Halfway to St. Patrick's Day #275

September 17th is Halfway to St. Patrick's Day with just six months to go. We're celebrating with a lot of new indie Celtic music from Spencer Murray & Pipeslinger, Poitin, The Wee Heavies, Pipedance, Liz Schettner, Ed Miller, Breabach, Des Wade, Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones, Innisfall, The Saucy Rovers, O'Hanlons Horsebox, The Elders, Sisters of Murphy, Crepuscule.

If you enjoy this podcast, then please rate the show on iTunes or your favorite podcatcher. Then subscribe to our Celtic Music Magazine. This is our free newsletter and your guide to the latest Celtic music and podcast news. Subscribe today to download 34 Celtic MP3s for free. Remember to support the artists who support this podcast: buy their CDs, download their MP3s, see their shows, and drop them an email to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. And remember to Vote in the Celtic Top 20 to help me create next year's Best Celtic Music 2016 episode.

Today's show is brought to you by Celtic Invasion Vacations

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans to exotic locations around the world. We don't travel in big tour buses and see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to Know the region through its culture, history, and legends. Plus, I bring you some great Celtic music by me and other Celtic artists. We're going to Brittany in 2017. Subscribe to the mailing list to join the invasion at celticinvasion.com

Notes:

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music.

* If you joined me on Facebook over the past couple o'weeks, you would've read a bunch of Celtic Music Spotlights. If you ever wanted to find out more about the bands in the show, these short features are both informative and fun. Plus, this week, we posted a list of upcoming Celtic festivals for the next month. I'm hoping that will be a new regular feature.

* My band, Kilted Kings, plays heroic, Celtic world music in kilts. We have a new Kickstarter with just two weeks to go.

The Wee Heavies are also crowfunding their second album on Indiegogo.

* I want to thank my Celtic Superstars: Derek Lineberry, Lynda MacNeil, Peter Tilghman, Steven, Bryan Brake, John Sharkey White, II, Theresa Sullivan, John Bilderback, Rian P Kegerreis, Johnny Berry, Shawn Cali. They all pledge $10 or more per episode. Your generosity is just amazing. I was looking at your past donations, and, wow! You are all too kind. Thank you so much!

I also want to thank our newest patron, JJmollpus, who signed up this week and brought us a wee bit closer to our next Milestone. We're now $46 away from a goal that will bring you two-hours of Celtic Women in your earbuds. We've had that goal sitting there for a while. It's time to up the ante. If we can raise that $46 per episode before the end of September, to hit that next milestone, then I will extend the next three shows in October by 30 minutes. Yes. There will be a lot of music. You'll get a 2-hour special on Celtic Women. And you'll get three hour and half shows.

And remember that your generosity will also go back into our Celtic community because I donate 10% of your pledges to Celtic non-profits. Go sign up right now and become a Patron of the Podcast today, because we are helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music.

* I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK: What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening, or from one of your trips to one of the Celtic nations. Call 678-CELT-POD to leave a voicemail message. That's 678-235-8763.

Margaret Sanzo Sneddon wrote on Facebook: "Enjoyed a Celtic podcast this evening as we watched the sunset from our sailboat, Isle of Skye."

Craig Winterburn shared a picture and wrote on Facebook: "Been missing this show so bad. Been living in fields for some weeks in my yurt and with a new phone and terrible reception couldn't hook up properly. Love it. Thanks Mark."

Jan Czenkusch emailed a picture: "This time we are on I 72 heading to Weston, Missouri. We are going to catch a Tullamore show at O'Malleys."

Ryan Russell sent a picture of some chainmail he's working on while listening.

WhiskeyAndJesus writes on iTunes: "I love this podcast. I've been listening for a few years now, and it keeps getting better. Marc Gunn is devoted to Celtic music and even gives back some of his Patreon donations to nonprofits. I enjoy hearing sound bites and comments from other listeners, and I think the balance between talk and music is just right. I feel like I have gotten to know Marc through my time as a listener. Keep it up!"

This Week in Celtic Music

0:32 "Bordertown" by Spencer Murray & Pipeslinger from Sound & Fury

5:05 "Tired By Kids" by Poitin from Simple Pleasures

9:05 "Loch Lomond" by The Wee Heavies from The Wee Heavies

12:25 "Trim the Velvet/Spike Island Lassies" by Pipedance from The Pleasures of Hope

16:23 "Up High" by Liz Schettner from Up High (EP)

21:54 CELTIC PODCAST NEWS

24:02 "The Silver Tassie" by Ed Miller from Lyrics of Gold

27:06 "George Whites Favorite" by Breabach from The Big Spree

30:32 "The Sign of the Claddagh" by Des Wade from The Book of My Days

34:04 "The Stone of Destiny Set (Reels)" by Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones from Let Ye All Be Irish Tonight

37:17 "I Know My Love" by Innisfall from Innisfall

41:01 CELTIC FEEDBACK

43:07 "Rolling Down to Maui" by The Saucy Rovers from Treasure Sickness

46:46 "The Fighting Boys of Corofin" by O'Hanlons Horsebox from Songs and Stories of the Border

49:17 "Whiskey on the Fire" by The Elders from Wanderin' Life & Times

53:16 "LOVE" by Sisters of Murphy from Working Stiffs Unite

58:43 "The Gentle Shepherd" by Crepuscule from Horizon

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20. It's easier than ever to do. Just list the show number, and the name of one or two bands. That's it. You can vote once for each episode help me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2016 episode.

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. To subscribe, go to iTunes or to our website where you can become a Patron of the Podcast for as little as $1 per episode. Promote Celtic culture through music at celticmusicpodcast.com.