The photo above is the Columbus-based General Guinness Band playing at the 2007 Dublin Irish Festival. The members, from left to right, include guitarist Steve Steele, bodhrán player Tom Davis, vocalist James O'Shea, flute player Larry Dulin, plus fiddler Charlene Adzima, who is not, I believe, a regular member of the band, but who played with them during all of their Dublin Irish Festival shows.
Those of us who can't make the commute to an actual kitchen in Co. Clare for tunes and dancing can content ourselves with Clare FM's ongoing series of programs, presented by Paula Carroll and recorded in the homes of music lovers around the county.
I've said this before, but it bears repeating: Clare FM's trad archive is one of the best destinations for trad fans I've found on the Internet. They feature great music with knowledgeable presenters, and regularly include material not available anywhere else, such as visits from musically-talented local youngsters and the kitchen sessions mentioned above. It's all in MP3 format, so you can listen to the shows in whatever way is convenient for you.
Finally, here's one more way to hear tunes in a Co. Clare kitchen. Kitty Hayes is featured in the first track on the first kitchen sessions program, and Clare FM has done a program featuring her as the start of a new series on "different aspects of life for older people in Clare." It doesn't seem to be available online, though.
Well, it's been entirely too long since I've posted any photos from the 2007 Dublin Irish Festival, and since I took a bunch of pictures at the CCÉ show last night I'd better work on clearing the backlog.
Niamh Parsons and Graham Dunne played a nighttime show in the pub on Saturday, mostly featuring songs from their latest album, The Old Simplicity.
For recent comments and photos from Niamh, check out Niamh's Musings, her blog.
