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Blarney Pilgrims Irish Music Podcast — Music
Blarney Pilgrims Irish Music Podcast

The Blarney Pilgrims Podcast is a weekly journey to the heart of Irish music. We interview players of Irish music about how they first came to the music and the place it occupies in their lives now. We use the word ‘heart’ intentionally, because heart is what this music, and the people who play it, are all about. It’s a funny, warm and often unexpected journey – and the tunes are crackin’ too. NOTE: Hey there – it’s Darren and Dom here. So…we want to let you know that last week was the last episode (Ep 94) of the Blarney Pilgrims Podcast for now. We’ve come to a point where we’ve both decided to take a long pause and focus on a few other things. Knowing how much the podcast means to you all, it’s a decision we’ve been really reluctant to take. What we DO know is how massively grateful we are for every text, every thumbs up, every raised eyebrow of support we’ve had over the past two years. You are all legends, and we’re forever in your debt. Thanks especially to everyone who’s become a Patron Saint and supported us through the toughest of economic times, and thanks most especially to the musicians. To those who have been so generous to share their tunes and stories with us, and to those who’ve welcomed us into pub sessions and festival gatherings and house sessions and campsite sessions. Wherever in the world we’ve chatted with players of the music, we’ve been made to feel like lifelong pals. It’s a testament to the open heartedness of the communities who keep the music going wherever they are, and we can’t thank you all enough. We hope this archive will remain of use to people even as we’re taking a pause. So – please do stay in touch, don’t be a stranger, and if you see us out and about, do say hello. And we’ll see you when we see you. Dom and Darren.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 4: Mary MacNamara & Eileen O'Brien Interview (Fiddle, concertina, lilting) - The Blarney Pilgrims Traditional Irish Music Podcast Jul 03, 2019

Show notes

"Nobody listens! Nobody. They think they're listening, but they're not actually listening."

Recorded live at the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, two of Irelands greatest traditional players share their love of the music, teaching and the art of listening.

Joining Mary and Eileen on guitar is previous guest of the show, Gerry Mc Keague. Gerry, actually just came along to listen but when asked by Mary and Eileen to join in, he jumped at the chance. What a legend.

...

Mary and Eileen played a selection of tunes, a couple of which we didn't catch the names of. I mean, it was a festival weekend after all...

So the first set of tunes we don't have names for.

Eileen lilts, The Wise Maid.

Geaghan's and Dan Breen's

Third set: The Coming of Spring and The Battering Ram

And the last set is Joe Bane's and The Green Gowned Lass

Links and extras:

Thoughts on the origins of East Clare music:
http://www.marymacnamara.net/marys_view.html

Here's a great selection of tunes played by Eileen O'Brien's father, Paddy O'Brien.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqOdBdSNl0A&t=125s

From 1981, here's Mary MacNamara and Martin Hayes playing John Nauyghton's Reel and Tommy Coen's Reel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F1_0r8a0Og

Also if you'd like to know more about Eileen's father, there's a great resourse here: http://www.paddyobrienbook.com/?fbclid=IwAR3OkdxcYh3E1y3hd8bSPTfLlz614CtP0tDRkY5m7V8XjHLbTy6lcdOLMa0

...

Thanks so much to Mary, Eileen and Gerry for your time. We absolutely loved this chat.

Also, a big thank you to Una McAlinden and the National Celtic Festival Australia Official for all your support and inviting us to record at your amazing festival.

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You can find Mary here:
http://www.marymacnamara.net/
https://www.facebook.com/mary.macnamara.376

And you can find Eileen here:
https://www.facebook.com/eileen.obrien.165

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If you liked this episode, please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes, it REALLY helps us getting the podcast out to more people.

You can also support The Blarney Pilgrims on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/blarneypilgrims

www.blarneypilgrims.com
facebook.com/BlarneyPilgrimsPodcast
@blarneyPilgrimsPodcast

Episode 3: Jamie Molloy Interview (Concertina, guitar, singing) Jun 06, 2019

Show notes

Maori pianos, famine roads, the Aussie bush to sponsored women in the 1830s. Jamie can really tell a story, not to mention his singing, guitar and concertina playing.

As mentioned in the interview, Jamie is one of the performers in The Good Girl Song Project - you can find it here: http://thegoodgirlsongproject.com/

In this episode Jamie plays:

Newry Town (Traditional)

The Curragh of Kildare (Traditional)

Matty (Wally Page)

Two Junior Crehan tunes

Down The Hall on a Saturday Night (Ken McMaster)

Untitled jig

I, me, (Dominic), refer in the interview to the story J. M Synge related in the preface to Playboy of the Western World, which I sort of half remembered:

"When I was writing The Shadow of the Glen some years ago I got more aid than any learning could have given me from a chink in the floor of the old Wicklow house where I was staying, that let me hear what was being said by the servant girls in the kitchen."

I also seem to remember reading something by Colm Toibin in 'New Ways to Kill Your Mother' that the story was sort of...em...not true. But don't quote me on that. It's a pretty great book though - essays on Irish writers and their relationship with their mothers, Ireland and each other. There's a review of the book here:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/feb/26/ways-kill-your-mother-colm-toibin-review

Oddly enough, you'll see in this review, too, a reference to Blake Bailey’s biography of American writer John Cheever. Have to say, it’s a cracking book, even if you don't like biographies. It's a cracker. Grim, funny, horrible, fascinating. So. Yeah...fab.

For more information on the New Zealand Wars check out Te Ara,
The Encyclopedia of New Zealand:

https://teara.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-wars

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If you liked this episode, please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes, it REALLY helps us getting the podcast out to more people.

You can also support The Blarney Pilgrims on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/blarneypilgrims

www.blarneypilgrims.com
facebook.com/BlarneyPilgrimsPodcast
@blarneyPilgrimsPodcast

Special Guest: Jamie Molloy.

Episode 1: Gerry McKeague Interview (Guitar, singing) - The Blarney Pilgrims Traditional Irish Music Podcast Jun 05, 2019

Show notes

From Belfast rock bands to The Boston Burglar, Gerry McKeague takes us on a musical journey from his childhood home in Ireland to Geelong in Victoria, Australia. If you'd like to get in touch with Gerry you can reach him at https://www.facebook.com/gerry.keague

In this episode Gerry plays the following songs:

Fisherman's Day
(Written by Brian Connors)

Slieve Gallion Braes
(Traditional)

Voyage for Ireland
(Pierre Bensusan)

Shipyard Slips
(David Wilde of The Men of No Property)

Pride of the Springfield Road
(Traditional)

The Boston Burglar
(Traditional)

You can catch Gerry and his sister Mary live as “Innisfayle” at the National Celtic Festival on the weekend of the 7th - 10th June:

https://www.nationalcelticfestival.com/artists-2019/2019/2/19/gerry-amp-mary-mckeague

Thanks to the players and staff at The Last Jar for the jig we use at the opening and closing of the podcast.

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If you liked this episode, please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes, it REALLY helps us getting the podcast out to more people and we absolutely appreciate your help with this.

You can also support The Blarney Pilgrims on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/blarneypilgrims

www.blarneypilgrims.com
facebook.com/BlarneyPilgrimsPodcast
@blarneyPilgrimsPodcast

Special Guest: Gerry McKeague.

Episode 2: Corinn Strating Interview (Flute) - The Blarney Pilgrims Traditional Irish Music Podcast Jun 05, 2019

Show notes

Billy Far Out - How sitting on a train with Andy Irvine at 13 years old can change your life forever.

The Andy Irvine song Corinn talks about is this one, I think: 'Billy Far Out'
https://andyirvinelyrics.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/billy-far-out/

We also talk about the song 'O'Donoghues' which is a bloody brilliant chronicling a time and place. When I listen to this it sort of tugs at something in me to do with the optimism of youth, and dreams of a future in music, and stuff like that. Fits pretty sweetly with Corinn's story of chatting with Andy on the train.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3swQZ_avLX0

And a great interview, Andy Irvine talking to The Second Captains, my favorite sports podcast that ventures into other areas from time to time. From October 2018.
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/1021/1005709-andy-irvine-profile-folk-awards/

Corinn mentions her friend, flute maker and musician Michael Grinter, who died tragically at the end of 2018. You can find more information about his life and work at his website, here:
https://www.grinterflutes.com/

Special thanks to the Last Jar in Melbourne for helping us out with space to record in and chairs to sit on.

...

If you liked this episode, please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes, it REALLY helps us getting the podcast out to more people.

You can also support The Blarney Pilgrims on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/blarneypilgrims

www.blarneypilgrims.com
facebook.com/BlarneyPilgrimsPodcast
@blarneyPilgrimsPodcast

Special Guest: Corinn Strating.

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