Céad Míle Fáilte
It is your intrepid editor Todd once again. In this issue we have new episodes of our own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast and Celtic Christmas Music Podcast, as well as a blog from Marc Gunn. The other spotlighted podcasts are Wild for Scotland & Folk on Foot. We have included another list of new albums that have been released. The featured articles include ones about Dublin airport expecting record numbers during Christmas, photos of Wales during 1900s to 1920s, and a mysterious mass burial site found in Scotland. We also are highlighting the Pipes of Christmas concert available as a webcast from 12/19 – 12/31. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #738: JUST LISTENING… LIVE RECORDINGS FROM IRISHFEST ATLANTA AND MORE
- Sundials, Heather Dale, Celtic Brew, Olivia Bradley, Kira Doppel, Sarah Ling, Kathleen O'Donohoe, May Will Bloom, Irish Brothers, The Muckers, Fialla
- A special thanks to our Celtic Legends: Shawn Cali, Mike Schock, Kelly Garrod, John Sharkey White, II, Lynda MacNeil, Gary R Hook, Nancie Barnett, Miranda Nelson, Gerald F Boyle, Jeff A, Dan mcDade, Emma Bartholomew, Margreta Silverstone, Alan Schindler, Marti Meyers, Brian McReynolds, Daniel Ide, Bruce, Rick Boyce, Dave and Rosie Donnelly
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?
CELTIC CHRISTMAS MUSIC PODCAST #90: CELTIC CULTURE THRU CHRISTMAS CHEER
- This is the final episode of Celtic Christmas Music for the year. One last gathering of songs, stories, and voices that remind us why this music matters… and why it’s worth holding onto.
- Irish Christmas in America, The Shamrocks, Abbots Cross, Ashley Davis, The Irish Rovers, Jim O’Connor, Marc Gunn, Rathkeltair, Reilly, Celtic Women, Sean Griffin, Kathleen MacInnes, Ritchie Remo, The Fire, The Gothard Sisters, Jesse Ferguson
NEW PODCAST, CELTIC FESTIVAL & 2026 CELTIC SHIRT DESIGN
- Greetings my friends
- This week’s Just Listening… episode brings together live recordings, quiet stories, and moments captured as they happened, from Heather Dale to IrishFest Atlanta. It’s a reminder of why this podcast exists in the first place: to listen closely, share the music honestly, and build something meaningful together. I’ve also got an update on the Emerald Wave Kickstarter design and a big idea I’d love your help with.
NEW CELTIC ALBUMS
- A Very Scottish Christmas – by Molly’s Gone Mad
- Damiana Eklund – by Damiana Eklund
- relaxing mindfulness music – by MA
- SYMBIOSE – by REMY LE FER
- Realms Beyond Time – by Cyanwoode
- Christmas Lullaby – For The Love of Shane MacGowan feat. Johnny Mac & The Faithful
- The Celtic Collection V – by Adrian von Ziegler
- Infused – by LQR
- Rest Assured – by djbrown
- Analog Celtic – by Stephen Black
- Nura: Forest of Dawn, Vol. 1 – by Nura
- Luminous Forest – by Asha's Ambient Realms
- Moonlit Path – by Sophie Brown and Friends
Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.
WILD FOR SCOTLAND: EPISODE 96: ‘A CELEBRATION OF DARKNESS’ – WINTER IN SCOTLAND
- ‘A Celebration of Darkness’ is part of the series A Year in Scotland. This is the December episode.
- Today’s episode is a little different. It consists of five short vignettes that celebrate winter in Scotland. Across three stories, we’ll explore Scotland’s wintery folklore. We’ll hear about the winter goddess Beira and her grip on the seasons, I’ll tell you the story of the “Nimble Men” up in the sky, and we dive into stories of the Winter Solstice. I’m also taking you with me on an early morning walk in the Rothiemurchus Forest.
- And of course, I have lots of practical tips for you, to make the most of a winter trip to Scotland.
DUBLIN AIRPORT EXPECTS RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THIS CHRISTMAS
- ROUGHLY 1.8million passengers are expected to travel through Dublin Airport’s terminals over the coming weeks.
- The airport is expecting a 22 per cent rise in traffic between December 18 and January 5, which would make this Christmas its busiest yet.
- “Christmas is a magical time at Dublin Airport and we can't wait to welcome the record numbers that will be travelling this year,” Daa’s Graeme McQueen said.
To read more, go here!
FOLK ON FOOT: WINTERFOLK IN WEST YORKSHIRE WITH O’HOOLEY AND TIDOW, KATIE SPENCER AND MADDIE MORRIS
- Throw another log on the fire, pour yourself a cup of something hot and cheering and come with us in search of Winterfolk in West Yorkshire. With Santa hat firmly in place, we walk with Katie Spencer in Golcar, meet up with Maddie Morris on their way to a Lefty Christmas gig and end up at a gorgeous Christmas homecoming concert with O’Hooley and Tidow in “The Cathedral of the Colne Valley” – St Bartholomew’s Church, Marsden. On the way we reflect on the meaning of Christmas, spare a thought for those without family and friends at this time of year and hear seasonal songs old and new. A warm glow is guaranteed.
21 FASCINATING PHOTOS OF WALES FROM THE 1900S TO 1920S SHOWING LIFE 100 YEARS AGO
- Exploring newspaper archives provides a captivating glimpse into history. They vividly depict the transformation of places over time – for example, Cardiff's Queen Street, which is now almost unrecognisable – and offer a flavour of life from over a hundred years ago.
- We've rummaged through the archives to present you with 21 intriguing images from the early 20th century. These snapshots span the 1900s, 1910s, and 1920s, portraying Wales that is markedly different from the one we inhabit today.
To read more, go here!
ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER 3,000-YEAR-OLD MYSTERIOUS MASS BURIAL SITE
- Newly published research has revealed a “mysterious mass burial event” in the south of Scotland about 3,300 years ago.
- Excavations were undertaken in 2020 and 2021 by Guard Archaeology during the construction of the access route to the Twentyshilling Wind Farm near Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway.
To read more, go here!
Pipes of Christmas Concert
- For nearly three decades, The Pipes of Christmas has brought together world-class musicians, soloists, and performers from across America and the UK for a stirring celebration of the Christmas season and the Celtic spirit.
- For the first time ever, five live performances will be held over two weekends in Boston, New York City, and Summit NJ between December 5 and 14. A webcast of this year’s concert highlights will also be available to stream worldwide from December 19-31.
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 (he/him) & Marc Gunn (he/him), The Celtfather
December 18, 2025
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