Céad Míle Fáilte
It is your ever-present editor, Todd, once again. In this issue we have a new episode of our own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The other podcast featured are Traveling in Ireland & Copperplate Time. There is a list of new albums included as well. The articles highlighted are about an Irish artist on the short list for a British prize, a family campsite in Wales, and a Viking invasion of the Isle of Man. The spotlighted festival is the KVMR Celtic festival taking place May 1 – 3, 2026, at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, CA. We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #757: SELKIE WOMEN OF THE NORTHERN SHORE
- One Street Over, Gillian Boucher & Bob McNeill, Fialla, Eloise & Co., The Leftovers, The Bow Tides, Low Lily, Tara's Folk, Sue Spencer, Eimear Arkins, Sora, Louise Bichan, Kim Carnie, THE DIVINERS, Marc Gunn, One Street Over, Sora, Louise Bichan, Kim Carnie, THE DIVINERS, Fialla, Eimear Arkins, Low Lily, The Bow Tides
- A special thanks to our Celtic Legends: Fuzzy, 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, Gary R Hook, Lynda MacNeil, Kelly Garrod, Mike Schock, Shawn Cali
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?
NEW CELTIC ALBUMS
- Long Awaited – by Diego Arias
- The Begae: Echoes of Belgica – by Lumieresoundworks
- Imagination Symphony: Epic Music for Fantasy Novel Writing & Science Fiction Storytelling – by Macey Rogers
- Sit here with us – by Reuben and The Bridge
- Oak and Yew – by Gnome Oracle
- Tradical – by Shana Stone
- No Words Required – by Southern Elsewhere
- Dan Musil (EP) – by Dan Musil
Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.
TRAVELING IN IRELAND: EXPLORE IRELAND DIFFERENTLY: BESPOKE FOOD, WHISKEY & CULTURAL TOURS
- What started as a Dublin food tour has grown into something much bigger. Gráinne, owner of Flavour Trails, has expanded her offerings to meet travelers who want more than a quick stop-and-go itinerary.
- Visitors can now choose from:
- Multiple Dublin food tours (including a traditional walking tour with five stops)
- Whiskey experiences
- Storytelling tours
- Fully customized private tours across Ireland
- The goal is simple: connect travelers not just to places, but to the people producing the food and drink they’re enjoying.
IRISH ARTIST’S WORK INSPIRED BY BIKE INJURY SHORTLISTED FOR BRITISH ART PRIZE
- A DUBLIN artist who is studying in London has been shortlisted for an industry prize for a unique piece of work inspired by an injury sustained in a bike accident.
- Anna Mays is a post-graduate student at the Royal College of Art and a graduate of the University of Brighton whose work focuses on the human body.
- Mays has been shortlisted for the 2026 Batsford Prize – an award for British-based undergraduate and postgraduate art students – it was announced today.
To read more, go here!
COPPERPLATE TIME 535
- BOTHY BAND, MOVING CLOUD, LIZ & YVONNE KANE, ELAINE KELLY & DAITHI GORMLEY, JACKIE McAULEYm MANUS MAGUIRE, JOHN REGAN & PADDY GLACKIN, PADDY CRONIN, CLANNAD, NIAMH Ní CHARRA, KEVIN ROWSOME, MICK MULVEY & SHANE MEEHAN, SEAMUS BEGLEY & STEVE COONEY, PAUL BRADY, TERRY CLARKE, LUKA BLOOM, BERT JANSCH, & THE BOTHY BAND
FAMILY CAMPSITE HAS BIG INDOOR POOL, VINTAGE CINEMA AND IS JUST 10 MINUTES FROM THE BEACH
- With summer definitely on its way what's better than getting a family break in the diary – one that won't cost the earth.
- Even better, one where you're 10 minutes from the beach, 15 from one of Wales' best seaside towns and one where you can settle down in lush, Welsh countryside with a refreshing swimming pool on site.
To read more, go here!
ISLE OF MAN PREPARES FOR NEW VIKING INVASION AT FIRE FESTIVAL
- The Isle of Man is preparing for a new Viking invasion.
- A contingent of 30 Vikings from Shetland will descend on Manx shores this weekend.
- The Lerwick Jarls Squad will be here to headline the Oie Voaldyn festivities in Peel on Sunday (May 3).
- Jarls Squads led by the Guizer Jahl play a central role in the Up Helly Aa community fire festivals that take place around the Shetland isles between January and March each year – with the Lerwick event being the biggest one.
To read more, go here!
KVMR CELTIC FESTIVAL
- With the KVMR community at its heart, there is so much more behind the scenes of this festival that can’t be measured. The 45 Area Managers that work so hard to make this the best Celtic Festival in the Western States. Each of the Area Managers commit a vast amount of time and energy to ensure our festival is clean, friendly and safe. And the hundreds of volunteers make the unsurmountable amount of work to put on a festival possible. Hat’s off to all the volunteers, many with years of dedication. Also, a shout out to the past Producers that brought this festival to its epic standard. 28 successful years!
- Some of the entertainers you will see include Dervish, Gnoss, Summer McCall, Mad Maleys, The Shanty Mountain Bards, Old Soles, 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
April 30, 2026
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