Céad Míle Fáilte
Todd here once again. In this issue we have new episodes of our very own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, Celtic Christmas Podcast, & Pub Songs & Stories. The other podcasts we feature are Traveling in Ireland & Copperplate Time. The articles featured are about a concert by Leah Jorgensen, a new Kickstarter by Amelia Hogan, & a new brewery in Ireland. The highlighted festival is the East Durham Irish Festival being held Memorial Day Weekend at the MJQ Irish Cultural and Sports Centre, in East Durham, NY. We also have a list of new albums. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #758: O'NEILL'S DROWSY IRISH TOWN
- Tartanic, Charlene Adzima, Tara's Folk, Eimear Arkins & Eileen Gannon, The Bordercollies, Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira, The Friel Sisters, Goitse, Rakish, Leevy, Release the Craicen, Katie Jane Band, Low Power Trio, Banshee in the Kitchen
- A special thanks to our latest Patron of the Podcast: Jason Schatz
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 #91: JUMP INTO CELTIC CHRISTMAS IN SPRING
- You don't have to wait for December. Jump into Celtic Christmas this spring with Olivia Bradley, Dublin Gulch, Ashley Davis, and seven more artists who make the season last all year.
- It’s Celtic Christmas Music #91
- Olivia Bradley, Aisling Drost Byrne, Brendan McCarthy & Conal O'Kane, The Gothard Sisters, The Chivalrous Crickets, Terry McDade & The McDades, Willowgreen, Anne Roos & David Blonski, Keltricity, Ashley Davis feat. John Doyle, Dublin Gulch
PUB SONGS & STORIES #315: WASHER WELL WENCHES, THORIN'S EULOGY & CELTIC FOLK
- The old songs were written for a world that was supposed to last forever. One woman found a way to make music matter right now. And Thorin Oakenshield gets a proper farewell. Music from Marc Gunn, Fialla, Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes, Brobdingnagian Bards.
- This is Pub Songs & Stories #315
NEW CELTIC ALBUMS
- The Sweet Spot – by Luker Southern
- Études No. 2 – by Ari De'Freitas
- Études No. 1 -by Ari De'Freitas
- BRAW – by THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE
- The Prelude – by David Bickley / Jon Thebur
- Short Tales from the Isles – by Sophie Brown and Friends (SBAF)
- A Mile High and Live – by The Indulgers
- Midnight in Dublin – by The Fiddler’s Tale
- Washed in the Red – by Saints and Scallywags
- The Deep End – by Dàna
- While the Sun Shines – by Elizabeth and Ben Anderson
Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.
TRAVELING IN IRELAND: IRELAND TRAVEL LESSONS FROM FIVE WEEKS AROUND THE COUNTRY
- Five weeks on the road across Ireland brings plenty of unforgettable moments — and a few lessons learned the hard way. From airport advice and overlooked historic sites to island adventures and incredible local experiences, this trip delivered a little bit of everything.
- For travelers planning their own Ireland itinerary, these are the stops, stays, and practical tips that stood out most.
CLARSACH IN COWBOY BOOTS: ECHOES OF SCOTLAND, WHISPERS OF TEXAS
- From Texas to Tradition: Internationally Acclaimed American Harpist Brings Transatlantic Sound to Glasgow Stage
- Glasgow, Scotland — A leading American harpist who crossed the Atlantic to pursue Scotland’s ancient musical traditions is set to perform live in Glasgow this May.
- Leah Jorgensen presents “Clarsach in Cowboy Boots: Echoes of Scotland, Whispers of Texas” on 23 May 2026 at Newlands South Church — a rare chance to hear an internationally seasoned performer who traded a successful classical career in the U.S. for the soul of the Scottish clàrsach.
- Now based in Glasgow, Jorgensen has immersed herself in the traditional scene, becoming one of the country’s most respected harpists. “I’ve played the classical harp for over 30 years, but I became completely captivated by the Scottish tradition,” says Jorgensen. “It drew me across the world. Living and studying in Glasgow has transformed my playing in ways I never imagined.”
- Blending the lyricism of Scottish tradition with the storytelling spirit of her Texan roots, Jorgensen’s performance offers something truly distinctive — intimate, evocative, and deeply personal.
- 🎶 Live in Glasgow + Online Broadcast
- 📍 Newlands South Church, 37 Riverside Rd
- 🗓️ 23 May 2026
- ⏰ 3:30 PM BST (9:30 AM CST)
- This is more than a concert — it’s a cultural homecoming story told through strings.
- Tickets & info:
- leahjorgensen.com
COPPERPLATE TIME 536
- BOTHY BAND, NOEL HILL/TONY LINNANE/MATT MOLLOY, OPEN THE DOOR FOR THREE, RITA GALLAGHER, MICK O’BRIEN, JOHN MARTYN, MICK MULVEY & SHANE MEEHAN, TONY MacMAHON, PAUL BRENNAN, JOHN & JACINTA McEVOY, PADDY CARTY & MICK O’CONNOR, MAGGIE BARRY & MICK GORMAN, ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM, DICK GAUGHAN, NIAMH Nic CHARRA & MANUS MAGUIRE, BERT JANSCH, JOHN McEVOY & JOHN WYNNE, SEAMUS BEGLEY, DAVE SHERIDAN, SEAN KEANE, BÉAL TUINNE, THE BOTHY BAND
SAOIRSE (SEER-SHA): SONGS OF FREEDOM AND RESILIENCE AUDIO CD, A COLLABORATIVE RECORDING PROJECT WITH AMELIA HOGAN.
- I'm Making an Album of Songs of Freedom and Resilience in Saoirse (Seer-sha)
- Saoirse: Irish (n) Freedom: Liberty; Freedom of-; Freedom to-; Freedom from-; Freedom with-; Sovereignty; Access to land; Unrestrained
- I'm partnering with my friends, community members, and elders to finish what we started in 2018: to create a full length studio recording with some of those seeds planted with Ray Frank, and begin recordings again. I have 12-15+ songs to finish recording, mixing, and mastering through the summer of 2026 and I need your help to do it. Are you with me?
To read more, go here!
TAOISEACH: ‘SPLITTING THE G’ IS BOOSTING IRISH TOURISM
- TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has praised the global influence of the Guinness brand while manufacturers Diageo unveiled a new brewery in Kildare.
- The drinks manufacturer opened their new €300m Littleconnell Brewery in Newbridge yesterday afternoon.
- The 40-acre carbon-neutral facility is part of a larger €1bn capital investment programme by Diageo being implemented across the island of Ireland between 2020 and 2029.
To read more, go here!
EAST DURHAM IRISH FESTIVAL
- Celebrate 49 years of Irish tradition at the East Durham Irish Festival, held Memorial Day Weekend at the MJQ Irish Cultural and Sports Centre.
- Enjoy a full weekend of live Irish music, dancing, food, and community in the heart of the Catskills. From traditional sessions to high-energy performances, the festival brings together top talent and fans from across the region.
- Friday night kicks things off with free entry and an open Irish music sing-along session that anyone can join. All weekend long, explore vendors, grab authentic food and drinks, and experience one of the longest-running Irish festivals in the country.
- Whether you are coming for the music, the atmosphere, or a proper weekend away, this is where it all comes together.
- Some of the entertainers you will see are the Feeney Brothers, The Young Wolfe Tones, 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 (he/him) & Marc Gunn (he/him), The Celtfather
May 14, 2026
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