Music At Maddens Podcast #016 - Slides, Smiles, And Sleeves with Greta Curtin
Music At Maddens PodcastShow Notes
Welcome to a new episode of Music At Maddens Podcast with me, Lynette Fay.
This week we welcome Greta Curtin to the podcast.
This week in the snug, Lynette welcomes concertina player Greta Curtin for a lively tour of Slíabh Luachra style and the stories that shaped her music.
Growing up in Brosna on the Kerry–Limerick–Cork border, Greta went from a TV fiddle that became a concertina to big mixed classes, sessions, and festivals that turned shyness into voice and community.
She talks polkas and slides, how a tune like “Maggie in the Woods” can turn into “Mary in the Woods” a half hour up the road, choosing gigs over kitchen shifts, teaching in a music school, and watching her students become the next wave.
In her work as a special needs assistant, music is a bridge: sometimes a hallway guitar, sometimes just the right pause, always a way to help a child feel seen.
We also dive into the Patrick O’Keeffe Festival in Castleisland: a session trail from morning into morning, album launches, archives, and a youth award that invites players from Donegal to Dublin to learn a Slíabh Luachra set with care.
With a nod to Brosna football pride, quiet All-Ireland wins, and the occasional bout of imposter syndrome, this is a warm, witty portrait of tradition that’s brilliantly alive.
Enjoy!
New episodes every Monday.
Maddens Bar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddensbarbelfast_home_of_trad/
Hatch Belfast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belfasthatch/?hl=en
Avalon Guitars Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avalonguitarsofficial/ Website: https://www.avalonguitars.com/
Smithwicks Irish Ale Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithwicks_ireland/ Website: https://www.smithwicksexperience.com/
More from Music At Maddens Podcast
Lynette Fay is back in the snug at Madden’s for Episode 55, joined by one of Ireland’s most distinctive and celebrated traditional singers, "Karan Casey".Karan chats to Lynette about her journey through Irish music, from growing up in Waterford to her time in New York and her years as the lead singer of "Solas", before establishing an acclaimed career as a solo artist.They talk about the songs and stories that have shaped her, the importance of using music to tell meaningful stories, and a life spent performing and collaborating with musicians around the world.🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Music at Madden’s for more conversations from the heart of Belfast’s traditional music scene.
Two banjos, two musical worlds, and one very special friendship!
Music at Madden’s - On the Road!
In this episode of Music at Madden’s, Lynette Fay is joined by South Armagh historian, poet and storyteller Una Walsh and her nephew Aodh.
Eagrán speisialta d'Oíche Chultúir A Culture Night Special