Céad Míle Fáilte
It is Todd once again. Sorry for the late post, I had a family emergency this week. In this issue we have new episodes of our Irish & Celtic Music Podcast and Quest and Chorus. The other podcasts showcased are Irish Music Stories and Celt in a Twist. The articles featured are about House of Guinness, the Tree of the year, & history being made on Rupaul’s Drag Race UK. There is a list of new albums. We once again highlight IrishFest Atlanta. The other highlighted festival is the Celtic Classic which takes place this weekend, September 26 – 28, in Downtown Bethlehem, PA and is free to attend. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #728: STRANGE AFFAIRS & IRISH TRADITIONS
- Téada, Eimear Arkins & Eileen Gannon, Niamh Dunne, Faoileán, Ashley Davis, Adrianna Ciccone & Ellen Gibling, The Byrne Brothers, Natalie Padilla, Toby Bresnahan, Dublin Gulch, Eamonn Flynn, Sylvia Platypus, The Irish Rovers, The Muckers, Ryan Roubison
- A special thanks to our Celtic Legends: Dave and Rosie Donnelly, Rick Boyce, Bruce, Daniel Ide, Brian McReynolds, Marti Meyers, Alan Schindler, Margreta Silverstone, Emma Bartholomew, Dan mcDade, Jeff A, Gerald F Boyle, Miranda Nelson, Nancie Barnett, Kevin Long, Gary R Hook, Lynda MacNeil, John Sharkey White, II, Kelly Garrod, Mike Schock, Annie Lorkowski, Shawn Cali
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC: BEST OF 2024 PLAYLIST
- Every week, Patrons of the Podcast vote in the Celtic Top 20. Those votes are tabulated two weeks later. The most-popular songs are added to these playlists.
- You can vote for your favorite by following the link in this week's show.
Listen on Youtube
CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20
- Every year, I publish the Celtic Top 20. This is your pick of the best, most-popular songs of the year. But to make the show great, I need you to vote for your favorite songs in each episode.
- Just list each of the bands performing those favorite songs to quickly and easily cast your vote.
WHAT'S NEW WITH CELTIC MUSIC
& CULTURE ONLINE?
FOLK SONGS & STORIES #307: QUEST & CHORUS EP. 3: TINTAGEL – HISTORY, SHIPWRECKS & MYTH
- Welcome to Quest & Chorus, where songs remember what history forgets. I’m your bard, and today, we climb a legendary cliff—where myth and memory blur. To Tintagel. Some say King Arthur was born here. Others say he died here. And whether that’s true or not doesn’t really matter… Because this place feels like the kind of place where someone says goodbye. Today, we raise a glass—to stories that fade, and the people who carry them.
IRISHFEST ATLANTA
- Join us at IrishFest Atlanta on Nov 7-9, 2025. You’ll enjoy exclusive concerts with Open the Door For Three with Special Guest Kevin Doyle on Friday and Teada on Saturday night.
- Plus enjoy music from Kathleen Donohoe, O’Brian’s Bards, Olivia Bradley, Roundabouts, The Kinnegans, The Muckers, Irish Brothers, Celtic Brew, Station 1 2 3 and special set from Inara and Marc Gunn.
- There are music and dance workshops, Irish cooking competitions, IrishTea, Irish Films, and of course, LOTS of Irish dancing.
- Celebrate your Irish heritage at IrishFest Atlanta in November. Bring a friend!
Learn more at IrishFestAtlanta.com
NEW CDS
- Rise and Fall – by Callehan
- Angel – by Cerys Hafana
- Between the Worlds – by David De Michele
- The Hollow – by Towne Crier
- Tavern Melodies: Medieval Lute & Flute Dances of The Hobbits Vol. 2 – by Axe & Ale
- Woven in Bone and Song – by Techcowgirl
- THE TROLLER – by Marcos Goitia Ruiz
- Hors'dOeurves – by The Robertsons
- Landā – by Lumiere SoundWorks
- The Dragon Sagas Saga Number One – by The Robertsons
- Celtic Echoes – by Echoes Of Pangea
- Day/Doran – by Casey Day, Ben Doran
- The Land of a Hundred Little Hills – by Ceol Connected
- OLD STONE – by Alessandro Baro
- Movin' on – by David DiGiuseppe
Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.
IRISH MUSIC STORIES: ARISTOTLE IN SPRING (IMS SIDEQUEST)
- In this six-episode “Sidequest” series, Irish Music Stories host Shannon Heaton shares music from her “Perfect Maze” album (pollinator-inspired compositions for flute, strings, piano, and voice). And in keeping with the IMS mission, she also incudes stories that helped her navigate the whole project.
- FOR INSTALLMENT #2, Heaton examines her Sweetest Blooms Suite and considers some of the dramatic Spring blossoms in Aristotle’s day.
TUNE INTO HOUSE OF GUINNESS
- Tune into House of Guinness on Netflix. It is the story of the inheritors of the Guinness brewery. Set in the 1860’s in Dublin & New York. Just after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery. If you pay close attention the music you might even hear at least one band from the podcast, Poitin. House of Guinness debuted today.
To read more, go here!
CELT IN A TWIST: SEPTEMBER 28, 2025
- A smooth pour after the daily grind. Enjoy an hour of celtic rejuvenation and innovation. This week start by venting your rage with the Dropkick Murphys and The Go Set, slip on a smile with heartwarming Celtic from Logical Fleadh and Mary Jane Lamond, finally slide into a blissful Celtronica trance from Valtos and Shooglenifty. Free your emotions with Celt In A Twist!
TREE OF THE YEAR HONOUR FOR GLASGOW'S ARGYLE STREET ASH
- An ash tree on a busy Glasgow road has been crowned Tree of the Year 2025 after being nominated by the public as a wildcard entry in the contest.
- The Argyle Street Ash was named the winner of the Woodland Trust competition on Thursday after a public vote.
To read more, go here!
‘CELTIC SISTERS' MAKE HISTORY ON RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE UK
- A new season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK is on the horizon and “the Celts are coming to take over,” according to one history-making contestant.
- Bonnie Ann Clyde, known out of drag as James Keogh, is set to become the first drag queen from the Republic of Ireland to walk the runway.
To read more, go here!
CELTIC CLASSIC HIGHLAND GAMES & FESTIVAL
- The 38th Annual Celtic Classic is presented by Celtic Cultural Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the Celtic heritage through education, musical presentations, and traditional competitions in athletics, piping and dance.
- The Celtic Classic takes place on the streets of Historic Downtown Bethlehem. Because of this vehicle access and on street parking is limited. Please see our shuttle and parking information.
- Some of the entertainers you will see are Across the Pond, Blackwater, Gerry Timlin, Glengarry Boys, Kilmaine Saints, Low Lily, No Irish Need Apply, Rogue Diplomats, Runa, Seamus Kennedy, The Prodigals, and many more!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHILE LISTENING?
You can send a comment or a picture of what you're doing. You can also send a photo from one of your trips to a Celtic nation or anywhere around the globe.
Slainte!
Todd Wiley & Marc Gunn, The Celtfather
September 25, 2025
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