Irish Traditional Music Archive / Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann

  • Home
  • Ireland
  • Dublin
  • Irish Traditional Music Archive / Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann

Irish Traditional Music Archive / Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann ITMA is a national public archive for Irish traditional music, song and dance ITMA is registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority (RCN 20023218).

28/08/2026

Great to have uilleann piper Patrick D’Arcy in the archive today for a field recording interview while he’s over visiting from America.

Hand me down the tackle, reel / Patrick D’Arcy, uilleann pipes

27/08/2026

🎶 Caidreamh Ceoil returns, and this week we are celebrating Páidí Bán Ó Bróin (1924–1994), a gifted musician, dancer, teacher and broadcaster, and a much-loved figure in Dublin’s traditional music community.

🏆 He won All-Ireland titles with the Lough Gowna Céilí Band and also on the mouth organ, and he played and danced alongside some of the finest musicians of his generation: Seán Potts, John Egan, John Kelly, Charlie Lennon, Tony MacMahon, Tom Mulligan and many more.

🪈 Páidí Bán devoted his life to music, dance, Gaeilge, sport and passing the tradition on to others.

📚 Learn more about Páidí Bán’s life and legacy at www.itma.ie

Our new series of free ITMA daytime traditional music classes kicks off in just a couple of weeks at Oidhreacht an Chlái...
27/08/2026

Our new series of free ITMA daytime traditional music classes kicks off in just a couple of weeks at Oidhreacht an Chláir, Miltown Malbay🎶

There has already been incredible demand, with some classes nearly full.

Open to adult players of any traditional instrument, with a focus on repertoire, local musicians and playing together in a relaxed setting.

Full details on the poster.

26/08/2026

Each week, ITMA is releasing a new video on YouTube from our Queally's Interview Series. In July, we released with this interview with the McCarthy's, who are among the best-known musical families associated with the West Clare tradition of Irish traditional music.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel () to get notified of new interview releases every week, and visit our website to catch up on all the videos released so far: https://www.itma.ie/playlists/queallys/

The ravelled Hank of yarn, reel / Tommy McCarthy Jr., fiddle ; Marion McCarthy, uilleann pipes ; Jacqueline McCarthy, concertina ; Bernadette McCarthy, fiddle

A home video handed to me randomly while walking down the street in Miltown Malbay last night.Found in the local booksho...
25/08/2026

A home video handed to me randomly while walking down the street in Miltown Malbay last night.

Found in the local bookshop, it appears to be from 1988 and captures Junior Crehan’s 80th birthday.

Alongside this, material connected to Rita Byxbe’s early 1960s recordings has also come through the Miltown office this morning, featuring Tommie Potts, Willie Clancy, Séamus Ennis and many more.

A small reminder of how much material is still sitting in shops, homes and attics and why regional offices are so important in helping to find these items.

These gems exist in every pocket of Ireland and abroad.🎶

The Irish Traditional Music Archive is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Eithne Vallely. A native of Lifford in Co....
24/08/2026

The Irish Traditional Music Archive is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Eithne Vallely. A native of Lifford in Co. Donegal, Eithne was a great fiddle player and hugely influential music teacher, who along with her husband, the piper and visual artist Brian Vallely, founded the Armagh Pipers Club in 1966, a leading force in the revival and transmission of traditional music in the north. Eithne and Brian received numerous prestigious awards recognising their lifelong service to music education and culture, including TG4's Gradam Ceoil, Gradam Comaoine, Special Contribution Award in 2012.

To Brian, sons Niall, Cillian, Caoimhín, Lorcan, daughter Máire, extended family, and friends in music, ITMA sends its deepest condolences. Suaimhneas síoraí di.

20/08/2026

Our latest interview in the Queally's Series is with sisters Ruth and Libby McCrohan. Ruth is an accomplished flute player, while Libby is recognised for her sensitive bouzouki accompaniment and musicianship. Both are members of the Len Collective and are regular figures in Dublin’s session scene, often playing in venues such as The Cobblestone and Pipers Corner. Listen to the full interview and tunes: https://www.itma.ie/playlists/queallys/

Lucky in love, reel / Ruth McCrohan, flute ; Libby McCrohan, bouzouki

19/08/2026

We’re kicking off our Heritage Week events with a talk and recital from Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh about Westmeath concertina player William J. Mullally, who made the first recordings of Irish traditional music on the concertina 100 years ago.

17/08/2026

This month's Saothar composer is Donagh McElligot, a concertina player and music teacher from Lixnaw, Co. Kerry. We're featuring five of Donagh's original compositions. Eplore: https://www.itma.ie/saothar/donagh-mcelligott/

A reel for Dá [comp. Donagh McElligott] / Donagh McElligott, concertina

Saothar is ITMA's monthly online series showcasing tunes, songs and dances by contemporary composers in the tradition. To facilitate learning, each composition is made available along with an interactive score, ABC notation, audio and video recordings at both fast and slow pace, and a downloadable PDF version of the score. Learn more and view all our past composers at itma.ie/exhibitions/saothar

13/08/2026

As part of National Heritage Week 2026, we're hosting a special free lunchtime screening of ITMA and TG4's acclaimed documentary Cartlann Christy Moore. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with ITMA Archivist Maeve Gebruers and Heritage Council CEO Virginia Teehan.

📆 Thursday, 20 August 1-3pm
📍 Lighthouse Cinema, Smithfield

Tickets are free but be sure to book your place in advance: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/irishtraditionalmusicarchive/2339454

Address

73 Merrion Square
Dublin
D02WK75

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 1pm
2pm - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm
2pm - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm
2pm - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 1pm
2pm - 5pm
Friday 9am - 1pm
2pm - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Irish Traditional Music Archive / Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Irish Traditional Music Archive / Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann:

Shortcuts

Share