder moments here. Lepatriinu draws on gentler memories: the humble Estonian ladybird honoured by a slow air or walking tune. This trio ends their debut album with a piece, which for me conjures up old Italian films, well-dressed young men and women driving through cities and along valleys in Alfa Romeos which somehow never broke down. It was all staged, of course, with spare cars aplenty - unlike This is the Place which is just three musicians, no support, playing as much for themselves as for the delight of an audience.
Alex Monaghan

IAN SMITH & CONOR BOWMAN
Fish & Star
Own Label FS002, 11 Tracks, 39 Minutes
killietiffy@gmail.com - conor.bowman@gmail.com
Ian Smith is a talented folk singer born in Scotland but who has been based in Burtonport, Donegal, for nearly 40 years, where he is very involved in traditional music. Since his first album, Restless Heart, in 2002, Ian has released several other albums, either solo or with the help of musicians such as Stephen Campbell, Germans: Peter Kerlin and Jens Kommnick, and American Rob Stein. This time, he is accompanied by Conor Bowman on this, his seventh album, Fish & Star.
Ian met Conor almost twenty years ago at a songwriting retreat organised by IMRO in Rossnowlagh, Donegal. Conor, originally from Galway, is a barrister/Senior Council in Dublin and has written several books or novels. He also writes songs and has recorded two albums. Their meeting led to regular collaborations, notably on some of Ian’s previous albums: Last Call in 2019 and The Woodstock Sessions in 2022.
This time they return as a duo, both for the composition of the eleven songs on the album and for the performance, as they share the vocals equally, alternating on the different tracks. They are not alone, of course, and are accompanied by a number of talented musicians such as Mick McCarney (guitars), Billy Robinson (bass), Finn Drumm (keyboards), Niall Murphy (fiddle, dobro), Steve Cooney (guitars), Seamus Devenney (percussion), Manus Lunny (bouzouki, low whistle) and a few others. The musical accompaniment is in a beautiful folk-pop-rock style.
Throughout the album, we discover some beautiful melodies: Down Here In Skibbereen, Just Once, Lost And Found With Me, Elizabeth, Grafton Street, Christmastime In Galway… written by one, the other or both together. The tracks follow and flow with a gentle intimacy and reveal, as we have come to expect from Ian, treasures of sensitivity and a lucid view of the world around him. The only regret is the brevity (only 39 minutes) of this beautiful album.
Philippe Cousin

MICHAEL McGOVERN
Thin White Road
Cauldron Music, 10 Tracks, 33 Minutes
www.michaelmcgovern.co.uk
Michael McGovern is a Scottish singer-songwriter who is developing a strong reputation as an exciting new presence on the folk scene – his debut album Highfield Suite was recorded during lockdown, in an isolated location in Co. Galway, and was critically acclaimed as an impressive debut.
His new album reflects a clear progression in his music – freed from the constraints associated with his debut, McGovern assembled a hand-picked group of musicians and recorded in a remote studio on The Isle of Lewis in Scotland. From the opening title track (a co-write with Scott C. Park), the songs ooze real maturity and class, and his strong and impassioned vocals inhabit each composition, supported by thoughtful arrangements full of dynamics and performed by musicians who are totally engaged with the work.
Michael’s vocals and acoustic guitar underpins everything, frequently starting a song until the rest of the ensemble makes an appearance, often changing the tone radically, and the band always sounds really tight, a reflection of their close bond as they spent several weeks together crafting this album. His singing style has a natural rasp and evokes memories of other contemporary Scottish singers while retaining his own character, and the songs are engaging and intimate - he’s been favourably compared to some of the greats such as Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon, both of whom he references as key influences.
Each song is a jewel which is given a unique setting, enhanced by the players including Bill Shanley who co-produced with mix engineer Cal Roden. Vocal harmonies are beautifully voiced and the whole recording is carefully crafted by people who are clearly fully invested in the project. It’s almost impossible to pick a standout track here, but I particularly enjoyed Thin White Road, The Death of Ann Miller, and I Made A New Friend.
Mark Lysaght

HORSLIPS
Horslips at the BBC
Madfish/Snapper SMABOX1296 Box Set, 4CDS /1 DVD/Book
www.madfishmusic.com/artists/horslips
Hot on the heels of their mammoth retrospective 32-disc boxset More than You Can Chew – this new archive release encapsulates Horslips’ many BBC recordings over a period of three decades. To that end, it goes right from their first BBC In Concert broadcast in May 1974 up to their 2011 concert with the Ulster Orchestra, which became their last official release after their 2009 live return.
This is a unique selection of rare and unissued material on 3 full length CDs and a DVD complete with a lavish book written by Horslips biographer Mark Cunningham. The selections feature material from shows presented by the legendary John Peel, Bob Harris on The Old Grey Whistle Test including an incendiary performance of the iconic Dearg Doom from February 17th 1974, sections of The Tain from In Concert (1974) and their first BBC session for Sounds of the 70s in September 1973. A later In Concert from 1979 ups the rock ante and later contributions include the 2011 concert with The Ulster Orchestra. Re-mastered by German studio supremo Eroc, the sound quality and dynamics bring fresh life to the performances.
To the credit of curator Colin Harper, Horslips at the BBC contains material that is fresh to the market, with live recordings of established classics, and among the surprises unveils a fascinating series of studio demos and out-takes from Horslips’ last original studio album, 1979’s Short Stories Tall Tales. These tracks reveal the band at another career crossroads where their renowned Celtic Rock past was being abandoned in favour of crispy strident New Wave /Reggae/Rockabilly crossovers, more power pop and punky garage style more like Los Lobos, and Flamin’ Groovies than the Celtic Epics they patented.
Horslips at the BBC is a fascinating package with captivating performances and historical cornerstones from Horslips’ distinguished career.
John O’Regan

CATHERINE McEVOY
Down the Crushen Road
Own Label, 14 Tracks, 43 Minutes
www.catherinemcevoy.bandcamp.com/album/down-the-crushen-road
Birmingham born flautist Catherine McEvoy has been a mainstay of the Irish traditional music scene for many decades now. Down the Crushen Road is her third recording coming some ten years after her second album The Home Ruler. The new collection sees Catherine accompanied by some of her own family members, namely her sons Fergus and Ruaidhri McGorman, one half of supergroup Keane, Connolly & McGorman. This adds a more intimate atmosphere to the music and makes for a shared familial experience rather than extracts from a recorded repertoire.
The music here is real, up close and personal and the performances have an honesty and effortlessness that befits a musical family enjoying themselves. The use of piano and bouzouki as accompanying instruments whether individually or together, make for subtle interweaving of individual styles within a musical canvas of extreme pleasure.
Catherine’s playing evokes the spirit of her influences Josie McDermott and Matt Molloy, especially on the opening reels Blessing’s Black Cow/Dick Cosgrove’s where the Sligo/Roscommon influence is immediately noticeable, while the flowing treatment of the jigs Farewell to Gurteen/Queen of the Rushes has some pleasurable flute and piano motifs. The solo air Turlough O’Carolan’s Molly St George has a regal majesty while Richie Dwyer’s/Paddy Kelly’s has innovative piano and bouzouki interacting with Catherine’s majestic flute work.
Packaged in an attractive digipack by Black Rogue Design, the album marks Catherine’s long- awaited return to recording. It captures the same grace, depth, and clarity that have made her a cornerstone of Irish traditional flute playing and augurs well for her recorded legacy to remain first class. Throughout, her performances are that of virtuoso level. Down the Crushen Road offers many memorable moments all rendered with sensitivity and interpretative zeal that seal Catherine McEvoy’s reputation as one of our greatest flute players.
John O’Regan

NARAGONIA QUARTET
Nehalennia
Trad Records TRAD041, 10 Tracks, 37 Minutes
www.naragonia.com
After more than twenty years on the European folk scene, balancing between Flemish and French and Celtic music, this Belgian band has consolidated to a quartet for an instrumental album of all original compositions by front man Toon Van Mierlo - and it’s absolutely brilliant.
Naragonia would have been on the edge of my radar previously, never really becoming one of my very favourite bands, but Nehalennia has changed all that. The sound here blends the best of WÖR, Ìmar, Leveret, Hot Griselda, Flook, Dédale - lessons learnt from two decades of playing and listening.
Limosa drives a modern reel beat with button boxes. Heppiestep is essentially an Irish banger on Flemish bagpipes. The Mistle Thrush continues the piping theme, this time with a more pastoral French vibe. Yowjef is punchy bal folk, box and fiddle with a solid guitar beat, while We All Steal from Andy is a clear tribute to prolific Anglo-French composer and box maestro Andy Cutting. The title track has a relaxed Belgian feel, cafés and canals, while Dr Sue puts me in mind of waltzing through Brussels or Paris. The wild polka beat of Desman and the rocking jig Paddy’s New Hair also beckon dancers onto the floor, and the final dark triple-time bourrée Vanellus is an invitation to sinful abandon.
Nehalennia goes straight on the 2025 Top Ten list, and it’s staying on my car stereo until I have to give it up for Lent.
Alex Monaghan

MÀNRAN
To the Wind
Own Label MAN07, 10 Tracks, 35 Minutes
www.manran.co.uk
Don’t be deceived by the nebulous ebb and flow of the opening to this fifth Mànran album - I thought someone had stepped on the dog, but the sound soon settles down to the Mànran we know and love. Or does it? There’s a fresh influence here - six songs in English, two in Gaelic, and two instrumentals is not too far out of line with previous releases, but the character of the songs has shifted. Less heather, more Hollywood perhaps - comparisons with Disney have been floated, but for me the vibe is closer to Skipinnish or Skerryvore. Annie reminds me of Walking on the Waves, while Woah has hints of Eye of the Storm.
Mànran put their own stamp on each of these tracks, and the classic Gaelic character of Gaol ‘s Gaire recalls the greatness of Òran a’ Bhranndaidh. Ewen Henderson fronts this and the mouth music medley Mire, with Kim Carnie providing lead vocals elsewhere. Pipes, fiddle, guitar and accordion are backed by bass and drums for a solid, flexible sound with a distinctive Scottish edge. Downpour saunters through the Scottish weather like a highlander without an umbrella, face upturned to revel in the elements. The Big Yin is the longest track here, but only by a bowhair - its majestic march honours something of cultural importance, a good kebab perhaps. The final Wild Mountain Thyme will no doubt be a crowd-pleaser at ceilidhs and festivals, and is one of the better half-dozen recordings of this much abused ballad of primal urges and infidelities - not obvious Disney material, but you never know.
Whether it’s folk-pop or fèis favourites, bagpipe anthems or big Atlantic ballads, this seven-piece all-star combo has it covered.
Alex Monaghan