Céad Míle Fáilte
Hello, it is Todd, that’s right, I am back. In this issue we have new episode of our own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast , where we’re turning up the voices that define Celtic music. From Niamh Dunne’s haunting “Ballyneety’s Walls” to Mànran’s fiery “Mire,” from timeless ballads to modern folk songs—every track in this episode is sung from the heart & Quest & Chorus, telling the story of Skellig Michael. The other featured podcasts are Erin’s Isle and Folk on Foot. There is a list of new albums as well. The articles highlighted include ones about Imelda May, Jimmy Fallon’s trip to Scotland, and a north Wales Garden. The spotlighted festivals are once again IrishFest Atlanta, as well as the Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games which takes place this weekend October 24 – 26 at the Rillito Park Race Track in Tucson, AZ We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!
ICM 731: VOICES OF CELTIC SONG: IRISH & SCOTTISH SINGERS
- Niamh Dunne, Mànran, McFloosey, Téada, Ed Miller, Jesse Ferguson, Olivia Bradley, Don Gabbert, The Inland Seas, Skyrie, Marc Gunn, SeeD, Loveridge, Andrew D. Huber + the Gecko Club, Eclectic Revival, Screaming Orphans, Ainsley Hamill
- A special thanks to our new and continued Patrons of the Podcast: Monica Carter, Matthew Malloy, Gregory Mayer
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 #309: QUEST & CHORUS #5: SKELLIG MICHAEL: COME BACK TO THE OCEAN
- The sea around Skellig Michael never rests. Waves slam the cliffs like a heartbeat, and mist rises from the rocks like breath from some sleeping giant. Eight miles off the Kerry coast, this jagged island looks less like a piece of earth and more like a fragment of another world.
- More than a thousand years ago, monks climbed 600 stone steps to live here, chasing silence, prayer, and the edge of heaven. Today, visitors come for the same reason, though they may not know it. Whether you’re drawn by faith, history, or a galaxy far, far away, Skellig has a way of making you listen to what the sea remembers.
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 CELTIC ALBUMS
- Come In Through The Window – by Elias Cardoso
- The Third Coast – by Ben Pierro
- Castlevania Symphony of the Night – Songs of the Vampire Highland – by PixelBeats
- Music at the House – One more time… – by Brendan Bulger, Marty Fahey, and Kathleen Gavin
- I SING FOR YOU – by Fenice Oriente
- Verses for a Vanished Land – by Celtic Samurai
- Keepers of the Flame – by Phoenyx
Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.
ERIN’S ISLE: MURPHY’S ICE CREAM
- Murphy’s Ice Cream is a delight you should never pass up. Two brothers had the dream of making the best Ice Cream in the world, and they’ve spent the past 25 years turning that dream into very sweet success.
IMELDA MAY EXPLORES HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE IRISH LANGUAGE FOR NEW SERIES
- SINGER Imelda May has explored her personal relationship with the Irish language for a new series set to air on RTÉ One.
- The Dubliner delves into the intricacies and the history of Ireland’s mother tongue in the six-part series Imelda May: Amhráin na nGael, which begins tomorrow night.
- It follows the Liberties native as she travels to Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions, from An Rinn in Waterford to Múscraí in Cork, on to west Kerry, Conamara and further north to Toraigh, off the coast of Donegal.
To read more, go here!
FOLK ON FOOT: THE WILDERNESS YET ON IPING COMMON
- Celebrate the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness as The Wilderness Yet take us for an Autumnal musical walk across Iping Common near Midhurst in West Sussex. Singer Rosie Hodgson grew up near here and played on the Common as a child. She’s joined by fiddle player Rowan Piggott and guitarist Philippe Barnes to perform contemporary and traditional songs inspired by Autumn. Along the way we admire the spectacular colours of this glorious landscape, hear how folk music threaded its way through the band members’ childhoods and how their music is inspired by a deep love of nature.
JIMMY FALLON HOSTED BY SCOTTISH SOLDIERS AFTER CHANCE ENCOUNTER
- US TV star Jimmy Fallon was treated to some Highlands hospitality during his holiday in Royal Deeside.
- The actor had been touring the grounds of Balmoral Castle this week when one of the soldiers recognised him and invited him to their barracks.
To read more, go here!
NORTH WALES GARDEN WITH AUTUMN COLOURS ‘LIKE A FIREWORK DISPLAY' NAMED ONE OF BEST DAYS OUT
- During the autumn months, nature stages a spectacular show of vibrant foliage, transforming rural areas, parks and gardens into a riot of colour.
- National Trust sites are among the best places to witness this incredible scenery and, in celebration of the season, it has highlighted locations across the UK for an autumn visit.
To read more, go here!
Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games
- Embark on a Celtic adventure in the heart of Tucson! The Tucson Celtic Festival & Scottish Highland Games invites you to experience the rich tapestry of Scottish and Celtic heritage. Witness the raw power of the Highland Games, be mesmerized by the intricate steps of the dancers, and immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds of the pipes. Discover your clan, sample traditional delights, and find unique Celtic treasures. From whisky and tea tastings to a vibrant Kids Corner and live music that will set your spirit soaring, this is a celebration you won’t soon forget!
- Some of the entertainers you will see are Celtica Nova, Noble McCoy, Out of Kilters, Splendid Absurdity, Cirque Collective Fire Dancers and 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
October 23, 2025
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