Episode 01-Trip to Sligo

This inaugural episode investigates why 400,000 people–and a band of kids from Boston–ended up at the All Ireland music competition in Sligo. With visits to Boston, Dublin, Clare, and Chicago, host Shannon Heaton digs into what the competition meant to all the kids, parents, and teachers who were involved in the qualifying round in New Jersey, and the big summer Fleadh in Ireland.

Meet young piper Cormac Gaj, teachers at Comhaltas Music Schools, concertina player Mary MacNamara in Tulla, and fiddle player Liz Carroll… and there's a Yeats poem here, too, recited by Anne Marie Kennedy.

* * * * * * *

Special thanks to David Laveille and the nice pals at the Sonic Soiree for encouraging Irish Music Stories. Thank you to Matt Heaton for script editing and production music.

And please CLICK HERE if you can kick in to support this podcast!

* * * * * * *

Visit IrishMusicStories.org

* * * * * * *

Music and Poetry Heard on Episode 01-Trip to Sligo
all music traditional, unless otherwise indicated

Tune: "The Tap Room" (reel), from rehearsal, circa 2009
Artist: Dan Gurney (accordion), Shannon Heaton (flute), Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: "Grupai Ceoil Theme," Production Music made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: "I'm Waiting for You" and "The Magpie's Nest" (reels), from The Banks of the Shannon, Green Linnet 1993
Artist: Seamus Connolly (fiddle), Charlie Lennon (piano)

Tune: "Heartstrings Theme," from Production Music made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: "Travel Theme," from Production Music made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: "The Imperial Set" (first tune is "Follow Me Down to Milltown"), from Live in Lisdoonvarna, (Torc Music, 2002)
Artist: Kilfenora Céilí Band

Tune: "Jennifer Molloy's" (Jig), from From Tulla to Boston: Live at the Burren
Artist: Mary MacNamara (from the Trad Youth Exchange)

Tune: "Joe Cooley's Reel," from From Tulla to Boston: Live at the Burren
Artist: Tulóg and Realta Gaela (from the Trad Youth Exchange)

Tune: "Triumph Theme," from Production Music made for Irish Music Stories
Artist: Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: "High Part of the Road" (Jig), field recording made by Liz Carroll (1976)
Artist: Bridge Céilí Band

Tune: "Seamus Connolly's" (Jig), from Traditional Music from Doolin Co. Clare
Artist: Kevin Griffin with Eoin O'Neill, Sharon Shannon

Poem: "The Song of Wandering Aengus," recited in Kennedy's kitchen
Artist: Recited by Anne Marie Kennedy
Poet: William Butler Yeats