Myself and Paul Brady in 2004

This is a picture from my homecoming concert at Liberty Hall in 2004 with Paul Brady. The whole concert was broadcast on RTE in two parts and is still available for listening. You can find the link for the first part here, and the second part here. The event happened on Thursday, October 21st, 2004 with a full house that included the Prime Minister of Ireland, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Guests included: Seán Keane, Paul Brady, Seán Potts, Seán Óg Potts, Kevin Conneff and The Castle Céilí Band. All proceeds went to the Irish Centre, Camden Town. Ciaran Hanrahan MC-ed the great event.

Dangan Castle in Ballynacally County Clare

This is a photograph from the 1950s that I took as a little boy on a Kodak 128 point-and-shoot box camera of the back field behind my aunt's house--the O'Tooles. The ruins are called Dangan Castle in Ballynacally.

Sweeter as the Years Roll By

I composed Sweeter As the Years Roll By in 1999 to honor my wife Theresa Keane from Ballymacelligott, Kerry.

Landmark Session coming up on Monday evening, May 10th

Session at The Landmark Tavern, Mondays from 8 to 11 pm
626 11th Avenue at 46th Street, Manhattan, Tenor banjo, harmonica and fiddle player Don Meade and friends get together every Monday night for an Irish traditional music session in the back room of this historic Hell’s Kitchen bar/restaurant. Free admission. Musicians and singers welcome.

Special Session Guests:
May 10: James Keane - James is a proud Dub and one of the true giants of the Irish button accordion.

For more info, (212) 247-2562 or visit www.thelandmarktavern.org

FRIDAY, May 14th, BLARNEY STAR with RANDAL BAYS

BLARNEY STAR PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: May 14: James Keane and Randal Bays
"Dublin-born button accordion great James Keane’s latest recording project is Fingal, a trio collaboration with fiddler Randal Bays and County Derry-born singer/guitarist Dáithí Sproule. As Dáithí lives in the midwest, Randal in Washington state and James in Queens, the trio has a hard time assembling for gigs. We’ll take advantage of a trip by Randal to the east coast, however, to feature at least two Fingalians in concert. No songs or guitar this time, but in Dáithí’s absence we will hear even more clearly the wonderful interplay between Randal’s fiddle and James’ button box."


From the Ireland House NYU site: "Dublin-born button accordion great James Keane’s latest recording project is Fingal, a trio collaboration with fiddler Randal Bays and County Derry-born singer/guitarist Dáithí Sproule.

As Dáithí lives in the midwest, Randal in Washington State and James in Queens, the trio has a hard time assembling for gigs. We’ll take advantage of a trip by Randal to the east coast, however, to feature at least two Fingalians in concert. No songs or guitar this time, but in Dáithí’s absence we will hear even more clearly the wonderful interplay between Randal’s fiddle and James’ button box."

Listen in on a fireside chat with dear friend, Kathleen Biggins on WFUV

http://www.wfuv.org/

Dropping in to chat and play a few tunes for Kathleen Biggins as she presents her World famous programme " A THOUSAND WELCOMES " which starts at 9am on Fordham University's radio 90.7 FM ( N.Y. ) and on www.wfuv.org I should get there for my cup of Barry's by 10am.

Kathleen Biggin's " A Thousand Welcomes "
Fordham University's 90.7 FM www.wfuv.org
It is a three hour programme 9-noon and I will have the 10-11am segment.

You have been forewarned, LISTEN LIVE on the INTERNET or the RADIO 90.7

Thanks,

James.

Castle Céilí Comics Presents...

Great time had leading the Lillies session with host Dan Neely, and Rose Flanagan and Dylan Foley and many other top class musicians on hand ot really give the joint some fine fine music.

group outings organized by The Pipers Club , Dublin , during the '60s

One of the many group outings organized by The Pipers Club , Dublin , during the '60s as the "Original Comhaltas"set out to support newly formed branches in towns and villages around Ireland. This picture in 1962 represents a trip to the Dundalk Fleadh, which was open to competition from all over Ireland.
I will update the name list as soon as I can but for now they are L to R : Jim Nolan, MC and group organizer, Alan Loghnane, fiddle, Tim Lyons a great box player and singer originally from Co. Cork now living in Galway and I remember him for his singing of many songs including "The Low Lands of Holland". He was also a founding member of DeDannan. That's Barney McKenna's uncle in the cap and I never met anyone that had and could play so many unusual and great tunes. He lived in Co. Meath. Maura O'Reilly , whistle player ,from the musical family that included fiddle players Owen and Ciaran.The fella sticking his head in is Mick O'Connor and next to him is flute player Mick Hand who would later, among his many credits, become a founding member of the group "Bakerswell". Mick Mc Guan is next and was a wonderful whistle player from Kilmihil, Co. Clare and passed away at a very young age. next is the one and only beardless Barney Mc Kenna on banjo. In those days Barney worked for the P&T-- POST AND TELEGRAPH. Frank Mulcahy, "Dear Old Newport Town" is from Newport , Co. Tipperary and won an All Ireland competition singing that song.

»»Tony DeMarco, Tom English and myself playing a gig at Tommy Makem's Irish Pavillion in the mid-90s

Tommy Makem was a gentleman. He was well known for his support of the Irish ballad tradition, but he often hosted concerts of Irish traditional music at his famous venue, Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion on 57th St. and Lexington. The Irish Pavilion at the World's Fair was the model for the club, and it's where my son Brendan's Christening party was held in 1976.

I had known Tommy from the mid-60s, having met him at return parties at Peggy Jordan's house in Dublin, the instigator of organized folk concerts around the city in those days. She was known for lavish parties at her home on Kennelworth Square, in Rathgar. Her all-night parties happened after sessions--for any reason at all she'd throw a party. Having known Barney for years, I also met the early Dubliners, Ronnie, John Sheehan, Luke Kelly and Ciarán Burke at Peggy Jordan's.

But I've diverted from the point.

My friendship with Tommy since 1965 meant that he would throw a lot of gigs in my direction to play Irish traditional music there on weekends. Sometimes it was with Tony DeMarco, sometimes with Jerry O'Sullivan, sometimes Brian Conway, John Doyle, Greg Anderson, Pat Kilbride and Mick Moloney that would play with me there in those days. Tommy's presentation was always top-notch with the best lighting and a sound specialist to make the evenings a respectful showcase for Irish traditional music.

Tommy was a consummate professional and presented the music on a level it deserved.

Tony, I had known throughout the years. We did a couple of concerts and more sessions over the many years. We did concerts at the Blarney Star together, and we enjoyed meeting to have a tunes whenever the occasion would come up.

There's no longer the slightest trace of Tommy Makem's Irish Pavilion anymore.

I'm off tomorrow for President's Day, and I know Tony's session starts late, so this is a rare opportunity to have a few tunes with him and whoever else might show up tonight at the 11th Street Bar, where he has kept a performance-level session going over the years.

»»Past "hall of famers" and Paul Keating

The MidAtlantic Region Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was kind enough to honor John Vesey the great Sligo fiddle player and myself with their hall of fame award at the Mineola Irish Center in 2004. From Ballincurry (Baile an Churraigh), Vesey emigrated to Philadelphia in 1949, and would later record a great album with Paul Brady on the Shanachie label in 1977. I'm pictured there with Paul Keating. I've known Paul for too many years to even recall, but he's always been a great great supporter of the music. Besides his work for Comhaltas as a major organizer, and the heart of Catskills Irish Arts Week, he's a wonderful writer who's been reporting on traditional music From the Hob for many many years. He gets his roots on his father's side from Inagh (Eidhneach) and his mother from Caherderry (Cathair in daire) in County Clare (Co. an Chláir). His parents were great set dancers, and his father is buried at St.Raymond's Cemetery not far from the grave of Andy McGann, also a member of the hall of fame. It was a lovely evening with many friends coming on-board for the event. My long-time friend Mick Moloney was there to present me with the award, which he received himself the year before.