WGBH - Contemporary RSS

A Celtic Sojourn 03/02/13

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:30 PM +0000

Brian O'Donovan features music from The Red Wellies, John Doyle and Karan Casey, The Fiddler Case, and music from Heidi Talbot's album "Angels WIthout Wings".

Lunasa at The Burren

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:37 AM +0000

Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, the band Lúnasa is made up of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. Listen to them play "Ryestraw".

New Celtic Music in 2012

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:31 PM +0000

Brian O'Donovan reviews new music on A Celtic Sojourn, including Heidi Talbot's upcoming Angels Without Wings, Sharon Shannon singing with the Radio Telefis Eireann Orchestra and Shamrock City by Solas.

Saturday at 3pm on 89.7 FM

A Celtic Sojourn 11/3/2012

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:27 PM +0000

This week on A Celtic Sojourn: Buttons and Bows, new music by Ashley Davis (pictured), David Francey, Dan Gurney, and Jerry Douglas.

Celtic Wonder Carlos Nu�ez Visits Somerville

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:08 PM +0000

Born in Galicia, Spain, Carlos Nuñez began playing the bagpipes at the age of eight. He met Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains (now celebrating 50 years as a group) when he was a teenager . He later became known as the "7th member" of the band. He travels worldwide, sharing Celtic, Berber, Flamenco and Breton music with his audiences and he has collaborated with legendary musicians like Ry Cooder, Sharon Shannon, Sinéad O'Connor and Altan. In Europe, Nuñez plays to sold out stadiums and arenas. He has toured throughout the world and continues to wow audiences with his high-spirited music.

Nunez included a stop at The Burren Irish Pub in Somerville, Mass., hosted by WGBH's Brian O'Donovan, as part of his first major US tour.

Performers
Carlos Nuñez -- Galician piper
Xurxo Nuñez -- Percussion
Katie McNally -- Fiddle
Pancho Álvarez -- Guitar

A Celtic Sojourn 09/29/2012

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:55 AM +0000

New music this week on A Celtic Sojourn from Rayna Gellert, We Banjos Three and Duncan Chisholm.

A Celtic Sojourn 08/25/2012

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:39 PM +0000

This week, Mary's Waltz by local fiddler and Berklee prof Oisin McAuley (photo by Matt Guillory), as well as T with the Maggies, Moving Hearts and Nieve Parsons.

WGBH and Irish Band Lunasa at The Burren

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:24 PM +0000

Earlier this month the Irish acoustic band Lunasa played at The Burren Irish Pub in Somerville. WGBH's Brian O'Donovan hosted the event as part The Burren Backroom Series.

VIDEO: Lunasa at The Burren Irish Pub

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:18 PM +0000

Watch Lunasa perform "The Merry Sisters of Fate" at The Burren.

BOSTON — Earlier this month Lunasa, called "the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet" by the Irish Times, joined Brian O'Donovan, host of A Celtic Sojourn on WGBH Radio, at The Burren Irish Pub in Somerville. O'Donovan hosts a regular feature there called The Burren Backroom Series, and has presented Celtic artists from Fiddler Winifred Horan to Solas to Frankie Gavin & De Dannan and Brid Harper.

Lunasa is named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts. The band includes some of the top musical talents in Ireland:

Seán Smyth -- Fiddle, Whistles
Kevin Crawford -- Flutes, Whistles
Trevor Hutchinson -- Double Bass
Cillian Vallely - Uillean pipes, Whistles
Ed Boyd - Guitar

Watch Lunasa perform ""Fleur de Mandragore /Ashplant"

A Celtic Sojourn 7/21/2012

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:40 PM +0000

This week Brian announces two free music festivals: The Lowell Folk Festival and The Summer Arts Weekend Festival.

A Celtic Sojourn 7/28/2012

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:31 PM +0000

On this episode of A Celtic Sojourn we hear piano music from Geraldine Cotter, music from Frankie Gavin's band De Dannan and covers of Roy Orbison tunes by the group Celtic Passion

A Celtic Sojourn 7/7/2012

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:52 AM +0000

This week Brian brings you the music of concertina player Caitlin nic Gabhann as well as some new music and a tribute to Woody Guthrie, who would have turned 100 this July.

A Celtic Sojourn 6/30/2012

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 16:50 PM +0000

On this episode of A Celtic Sojourn: Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra, music from a new album by Len Graham, The Leitrim Equation, Kate Rusby, June Tabor and a traditional waulking song by the group Cran.

Dermot Byrne, Floriane Blancke and Brid Harper with friends at The Burren

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:16 PM +0000

June 27, 2012

Brid Harper and Dermot Bryne at the North Atlantic Fiddlers Convention

BOSTON — Dermot Byrne, Floriane Blancke and Brid Harper, with Padraig Rynne and Ryan McGiver. What a combination of musicians. Dermot of course, is the box player from Donegal with the group Altan. Floriane is a harpist from France steeped in the music of Brittany and now, Ireland. Brid is a very respected fiddler. The duo of Padraig Rynne and Ryan McGiver will be absolutely unique. Rynne will show you the best County Clare tradition of concertina players, while McGiver brings terrific guitar backing and a unique interpretation of Irish and American traditional songs.

All this happens on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:30pm.

Hope to see you at the concert.

Brian O’Donovan
Host of A Celtic Sojourn on 89.7 WGBH

>>GET TICKETS Discount Code is "celticclub".

If you would like to hear what these folks sound like:

Listen to Florianne Blanke on Harp, Dermot Byrne on accordion
"Amhran na Leabhair" (Song of the Books)
Download the mp3

More about "Amhran na Leabhair" (Song of the Books)

"Amhran na Lebhair" is a wonderful air from the early 19th century recounting the loss of books in a boating accident. The teacher was going from one parish to the other on the Ring of Kerry Peninsula and decided to send his goods by boat as he made the journey on foot. The loss of the books was the loss of history, and the loss of learning and potential to teach a new generation. Such loss is captured in the sadness of the tune.

A Celtic Sojourn 6/23/2012

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 08:13 AM +0000

On this edition, Brian interviews Clare Horgan a singer of old Gaelic Songs from her native Co. Kerry yet steeped in Jazz and Pop. Clare is from Waterville a beautiful town on the famed “ring of Kerry” peninsula. She visited WGBH during a recent tour of America.

A Celtic Sojourn 6/09/2012

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 02:24 AM +0000

On this episode of A Celtic Sojourn: Loreena McKennitt, Darol Anger, Natalie Merchant, Liam O'Flynn and some Shetland Island music from Fiddlers Bid.

A Celtic Sojourn 5/26/2012

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:07 PM +0000

Brian pays tribute to the fallen for Memorial Day, talks with Russell Gusetti, artistic director of the upcoming Blackstone River Theater Summer Solstice Festival and shares some music from the new Paul Brady anthology, Dancer in the Fire.

A Celtic Sojourn 5/19/2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:41 PM +0000

Brian O'Donovan explores the music of Joe Boske, a German born visual artist who has lived in the Galway area for more than 40 years and is well known in traditional music circles for his compositions and his quirky art work.

A Celtic Sojourn 5/12/2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:50 PM +0000

As a tip of the hat to Mothers on Mother’s Day, this program explores a compilation which Brian produced for One Home Many Hopes, an orphanage in Kenya. Lullabies from around the Celtic World and a poem from Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh about his mother.

A Celtic Sojourn 4/21/2012

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:25 PM +0000

Ryan McGiver is a New Yorker whose new album, Troubled In Mind, includes unusual and very contemporary versions of traditional Irish and Appalachian songs. Brian explores some of these in A Celtic Sojourn.