Grace Notes Specials & Interviews

Crossing the Shannon
Image: Music Network

Irish Harp

The Brendan Voyage

The Chieftains

Susan McKeown
Credit: John-Francis Bourke

Paddy Canny

Andy Irvine

Thursday May 12th 2011
Heart | Land
As part of a season of programmes across RTÉ radio and television celebrating the land and landscape of Ireland, the Lyric Feature presents two programmes examining aspects of our interaction with and experience of the land and rural life. Ellen Cranitch will have eco-friendly fun with traditional and folk songs and tunes with rural connections; The New-mown Meadow, The Hare in the Corn, The Old Bush, Come West along the Road, Horses and Plough, Farmer Michael Hayes, Tiocfaidh an Samhraidh and many more

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Thursday March 31st 2011
This week Grace Notes features the best from the recent Music Network tour "Crossing the Shannon" with John Wynne, John McEvoy, Muireann Nic Amhlaoimh and John Blake recorded in the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, on 21st January.

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Thursday March 17th 2011
Harp Music Special
It's on everything - from the euro, to your tax return, to a Garda's peaked cap. The Harp is Ireland's national symbol and, appropriately for the day that's in it, we celebrate it tonight on Grace Notes. RTÉ lyric fm is also launching a compilation CD of some of the finest harping to be heard on Masters of the Irish Harp so we'll hear some music from that. Contributions also from our leading harpers and a profile of Cáirde na Cruite, an organisation which has done so much to develop harp playing and teaching in Ireland and worldwide.

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Thursday October 14th 2010
RTÉ Big Music Week 2010: The Song of the Chanter
Ellen Cranitch celebrates the song in a programme in which some of the most celebrated traditional singers choose their favourite song, tell us about it and why it is special to them. And then of course they sing it for us!

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Thursday July 8th 2010
The Brendan Voyage - Celebrating 30 Years
To mark the 30th anniversary of the composition of the orchestral suite for pipes and orchestra, The Brendan Voyage, presenter Ellen Cranitch was joined by author Tim Severin, composer Shaun Davey, uilleann piper Liam Ó Floinn, radio producer Harry Bradshaw and Dr. Elva Johnston (UCD School of History and Archives) for a discussion about St. Brendan and the interesting story of the sea voyage which led to the music being composed.

This was followed by a performance of The Brendan Voyage by Liam Ó Floinn and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Brophy, which took place on June 23rd 2006 at the National Concert Hall, Dublin.
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Thursday March 18th 2010
Séan Ó Riada, Tommy Potts, Leo Rowsome, The Chieftains - the list of musicians recorded and released by Claddagh Records is a who's who of Irish music. Ellen talks to its founder, Garech de Brun about the inspiration behind the label.
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Thursday February 18th 2010
Harpist, scholar and member of Galway-based ensemble Dordán, Kathleen Loughnane talks to Ellen Cranitch about her latest CD and book, The Harpers Connellan, inspired by William and Thomas Connellan and for which she received a Meteor Music Award nomination this year.
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Thursday January 14th 2010
U.S.-based Irish musicians Susan McKeown (vocals) and Cillian Vallely (uilleann pipes, low whistle) stopped in to the Grace Notes studio for an interview with Ellen Cranitch just before setting off on their nationwide Music Network tour, The Homecoming, which also featured accordionist Paddy O'Brien and guitarist Aidan Brennan.
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Thursday December 12th 2009
More Than Just Bagpipes
In November 2009, presenter Ellen Cranitch and producer Eoin Brady travelled to Dumfries in Scotland for the 2009 Scots Trad Music Awards. What they discovered was a vibrant traditional music scene that was unselfconscious in exploring new avenues for expressing their tradition whether this was human beat-boxing allied with Gaelic songs or the percussive rhythms of the ceilí bands. Grace Notes spoke to many musicians and producers about the vigour in Scotland's traditional music, how it has become a part of university courses and about the Scottish Homecoming Year, an initiative promoting Scottish culture at home and abroad. Grace Notes: Scots Trad Music Awards was recorded totally in stereo and used live recordings from the Awards and commercial releases.
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Thursday January 8th 2009
Ellen Cranitch is joined by traditional musician Mary Bergin who talks about her music and instruments of choice.
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Sunday September 28th 2008
Micháel O Suilleabhain talking with Paddy Canny about his life and music.
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Saturday November 17th 2007
Andy Irvine, in his own words, recounts his experiences of playing with "Sweeney's Men", "Plantxy", "Mosaic" among others, how his songwriting has been influenced by Old Time American and Balkan music, and his early life and acting career.
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Tuesday October 10th 2006
Singer-songwriter Chris Wood talks with Ellen Cranitch about his music and inspiration.
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