The Rolling Wave

In this episode, Aoife is joined by fiddle-player Martin Hayes. Martin has chosen a selection of music for us to play on the programme, which, for him, are formative recordings and ones to which he returns all the time.

In this episode Aoife talks to Kathleen Loughnane about her work on the Patrick O'Neill manuscripts and about learning harp, playing with Dordán, her own approach to tunes, and the popularity of the harp today.

Photographer Tony Kearns has been taking photos at the Willie Clancy Summer School since 1992 and in this episode he talks about some of those pictures, the musicians in them and his own relationship with the summer school.

Musician and composer Josephine Marsh has just published a new book of her compositions and in this episode she talks about the stories behind the tunes as well as her own route into music.

The second of two programmes marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Sliabh Luachra fiddle player Denis Murphy. These programmes were made by Peter Browne and originally broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 in 1995.

The first of two programmes marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Sliabh Luachra fiddle player Denis Murphy. These programmes were made by Peter Browne and originally broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 in 1995.

Aoife speaks with musician and writer Seán McElwain about his new book ‘Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over It'. The books tells the story of James Whiteside who collected music in the Sliabh Beagh region, an area on the border between Northern Ireland and the south straddling counties Fermanagh and Monaghan in the late 1900s.

In this episode Aoife meets harper and CEO of Harp Ireland, Lauren Ní Néill.

In this episode Toner Quinn talks to Aoife about his new book 'What Ireland can teach the world about music and other essays'.

In this episode I'm joined by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Dermot McLaughlin to talk about some of the great names in Donegal fiddle playing.

In this episode we're celebrating 40 years of the work of Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí in the company of some of its founding members and a host of great fiddle players.

A special interview with composer, fiddle and piano player Charlie Lennon recorded in Stiúideó Cuan in Galway in advance of a concert in celebration of Charlie's music.

Zoë Conway joins Aoife to talk about her newly composed suite of music, From a Forest to a Fiddle and we also hear from Jim McKillop whose fiddle making process is documented and celebrated through music and film as part of this project.

In this episode Conor Caldwell talks about how jazz culture in Ireland in the early 20th century influenced Irish traditional musicians and made its way into the repertoire of players like John Doherty and others.

In this episode we're celebrating the iconic album The Liffey Banks from fiddle player Tommie Potts, first released in 1972 by Claddagh Records. With contributions from Seán Óg Potts, Martin Hayes, Aoife Ní Bhriain, James Kelly, and the voices of Garech de Brún, Paddy Moloney, Peadar O'Loughlin, Seán Potts and Tommie Potts himself.

In 2009 we broadcast an edition of The Arts Show on RTÉ Radio 1 celebrating 50 years of Claddagh Records. A new book by James Morrissey about Garech de Brún and Claddagh Records 'Real to Reel' has just been published and we thought it would be fitting to revisit this programme and these stories again today.

In this episode Aoife's guest is musician Karen Ryan, a member of the band The London Lasses who are celebrating 25 years together this year. Karen has chosen music from some of the legendary figures she met growing up learning Irish traditional music in London. This programme was first broadcast on the 24th of September 2023.

In this episode Aoife talks to accordion player and composer Jackie Daly about his life in music and especially about his new book of tunes ‘The Jackie Daly Collection'. This programme was first broadcast on July 23rd 2023.

Almost 100 years ago Donegal woman Anna John Chiot was visited by collectors from the Irish Folklore Commission. They recorded many songs from her and fiddle player Paul O'Shaughnessy has just published 128 of them in a new book which is accompanied by a cd featuring new recordings of some of the songs.

In this episode, we're talking about music collected in Ireland in the 1840s and recently published in The Forde Collection, edited by Nicholas Carolan and Caitlín Uí Éigeartaigh. Nicholas Carolan joins us to talk about William Forde and we have music from Mark Redmond, Eilís Lavelle and Jason McGuinness. First broadcast on 23rd April 2023.

In this episode we meet accordion and melodeon player Diarmuid Ó Meachair who has just released an album of music on the melodeon, 'Melodeon Medleys'. This programme was first broadcast on the 3rd of September 2023.

Damien McGeehan, Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, Máire Breatnach, Joanie Madden and Connie O'Connell talk about the inspiration behind the music they wrote for Faoiseamh 2021.

Bríd Harper, David Munnelly, Fintan Vallely, Caitlín Nic Gabhann and Carl Hession talk about the inspiration behind the music they wrote for Faoiseamh 2021.

In this episode we're marking the centenary of the birth of musician and composer Paddy O'Brien in the company of his daughter Eileen with Geraldine Cotter on piano.

Remembering the late Donegal fiddle player Jimmy Campbell in the company of his friend and fellow Donegal fiddle player Caoimhín Mac Aoidh. The programme was first broadcast on February 13 2022.

Dáibhí Ó Cróinín talks about his new book about the songs of his grandmother, Elizabeth Cronin. This programme was first broadcast on 30 January 2022

A programme marking the 10th anniversary of the folk and traditional music label Raelach Records. The programme was first broadcast on the 28th of November 2021

An afternoon of music and chat recorded in Co. Donegal with fiddle player Danny Meehan. The programme was first broadcast on the 31st of October 2021.

An interview with the late singer and musician Seán Tyrrell recorded at his home in Co. Clare in 2006. This programme was first broadcast on the 21st of November 2021

A special programme remembering musician and broadcaster Tony Mac Mahon who died recently. This programme was first broadcast on October 17 2021.

Aoife meets students on the Ceoltóir Course run by Ballyfermot College of Further Education with Na Píobairí Uileann and hears some great tunes played on four beautiful new harps. This programme was first broadcast on July 11th 2021.

Eoin Stan O'Sullivan joins Aoife to talk about his work as Sliabh Luachra's Musician in Residence and the founding of Sliabh Luachra Records. This programme was first broadcast on July 25th 2021.

Another edition of our Inspirations series fiddle player and folklorist Rónán Galvin talks about his friend and musical inspiration Donegal Fiddle Player James Byrne. This programme was first broadcast on 13 June 2021

PJ Teahan previews some fantastic newly discovered recordings of Paddy Cronin, Julia Clifford, Willie O'Connell and Kathleen O'Keefe, which are all due to be published on May 22nd by World Fiddle Day Scartaglin. This programme was first broadcast on 16 May 2021.

Musician and composer Brian Finnegan talks about all things whistle and flute related, writing tunes, playing and touring with the band Flook and his new album 'Hunger of the Skin' written and recorded at home during lockdown. This programme was first broadcast on May 9th 2021

Piano player Geraldine Cotter talks about the album Friends of Note- music recorded in the 1970s and 1980s and featuring Geraldine herself with legendary Clare musicians Peter O'Loughlin, Paddy Murphy and Paddy Canny. The album was finally released in 2019. This programme was first broadcast on 25 April 2021

The 2nd of a two part celebration of the life and music of the late Joe Burke with guests Daithí Gormley, Frankie Gavin, Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Charlie Lennon. This programme was first broadcast on 28 March 2021

The first of a two part celebration of the life and music of the late Joe Burke. In this episode- Joe Burke in his own words and music. This programme was first broadcast on 21 March 2021.

In this episode, concertina player Caitlín Nic Gabhann talks about one of the albums which most influenced her, 'The Nervous Man' by Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh. The programme was first broadcast on February 21 2021.

In this episode the Director of the Irish Traditional Music Archive, Liam O'Connor talks about some newly discovered and previously unheard recordings of fiddle players Michael Coleman and James Lad O'Beirne. This programme was first broadcast on February 14 2021.

In this episode Michael Harrison talks about the music of his grandmother, fiddle player Aggie Whyte. This interview was first broadcast on February 7th 2021.

In this episode piper Barry Kerr talks about his new album 'Cairn' inspired by the life and music of the late Liam O'Flynn. This interview was first broadcast on January 24th 2021.