Steve Cooney

The Australian-born musician was exhorted to explore his Irish roots by Aboriginal elders

The sings on Luka Bloom’s 22nd album linger long after their final notes.

The Gloaming fiddler continues eternal musical quest with The Common Ground Ensemble

Cooney conjures up a finely honed collection of tunes for guitar from music originally written for the harp

Mike Hanrahan has a renewed taste for the road as the folk rockers return to Tradfest

The year in trad: Harp is moving front and centre at festivals as numbers playing increase

Jim Walsh and Hammy Hammond honoured for dedication

The fiddle player on living in Madrid, his Midas Stage Box obsession, and Reeling in the Years

From Dublin's St Patrick’s Festival to Kilkenny Tradfest and a Co Wicklow slime lab

From Macnas parades and the Bram Stoker Festival to Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

Uileann piper ‘bristled’ at being called a purist, funeral told

Our critical picks of the very best of what’s on in the capital and around the country this weekend and beyond

After some persuasion, MacMahon has finally recorded his magnum opus, Farewell to Music. And I am delighted that my label, Raelach Records, is releasing it

A round-up of the best nights out across the country, inicluding gigs by Little Green Cars, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Mmoths and more

Sunday’s showpiece in Dublin is the Big Day Out carnival in Merrion Square

Listening to the accordion music of Tony McMahon could allow a man to live with his own loneliness

All Ireland football final, Hot Air Ballooning Championships and Kilruddery Film Festival

This weekend’s Sligo Live features Irish-American musicians such as Liz Carroll and local stars such as Seamus McGuire – and even the instruments have tales to tell

Four arts festival directors share their thoughts on what makes a great festival and recount their toughest challenges