County Carlow, Ireland

Next we're heading to County Carlow.  Leo O'Kelly from Carlow is one half of the folk duo Tír na nÓg, the other being Sonny Condell from County Wicklow.  They've been going ever since 1969 and describe their style as progfolk.  Here is one from the archives: Time Is Like A Promise from their 1971 debut album:

This is something more recent from their latest 2015 album The Dark Dance, a track entitled You In Yellow:

Very much new on the scene is the trad band Caladh Nua (new safe haven), who describe their home, as Carlow, Waterford, Kerry and Kilkenny. They decribe their style as rooted in the southern counties of Ireland.  The song Craigie Hills can be found on their album Happy Days:

Finally a County Carlow song performed by Kildare band Planxty: Follow Me Up to Carlow is on their self-titled 2005 album:

As usual you can follow my virtual journey on this link.  Next stop County Laois.

County Wicklow, Ireland

To the south of Dublin we find ourselves in the County Wicklow, home to the Wicklow Mountains, an area of spectacular beauty and tranquillity. This is me checking if the blackberries are ripe in the Wicklow Mountains last year. 

Here we find The Maguires family band.  They are a family band consisting of the father, his 2 teenage daughters and his young son.  They've shot to fame when a video of the youngest member Seán playing the bodhrán aged 9 went viral.  Here they are playing a set, which starts with a bodhrán solo.  Check out their debut album Little Giants and Other Oxymorons.

From Knockananna hails Órla Fallon.  This is a bit more like pop with an Irish flavour, she is playing the harp and singing Mo Ghile Mear (My Land), from the album My Land.  If you like this kind of thing, you can hire her for your wedding.  Apparently she sang for presidents Clinton and Bush (at least you can't accuse her of being partisan...)

Wicklow is also famous for the monastic remains of Glendalough, where once there lived an old saint.  I can't go on a tour of Ireland without playing the legendary Dubliners.

Finally a love song as we meet the Lass of Aughrim.  This is performed by Dublin born Susan McKeown and features on her album Blackthorn: Irish Love Songs - An Draighneán Donn: Amhráin Grá. 

As usual, you can follow my virtual travels on here.  Next stop County Carlow.

County Kildare, Ireland

From Dublin we are headed inland a bit to County Kildare.  The county's most famous son is undoubtedly Christy Moore, born in Newbridge, whose career spans several decades from its beginnings with Planxty.  Here he sings about where he came from, describing the Bog of Allen covering the northern part of Co. Kildare.

Laura Quirke and Claire Kinsella met at Maynooth University in County Kildare, where they got together to form the duo Lemoncello playing on cello and guitar.  This a track from their 2018 debut EP Stuck Upon the Staircase, Morning.  Here's a pic of Maynooth Castle, just outside the university:

Here is Christy Moore again singing about a funeral in the town of Athy which has gone a bit out of hand... Lanigan's Ball

Finally, while we are in the sweet town of Athy, here's an anti-war song of a soldier returning there with horrific injuries.  This is performed by Canadian based band the Irish Rovers, whose original members were mostly from Co. Antrim: Johhny I Hardly Knew Ye.

As usual you can follow my journey on this link.  Next stop Co. Wicklow.