Dervish - Midsummer's Night

Dervish, perhaps more than any other traditional Irish band, have the knack of bringing the passion and spontaneity of a pub session to their recordings. On Midsummer's Night, the seven members of the band play their way through six sets of dance tunes with an easygoing charm that makes even the quick tempos of the liveliest jigs seem effortless. The instrumental talents of the members may rank with the best Ireland has to offer, but the real heart of the band is the voice of Cathy Jordan. When she sings a tragic ballad such as "The Banks of Sweet Viledee," she brings the bitterness and sorrow to life, and when she gets flirtatious, as she does on "Sean Bhain," she is irresistible.

1. Midsummer's Night

2. Sean Bhain

3. Tenpenny Bit

4. The Banks Of The Sweet Viledee

5. Palmer's Gate

6. Erin Gra Mo Chroi

7. Lark On The Strand

8. Carirns Hill

9. There Was A Maid In Her Father's Garden

10. Abbeyfeale Set

11. An T-U11

12. Bold Doherty

13. Out On The Road

14. Red-Haired Mary

link to the free album

Dervish - Midsummer's Night

The Gambler [by Katherine Thurston]

Clodagh, 18 years old, is the eldest daughter of Dennis Asshlin, an Irish gentleman who lives in an area of Ireland called Orristown. Dennis is passionate, proud and indebted to no one. But, Dennis has an obsession with gambling that is leading the family to ruin. When tragedy strikes, Clodagh finds herself in a situation where she must defend the family honor because “no Asshlin is ever obliged to anyone”. She marries a man she does not love who is many times her age and is thrust from adolescence to adulthood literally overnight. Clodagh travels to Europe and mingles with people of society and fashion which through her immaturity, she believes is her right. She finds instead uncertainty, despondency, and deceit. Her emotions are constantly in battle with reality as she discovers her society acquaintances are not the “friends” she believes them to be. During her visit to Europe, Clodagh discovers that she too is burdened with the Asshlin curse for gambling which eventually leads to more heartbreak. A chance encounter seems to change her life and she returns to Ireland, only once again to be thwarted by the Asshlin curse. A surprise and tense ending is in store for the listener.

Read by Tom Weiss.

link to the free audiobook

The Gambler [by Katherine Thurston]

Bothy Band - After Hours (Recorded Live In Paris)

Recorded June 1978 in Paris and released in early 1979 this magnificent concert was sadly the swansong of one of the most influential Irish Traditional groups. Just look at the line up, you wont see better on the one stage. By the way the music is sublime.

Band
Kevin Burke (fiddle), 
Paddy Keenan (pipes, whistle), 
Matt Molloy (flute), 
Dónal Lunny (vocals, bouzouki, guitar, bodhrán), 
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (vocals, keyboards, bodhrán), 
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill (vocals, guitar, keyboards)

1. The Kesh Jig/Give Us a Drink of Water/Famous Ballymote

2. The Butterfly

3. Casadh an tSugain

4. Farewell to Erin

5. The Heathery Hills of Yarrow

6. The Death of Queen Jane

7. The Pipe on the Hob/The Hag at the Churn

8. The Priest/Mary Willie's/This Is My Love, Do You Like Her?

9. How Can I Live at the Top of a Mountain?

10. Rosie Finn's Favourite/Over the Water to Charlie/The Kid on the Mountain

11. The Green Groves of Erin/The Flowers of Red Hill

link to the free album

Bothy Band - After Hours (Recorded Live In Paris)

Ulysses [by James Joyce]

Still considered one of the most radical works of fiction of the 20th Century, James Joyce's Ulysses ushered in the era of the modern novel. Loosely based on Homer's Odyssey, the narrative follows Leopold Bloom and a number of other characters through an ordinary day, twenty four hours, in Dublin, on June 16, 1904. The text is dense and difficult, but perfectly suited to an oral reading, filled with language tricks, puns and jokes, stream of consciousness, and bawdiness.

link to the free audiobook
Ulysses [by James Joyce

Fureys and Davey Arthur - Banshee

A rare 1978 LP by the legendary Fureys and Davey Arthur 1978. Great collection of less famous tunes by the band and never released on CD to my knowledge.

1. Ned Walsh's/The Piper's Chair
2. The Snows (they melt the soonest)
3. William Taylor
4. Derrol in the Rain
5. Baile An Ore/George White's/Aoife's Bottle
6. Pollution
7. Ship in full Sail/Badenloch/Hardiman's
8. I live not where I Love
9. Abroad as I was walking
10. Lonely One
11. Banshee
12. Sham-Rock

link to the free album

Fureys and Davey Arthur - Banshee

The Princess and Curdie [by George MacDonald]

The Princess and Curdie is the sequel to The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. It's been a year since the Princess Irene and Curdie first met, and a year since the goblin incident and all appears to be going well in the Kingdom. Or is it? After a visit from Irene's great-great-grandmother, Curdie finds himself on a mission to save the kingdom, with a rather strange companion in tow. 

Read by Lizzie Driver.

link to the free audiobook
The Princess and Curdie [by George MacDonald]

The Amateur Emigrant [by Robert Louis Stevenson]

In July 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson left Scotland to meet his future wife in her native California. Leaving by ship from Glasgow, Scotland, he determined to travel in steerage class to see how the working classes fared. At the last minute he was convinced by friends to purchase a ticket one grade above the lowest price, for which he was later thankful after seeing the conditions in steerage, but he still lived among the 'lower' classes. His comments on the experience make interesting reading. His father however was so shocked at the thought of his son associating with people 'beneath him' that the work was not published for a number of years.

link to the free audiobook
The Amateur Emigrant [by Robert Louis Stevenson]

Danny Ellis - 800 Voices

Danny Ellis was born 18 July 1947 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He was sent to the Artane Industrial school in 1955 until 1963  As a professional trombonist, Ellis played with Irish showbands The Airchords (1964), The Jim Farley Band (1965-66), The Nevada Showband (1969), Dickie Rock's Miami Showband (1969-1971), and Stage 2 (1972-73). He also worked as a session singer in the famous Abbey road studios, recording demos for Les Reed. One of his recordings of a Les Reed song landed him in the English finals for Eurovision in 1989. In 2009 he released the album 800 Voices, an autobiographical account of his time in the Irish orphanage system.

1. 800 Voices

2. The Bold Christian Brothers

3. Tommy Bonner

4. The Treasures of the Sons

5. On the Bus Back Home

6. The Artane Boys Band

7. Who Trew Da Boot

8. The Twist Within the Tweed

9. Excuses

10. Music For A Friend

11. Kelly's Gone Missin'

12. Summer Sandals

13. Radio

14. The Day I Left Artane

15. Innocence Back

16. The Stolen Child

link to the free album

Danny Ellis - 800 Voices

Various Artists - 16 Great Jigs and Reels by Canada's Top Fiddlers

A heady blend of Cape Breton, Scottish & Irish fiddle tunes brought to you by some of Canada's Top Fiddlers. This is the first volume of a two volume set [second to follow shortly]


01-Don Messer & His Islanders-Buckwheat Batter
02-Jimmie MacLellan-Humours Of Boston & Democratic Rage Hornpipe
03-Johnny Mooring-Carl's Favourite Jig
04-Joe Murphy Band-Little Judique Reel
05-June Eikhard-Highland Jig
06-Graham Townsend-Don Tremaine's Reel
07-Bernie Leigh & Joe MacDougall-Jimmy's Favourite Jig
08-The Rodgers Bros.-St. Ann's Reel
09-Jimmie MacLellan-Dusty Bob's Jig & Old Red Barn Jig
10-Don Messer & His Islanders-Riley's Favourite Reel
11-Joe Murphy Band-The Champion Jig
12-June Eikhard-Rodeo Reel
13-Ed Gyurki-Smash The Window
14-Bernie Leigh & Joe MacDougall-Fiddle Head Reel
15-Graham Townsend-East Coast Jig
16-Joe Murphy Band-Parry Sound Reel

link to the free album
Various Artists - 16 Great Jigs and Reels by Canada's Top Fiddlers

The Wind Among the Reeds [by William Butler Yeats] [Audiobook]

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. He studied poetry in his youth and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. One of his works, 'The wind among the reeds', published in 1899, by critics' opinion is the main achievement of his early works. Imagery of Yeats' poetry at this time is filled with characters of Celtic mythology and folklore.

link to the free audiobook
The Wind Among the Reeds [by William Butler Yeats]

Celtic Folk and Fairy Tales [by Joseph Jacobs]

A collection of folk and fairy tales from the Emerald Isle. There is an earlier version of this book - Celtic Fairy Tales, but this recording was done from a different book in Project Gutenberg.

link to the free audiobook

Celtic Folk and Fairy Tales [by Joseph Jacobs]

Ewan MacColl - Scots Drinking Songs (1956)

Of the songs he has included in this album, MacColl writes: "I can remember as a child being allowed to stay up at Hogmanay parties when a dozen Scots iron-moulders and their wives would settle down to serious drinking. A Wee Drappie O't would be sung with everyone joining in the chorus with maybe a few English friends looking a bit embarrassed at this display of Celtic emotion and the beer jugs would be circulating freely and whiskey bottles would empty at an alarming rate. In between the songs the company would argue the merits of Edward Clod's 'History of Creation' and Volny's 'Ruins of Empires' and then as the singing became more and more rough I would be sent off to bed. As these junketings often lasted for a whole week I had plenty of opportunities to learn the songs."

1 We're A' Jolly Fu'

2 The Calton Weaver

3 When She Came Ben She Bobbit

4 The Laird Of The Dainty Doon Bye

5 Blow The Candle Out

6 Donald Blue

7 The Brewer Laddie

8 We're Gayly Yet

9 A Wee Drappie O't

10 The Cuckoo's Nest

11 Green Grow The Rashes, O

12 The Day We Went To Rothesay

13 The Bonnie Lassie Who Never Said No

14 The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre

15 Jock Hawk's Adventures In Glasgow

16 The Brisk Young Lad

17 I Wish That You Were Dead Guidman

18 The Wind Blew The Bonnie Lassie's Plaidie Awa'

19 Andro And His Cutty Gun

link to the free album

Ewan MacColl - Scots Drinking Songs

The Happy Prince And Other Tales [by Oscar Wilde] [Dramatic Reading]

Wilde's collection of fairytales has delighted both children and adults since it was first published in 1888. It contains five stories, "The Happy Prince", "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Selfish Giant", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket".

Read by a full cast. of Availle, Rebecca Braunert-Plunkett, ElleyKat, Amanda Friday, Libby Gohn, Elizabeth Klett, Arielle Lipshaw, Beth Thomas, and Katalina Watt.

link to the free audiobook
The Happy Prince And Other Tales [by Oscar Wilde] [Dramatic Reading]

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories [by Oscar Wilde]

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories is a collection of short semi-comic mystery stories. This collection exemplifies Wilde's sharp wit and dark humour. Stories in this collection include: Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, The Canterville Ghost, The Sphinx Without a Secret, The Model Millionaire, and The Portrait Of Mr W H

Read by Alex Lau; James K. White

link to the free audiobook
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories [by Oscar Wilde]

John Doonan - Flute for the Feis (1972)

A lovely album from piccolo player John Doonan, accompanied by Henry Eglington (accordion), Phil Murray (acoustic bass), and Dave Price (piano). Doonan, from Hebburn was All-Ireland and world piccolo champion, and played at Fiesanna and festivals the world over, competing and providing music for dance competitions, a fact that accounts for the preponderance of Set Dance tunes on this recording, and for the lovely Sean Nós dance steps that can be heard on track 10. Track 14 is an interesting example of Murray's lively bass playing, and pretty funky stuff considering how traditional is Doonan's North Connaught-influenced style of playing. All in all this album is a surprising little gem. [Ceol Álainn review]

1. Seán Maguire's/The Banshee [Reels]

2. The Hunt [Set Dance]

3. Smash the Windows/Off She Goes [Single Jigs]

4. Bonaparte's Retreat [Set Dance]

5. The Sport of the Chase [Slip Jig]

6. The Flowers of Antrim/The Quarrelsome Piper [Hornpipes]

7. The Coolin [Air]

8. The Fermoy Lasses/Sporting Paddy/The Dawn [Reels]

9. The Ace and Deuce of Piping [Set Dance]

10. Saddle the Pony/Shandon Bells [Jigs]

11. The Little Heathy Hill [Set Dance]

12. The King of the Fairies [Set Dance]

13. Eileen Aroon [Air]

14. Bonnie Kate/Jenny's Chickens [Reels]

link to the free album

John Doonan - Flute for the Feis

Wolfhound - Right Of A Man To Be Free

Here are some post election resistance songs for all those feeling blue about the election results.....so sing along with the Wolfhounds

"Many homes are filled with sorrow and with sadness, 

Many hearts are filled with anguish and with pain".

This is a compilation of previously released material recorded between 1972 and 1976

The Wolfhounds were

Ray McAreavey

Danny Burns

Gogie McCullough

Kieran Manning

1. Free the People
2. Roger Casement
3. Lonely Woods Of Upton
4. God Save Ireland
5. Brave Frank Stagg
6. Boys Of The Old Brigade
7. Bold Robert Emmett
8. Freedom Sons
9. Blood Stained Bandage
10. Erin's Flag
11. Woodlands Of Lough Glynn
12. Joe Hill

link to the free audiobook

Wolfhound - Right Of A Man To Be Free

Harry Hibbs - A Fifth Of Harry Hibbs

The late, great and unforgetable Harry Hibbs dealing out a grand selection of Scottish, Irish and Newfoundland Traditional/Folk tunes on his trusty auld Accordion.

1 Roddy McLury
2 Kelligrews Soiree
3 Rocking The Rodney
4 Come Back Paddy Reilly
5 Doggie Doggie Bark At The Cat
6 Erin's Green Shore
7 All For Me Grog
8 Paddy O'Regan
9 The Orange & The Green
10 Wicklow Hills
11 Banks Of The Roses
12 Up In The Woodpile

link to the free album

Harry Hibbs ‎– A Fifth Of Harry Hibbs

Dick Gaughan - Handful Of Earth

Utterly universal music, politically charged, each song a gem and the most brilliant singing and guitar playing. No pretension and affected star-posing. I'm at a loss to understand why this superb work isn't as oft cited as What's Going On and Blood on the Tracks. The gut-wrenching use of Burns' lyrics in Come Westlin' Winds, the righteous lament of The World Turned Upside Down, the delicate sentiments of Erin-Go-Bragh and Both Sides the Tweed and the strident Workers Song. What more do you want?

1. Erin Go Bragh
2. Now Westlin Winds
3. Craigie Hill
4. The World Turned Upside Down
5. The Snows They Melt The Soonest
6. Lough Erne / First Kiss At Parting
7. Scojun Waltz/Randers Hopsa
8. Song For Ireland
9. Workers' Song
10. Both Sides The Tweed

link to the free album

Dick Gaughan - Handful Of Earth