Céad Míle Fáilte
It is your intrepid editor Todd once again. We do not have a new episode of the Irish & Celtic Podcast this week, however if you are patron head over and listen to the highlight episode on Friday and cast your vote. If you are not a Patron, you can head to the site and listen and cast your vote in the highlight episodes. We do feature new episodes of Traveling in Ireland as well as Irish Music Stories. The articles showcased include Belfast history being shown at a transport hub, the castle used in House of Guinness, & Mann’s ‘Magic’ show. We are still including information on IrishFest Atlanta. The other highlighted festival is the Harper’s Ferry Highland Games. Which takes place October 3 – 5, at The Barn of Harpers Ferry on Friday and Sam Michael's Park on Saturday and Sunday in Harpers Ferry, WV. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST: HIGHLIGHT REEL #4.5: EPISODES 719 – 723 (for Patrons of the podcast)
- Greetings Celtophiles
- You have 4 weeks to cast your vote in this Highlight Reel. I’ll compile the rest of the results at the end of the year. You can vote for as many tracks as you like. And the more you vote, the more your vote counts.
- Thank you to our continued Patrons of the podcast.
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?
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
TRAVELING IN IRELAND: SOLO TRAVEL IN IRELAND: TIPS FOR FEMALE TRAVELERS
- For many women, the idea of traveling solo in Ireland can feel both exciting and a little daunting. The good news is that Ireland is widely considered one of the safest countries in the world for female travelers.
- I’ve been exploring Ireland on my own for more than two decades – including trips when my daughters were very young – and I have never once felt unsafe. That experience reinforces what many women find: Ireland is not only safe but also incredibly rewarding to discover on your own.
BRINGING BELFAST HISTORY TO LIFE, ONE BUS STOP AT A TIME
- Just when you might have thought history and historians are aloof and disconnected, one historian then speaks to you and engages you at the bus stop.
- It doesn't often happen, certainly, but one transport hub in Belfast has gone and provided precisely that service by launching a series of video screens which recount selected chapters of local history — as researched and narrated by Dr Éamon Phoenix.
To read more, go here!
Irish Music Stories: Copper Over Navy (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 includes stories that helped her navigate the whole project.
- FOR INSTALLMENT #3, Heaton highlights the Blue Dress motif, one of the recurring melodies on Perfect Maze. And she tells the story of weathering updates and tragedies of primates and men with a few different hues.
THE CASTLE TRANSFORMED FOR NEW NETFLIX SHOW HOUSE OF GUINNESS
- A neo-Norman castle in north Wales has become host to the Guinness family home in a new Netflix drama.
- Despite being set in 19th Century Dublin and New York, the House of Guinness captures the family's tumultuous tale within the walls of Penrhyn Castle, in Bangor, Gwynedd.
To read more, go here!
MAGICIANS OF MANN TO PRESENT ‘MAGIC’ SHOW AT PEEL CENTENARY CENTRE
- The Magicians of Mann are set to present their annual public magic show, ‘Magic’, on Saturday, October 25 at the Peel Centenary Centre.
- The evening promises family-friendly entertainment, illusions, and laughter, while also supporting a good cause – with half of the proceeds going to the Friends of the Peel Centenary Centre.
To read more, go here!
Harpers Ferry Highland Games
- Step into the heart of Celtic heritage at the Harpers Ferry Highland Games, a celebration of the ancient Scottish traditions that test strength, skill, and spirit. Hosted by the Harpers Ferry Celtic Culture Society, this festival welcomes all to experience the vibrant culture, music, and athleticism that define the Highland Games.
- Join us at Sam Michaels Park in Jefferson County, West Virginia, for a weekend filled with tradition, entertainment, and community.
- Some of the entertainers you will see are Katie MacLeod & The Highlanders, Hold Fast, Abbots Cross, Shamrouges, & many others.
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
October 2, 2025
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