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Paddy Callaghan

Give Traditional Music a try!

Updated: Oct 20


WITH the dust settling on the All-Ireland Fleadh in the traditional music world and competition season coming to a rest, attention now turns to new beginnings and the start of the next year of educating, sharing, and enjoying Irish culture.


For those who have an interest in learning to play traditional music, now is the ideal time to start with the branches of Comhaltas across Scotland all starting their beginner classes at the one time.


Pretty much universally, all the branches operate a similar model with those looking to start encouraged to do so on the tin-whistle—an extremely inexpensive, simple instrument that allows a new learner to quickly grasp the musical basics in a short space of time before then developing their repertoire and moving on to learning other instruments.


It must also be said that the new term isn’t just welcoming to those who are looking to start to learn music for the first time. Alongside the hundreds of musicians who will be returning year on year, there is always room for those who have either taken time out for whatever reason, or for those who are self-taught and haven’t had any formal tuition previously.


In terms of accessibility to lessons, it’s literally never been so good in Scotland. In the last year, Comhaltas welcomed the newest branch of the organisation in Ayr and it is hoped that before the end of the year, we will also be welcoming a branch in Edinburgh too, taking the number of branches in the country to six—a fantastic achievement in itself.


Comhaltas has been operating in Scotland since January 1957 with the formation of the Irish Minstrels Branch—the first to be formed outside of Ireland which truly started the

worldwide revolution of the organisation. Later on, Johnny Doherty CCÉ would form in North Lanarkshire and then be joined by St James the Great CCÉ. The Micheal Coleman CCÉ briefly became the 4th branch in Scotland but sadly couldn’t continue. In the early 2000’s St Patrick’s CCÉ formed in Coatbridge and has been going strong till this day.


This lineage puts into perspective the exciting nature of having such a spread of the organisation outside Glasgow and surrounding areas which will hopefully increase the scope and reach of Traditional Irish music to new audiences.


Without question, Traditional Irish music is enjoying its most successful period in history, with more people—specifically young people—learning and enjoying to play and share their music. What is also a big departure from the past is how ‘cool’ Traditional music is perceived to be now. In my younger days it certainly wasn’t looked upon as favourably as it would be today.


For anyone who would be interested in getting involved, get in touch with me and I’ll point you in the right direction. With the number of branches now in Scotland, there is sure to be something that would already fit within your schedule with classes operating most days of the week and at different times. You can pick up a tin-whistle for a fiver, a little more than the price of a coffee, for an instrument that can be a gateway to a fulfilling cultural experience. Why not give it a try?


Paddy Callaghan is the Operations Manager of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Britain. You can follow him on Twitter: @paddy_box and Instagram: paddy_box and contact him via e-mail at: paddy@comhaltas.co.uk

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