After some considerable digging into what's available on SoundCloud – which is extremely limited, of course – and then carefully sorting out a running order, here's what I've come up with by way of defining – loosely – and then un-defining – also loosely – what is sometimes called Irish Traditional Music (ITM) or Trad. Hoping it can provide a few people some hours of bliss in these dark times. It is not all to my taste (and you can find out why here https://oconnoritis.wordpress.com/2020/04/15/200-tracks-to-mess-with-your-idea-of-trad/), and it's very frustrating not to be able to include certain pieces and artists because of what isn't available here, but I've tried to make sure there's a minimum standard that makes it all listenable, worth listening to even, or at least that there's a point of interest on offer in each track. There are a few peculiar items, granted, but that's part of the point of the thing – ear opening; and there are so many gems of soul-blowing quality that you'll be altered by it anyhow one way or the other. (The image above is the cover of Steve Cooney's beautiful new album – sadly not represented on SoundCloud – based on the famous John Derricke 'Image of Ireland' illustration, "altered" by Jesse Smith from an idea of Steve's > https://stevecooneymusic.com/cd-nua)

Now that's what I call Trad 2020

Ronan Browne

Pipes

Port Na bPucaí up above in D

Played in a medieval church atop the old Citadel in Calvi during an Elsafty, Armstrong & Browne concert in mid September, 2013 at the fantastic "Rencontre De Chantes Polyphoniques De Calvi"
Listen out for the gorgeous sound of Siobhán Armstrong's Early Irish harp after the applause...
Thanks for making it all happen Davóg!!

Ronan Browne Port Na bPucaí down low on the B pipes in Corsica 2013

Ensemble Eriú: 3 College Square

Island blues (ane Brun)

Harrington 17" set.
Peter Hunter C chanter (Harrington is still in the workshop being resuscitated)
Repairs to date:
Bass drone slide repair by Ted Colgan 1980s
Bass drone stand repair by Bill Haneman 2014
I removed the bass regulator in 2013.  It was not an original Harrington though an attempt had been made to match the ivory end mount but not reed cap mount which is a large hockey-puck.  My feeling is that the bass reg may have been made by Coyne.  Removing this regulator brings the set back to what I feel it was originally – a 2-reg, 3-drone set.
Main stock replaced in 2013 by Bill Haneman (original was badly split and had been turned down and covered with a brass artillery shell, some time previous to 1955 when the set was purchased from Leo Rowsome by my parents)

Ronan Browne C Harri. The Donegal Reel

Ronan Browne C Harri. Rolling in the Ryegrass & The Doon Reel

Red is The Rose (G Whistle)

Laoise O'Brien (recorders), Malachy Robinson (viol), Eamon Sweeney (baroque guitar), Francesco Turrisi (percussion). Recorded by Ben Rawlins. Photo, Clare Mulvany. www.thegregorywalkers.com

Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (Turlough O'Carolan- 1670-1738)

Micho Russell – Rarities & Old Favourites 1949-1993

Tin Whistle, Flute & Songs from North Clare & Beyond

http://www.pennywhistle.com/micho.html

MIcho Russell – The Names I've Forgotten [The Rainy Day, The Union Reel], Reels

Debut album from Norwegian electro-cinematics Ugress.

Ugress - Reason To Believe

Kill Bill Soundtrack (You Shot Me Down)

The Castle of Dromore (Pipes)

The Coolin (Pipes)

Traditional arrangement  by Steve Cooney 
Electric Guitar: Steve Cooney 
with Éiníní: Robbie Harris & Robbie Perry (Percussion); Martin Brunsden (Double Bass) 
Rod McVey (Hammond Organ)

Happening live in Vicar Street on Sunday 30th, 8pm 
www.ticketmaster.ie