Alaska Irish Music Events and Related.

This site is to keep you updated of all Irish events happening in Alaska and elsewhere. I will try to keep this updated as much as possible. If you have something you want to link to or post, please feel free to email me. Hopefully I will be able to keep the site up to date and look forward to hearing from anyone with suggestions and comments.

You can contact me by sending an email to banjowalsh@akirishtrad.net

I CAN NO LONGER BE CONTACTED AT WALSH@MTAONLINE.NET

I am no longer involved or in any way associated with The Alaska Irish Music Festival. In the past few years, I have been asked about the festival on numerous occasions, this is my own site and is not affiliated with the Festival in any way.

I've updated the Upcoming Events page again with more about what's going on, but if you have any events you would like mentioned here, let me know or if you have any more info about events already posted, please pass it on, thanks.

LAST UPDATE May 12 2008

When I'm not playing music (which is more often than I'd like) I do carpentry and construction, I've loaded a few pictures of some projects, I have worked on in the past, if you're interested, just click on the "View my photo album" over on the left.

New Session at Middle Way Cafe

Starts at 6 and runs till 10 every Tuesday Night. Middleway Cafe

St. Louis Tionol.

The Tionol in St. Louis in early April was great crack, lots of great musicians and great music on and off stage, I was teaching banjo there and had a great weekend. St. Louis Tionol April 4-6 2008

September Wedding.

Had a great time at Laura Byrne and Pat Egan's Wedding in Harper's Ferry, great music, practically everyone at the wedding was a musician. Was also in New York a for a few days.

Reminds me of the email I got about this new show, see below.

Check out the new series coming up on RTE, Marry Me. RTE are looking for individuals to get involved with this new series, more info here Marry Me.

Fánaí

Not long back from a great little tour there in Oregon and Washington, besides the gigs with Fánaí (more about that later) got to visit and play with lots of old friends and made lots of new ones,

Kevin Burke and Patrick Street.

I did get to visit with Kevin Burke amongst others, it was good to see him and he passed on his latest CD's.

Kevin's new album is Across the Black River and the new one from Patrick Street is On the Fly, they are both on Kevin's new label Loftus Music

John Carty is now part of the line up and although Jackie Daly is on the Album, he is not touring with them. the rest of the band is of course Andy Irvine and Ged Foley

SESSION UPDATES.

Sad news about the Wednesday night session at Snow City Cafe but the New Session starts at MIDDLEWAY CAFE.

Every Tuesday Night, from 6 to 10, mainly a dance session, but everyone is welcome, tell your friends. Middleway Cafe

Thursday night session at McGinley's Pub

From 8 to 11 - Everyone is welcome.

645 G St. Suite 101(279-1782).

Not sure when I'll be back at McGurk's again, but had a great time there in March with Kevin Buckley on fiddle and Pat Egan of Chulrua fame on guitar and vocals

For those of you who don't know him, Gerard McDonnell is one of the musicians I play with in Alaska, originally from Limerick and now living in Anchorage and when he's not beating the bodhran or doing a bit of singing, he usually can be found climbing some large mountain off in foreign parts. But I suppose his greatest claim to fame would have to be that he is the only person in the World to have hit a sliothar of Mount Everest.

You can read about Gerard's most recent "big" adventure here Beyond Endurance - The Pat Falvey Antartic Adventure

I have been playing both in and out of State, Dan Possumato and myself have teamed up with Jamie O'Brien, to form Fánaí

We had a great tour there in September of last year, details here

News from the latest Fánaí Tour and my trip to Ireland.

We have another one planned for the West Coast in October and November. We may also be doing a few gigs in Arizona in the New Year.

November and December 2005, tour details are over on the left in "Notes from the Road." We also were in the studio in Feb., but the recording is still unofficially on the back burner at the moment.

But in other related news, Dan's CD, Land of Sunshine, is now out and getting some great reviews, both here and in Ireland and getting a lot of airplay, it's available at Dan Possumato.

Recently I was searching to see if I could find any recordings of Gerry Carthy and I was successful in that and also came across a site that some of you may be interested in about the late Mickey Finn, the great Galway based fiddler Mickey Finn

Gerry Carthy was always very encouraging in regard to the banjo, when I lived in Galway and I always loved his playing style, he played a lot with Mickey back then. His CD is available here Gerry Carthy

Anyway a few new sites and CD's worth checking out Laura Byrne has a new CD out. "Time for the Road", lovely stuff and she's joined by some of the best musicians in America. Billy McComiskey, Peter Fitzgerald, Donna Long, Pat Egan etc.

Check out Laura's site.Laura Byrne Traditional Irish Flute

Pat Egan of Chulrua fame, also has a new site and well worth a look and of course his CD's with Chulrua (Paddy O'Brien, Pat Egan & Patrick Ourceau) are there too. "Paddy, Patrick and Pat are currently working on a brand-new Chulrua recording that should be available by Christmas 2005."

If you are thinking of heading to Ireland, this is site worth checking Authentic Ireland Travel.

Here's a link to a great radio site in Ireland, well worth checking out. I recommend Celtic Airs with Keith Fahey. This programme features the cream of Irish Traditional and Folk music.

Mid West Irish Radio

If you are an Irish musician interested in performing in Alaska please contact me at the address below or you can also email banjowalsh@akirishtrad.net

JOHN WALSH
4518 Reka Drive
Anchorage AK 99508

First photo is Mick Mulkerrin & myself (John Walsh) at session in Elkins, West Virginia, during Irish Week 2004.

The second is same session, The Mulcahy family (Mick, Michelle & Louise), Brian Holleran & Patrick Ourceau

My thanks to Siobhan Boon for the photo's.

I would highly recommend Live at Mona's recorded in Mona's in New York City. It features Patrick Ourceau, Eamon O'Leary, Dana Lyn, Brendan Dolan, Brian Holleran, Aidan Brennan, Mick Moloney, & many more.

It's available locally at Suzi's Woollies Suzi's Woollies

Dana Lyn one of the musicians that I have played with at McGurk's and various other places, has a new CD out, Dana is also on the Live at Mona's CD above, her site is here before sleep comes

Joe Burke's Live CD's Volume 1 & 2 - More about Joe Burke at the link on the left. The live recording's of Joe are available for $20 from Guaranteed Irish at (518) 634-2392, or from Joebanjoburke@aol.com.

There is a page here about Joe with photo's from The Alaska Folk Festival. See the link on the left.

The last link on this page is a letter that has been passed around the internet for quite awhile and is well worth having a copy of, if you have ever had a problem with taking your instrument on board a plane.

Thanks to all.

Thanks to everyone who has supported Irish Music in Alaska over the years and I am delighted to see more and more players. Don't forget the Thursday night session at the McGinley's 645 G St. Suite 101(279-1782). McGinleys Pub

Weekly, Monthly and Annual Events have been moved to the "Upcoming Events"

Enjoy the site.

John Walsh

Click on the link below to join the Alaska Irish Music Group.

Click to subscribe to akirishmusic

E-mail me