Céad Míle Fáilte

It is Todd once again. In this issue we have a new episode of our own Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The other highlighted podcasts are Irish Music Stories & Copperplate. We have a list of new albums as well. The articles we feature are about pictures of revelers ringing in the New Year, Banjo & Ro’s Island hotel, & someone running around Ireland. The spotlighted festival is the 48^TH Central Florida Scottish Highland Games, taking place January 17 & 18, at the Central Winds Park in Winter Springs, FL.  We hope you enjoy this issue. Until next time, Sláinte mhaith!

IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST #741: CHILL CELTIC FOLK SONGS FOR A NEW YEAR

• Enda Reilly, The Druids Irish Folk Band, Brobdingnagian Bards, The Haar, Charlie O’Brien, Socks in the Frying Pan, Tiffany Schaefer, Whiskey Bay Rovers, Boxing Robin, Bealtaine, Goitse, Rambling Sailors, Heather Dale, Jesse Ferguson, The Gothard Sisters

• A special thanks to our new and continued Patrons of the Podcast: Rob Burns, SJM

Listen to the Show

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.

Vote in the Celtic Top 20

WHAT'S NEW WITH CELTIC MUSIC
& CULTURE ONLINE?

NEW CELTIC ALBUMS

• Traditional Ballads – by Matthew Dames
• The Mother Wave – by Zambra
• Lufia II: Ballads of the Sinistrals – by PixelBeats
• Beginnings – by Brad Prevedoros
• Moonlit Path – by Sophie Brown and Friends
• True Harmony Rune – The Suikoden Collection – by MrConeman
• Runes of Surrender – by Bound Beneath Yggdrasil
• Echoes of the Standing Stones – by Great Bear Music
• Christmas With the Bards – by Barehead Bards
• Northern Shores – by Danny Diamond & Brian Miller — Northern Shores
• Home Grown – by Matt Tighe and Tad Sargent

Attn Bands: Go to 4celts.com to submit your band to the podcast.

IRISH MUSIC STORIES: EPISODE 88: DARK MYSTERIES BRIGHT MELODIES

• Early 20th century musician George White painted the New York scene with dance tunes on his piccolo; and the tune bearing his name has gone on to enchant generations of Irish musicians. Well before that, a piper lured 130 children with his sweet playing (and his colorful clothes). There’s no bankruptcy of mystery or chirpy melodies in this first episode of Season 10 of Shannon Heaton’s Irish Music Stories.

Listen here

IN PICTURES: REVELLERS RING IN THE NEW YEAR IN IRELAND

• REVELLERS were out in force to welcome the New Year in Ireland overnight.
• Events took place in towns and villages across the country as 2026 arrived.

To read more, go here!

COPPERPLATE PODCAST 313

• Gerry Diver, Carlos/Sweeney & McCartin, John & Jacinta McEvoy, Gatehouse, Laoise Kelly, Sharon Newton Creasey, Elaine Reilly, Garadice, Mick Mulvey & Shane Meehan, Michael Banahan, Patsy Moloney, Gerry Hanley, John Wynne & John McEvoy, Sorcha Costello, Dave Sheridan

Listen to the Show

BANJO & RO’S GRAND ISLAND HOTEL BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO A TINY HEBRIDEAN ISLAND

• The designer duo battle storms and decay to bring a mansion back to life in their new BBC show.
• Banjo Beale, his husband Rohan Christopher and their dog Grampa have all made it from their home on the island of Ulva in the Hebrides to Glasgow after a journey that typifies their resourceful ‘go for it’ attitude.

To read more, go here!

I RAN 1,400 MILES AROUND IRELAND

• On a running pilgrimage in the land of my forebears I was blown away by the scenery – and even more so by the warmth of the people
• As a long-distance runner, I had always wanted to use running as a means of travel, a way to traverse a landscape. I’d heard of people running across Africa, or the length of New Zealand, and the idea of embarking on an epic journey propelled only by my own two legs was compelling. I had just turned 50, and some might have said I was having a mid-life crisis, but I preferred to envisage it as a sort of pilgrimage – a journey in search of meaning and connection. And the obvious place to traverse, for me, was the land of my ancestors: Ireland.

To read more, go here!

48^TH CENTRAL FLORIDA SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES

• The history and culture of these events are centuries old and the Scottish-American Society of Central Florida are honored to represent that heritage at the Central Florida Scottish Highland Games. Experience traditional highland athletics, dance, art, music, culture and food!
• Clan Buchanan Theatre Event
• For over 300 years, Clan Buchanan has been without a chief. That is, until now…
• Some of the entertainment acts you will see are Albannach, Celtica Nova, Tuatha Dea, Raglan Road Band, Piper Jones, and more!

Find out more information

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

January 8, 2026

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