Favorite Irish Band and/or Perfomer(s)

[drive-south]

No Tim O'brien fans here? I guess he's a bluegrass artist who just happens to be Irish.
Him and Darrel Scott are unstoppable.

[Gobo]

I would like to add the late Eric Roche and also Colin Reid. I learned a lot from both.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Borderdon

FWIW, Lorena McKennitt is Canadian.

True, but the OP didn't specify they had to be born or based in Ireland. McKenniitt may not be a citizen of Ireland, but she has Irish ancestry and performs Irish music.

I'd add another group to the mix.
Great Big Sea is Canadian but there's no mistaking the Irish flavor in their performances.

[BoneDigger]

For me, it's We Banjo 3 from Galway!

https://youtu.be/cbjB9MGxLzU

[Stomp]

A favourite guitarist of mine was the recently passed Louis Stewart.
Born in my home town of Waterford and raised in Dublin, he was a big inspiration to me as a youngster and I saw him live whenever I could.

Here he is playing with Benny Goodman back in the day:



...and live in Cork with Mundell Lowe:

[Frankieabbott]

Damien O'Kane.......plays in the Kate Rusby band.....amongst others.

[KevWind]

Guess Im somewhat eclectic

[Steve DeRosa]

Highland Rovers - these guys will tear the roof off the house, and if you're a fan of Irish music in the northeast US you need to see them live
Screaming Orphans - Irish trad-punk for lack of a better term, and proof that not every Irish women's group needs to sound like Celtic Woman, Cherish the Ladies, or the Rankin Family
Schooner Fare - they got their start doing Irish pubs in the Northeast Corridor, played many of the big Irish Fests east of the Mississippi over the last 40+ years, and regularly opened for Tommy Makem so they've got the cred

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Guess Im somewhat eclectic

If you like Mary Black, you should check out Cathie Ryan. They're very similar.
Here's another taste...

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

If you like Mary Black, you should check out Cathie Ryan. They're very similar.
Here's another taste...

Yeppers so many good Irish performers really. I spose being 75% Irish '"Tis in me blood"

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Yeppers so many good Irish performers really. I spose being 75% Irish '"Tis in me blood"

I'm a little less than half Irish but I've always had an affinity for the music.

[rpatkin]

No mention of Lunasa? They sound like the land looks

https://youtu.be/yh_3emrvCsg

[Paddy1951]

At the risk of betraying some bias, I think of Ireland as an incredibly musical country.
It has its own traditional music forms going back hundreds of years. These share some commonalities with the other 6 Celtic nations.
But also, the Irish are great adapters. They use bits and pieces from other cultures, instruments from other cultures and create like crazy.

They start young.
While studying music in Ireland, I was in a pub playing Trad with folks from all over. A young father walked in to the pub, 3 kids in tow. The kids were maybe 9,10 and 11 years. The kids moved into the circle, sat down, then joined right in. No hesitation. Two whistle players, 1 concertina player. They all played like they owned it!
My first instinct was to politely pack it up. Lol.[emoji16] These kids were good and poised but not full of themselves.

Bluegrass and Country are very popular there. Musical participation is so much a part of the culture.

It is a tiny island chock full many things musical!

That said, the Celts created musical traditions in many parts of the world.

Cape Breton, Canada (via the Scots), Galicia, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, Wales, Isle of Mann, Brittany.

[Sonics]

Sorry Rory, but this is MY man...

[jim1960]

Another great band that I only discovered recently is Gaelic Storm.