Paddy Keenan, Dermot Byrne, Tim Edey

“Paddy Keenan has few peers in the world of traditional Irish music. For over thirty years he has focused on a simple but rarely attained goal: to present the music in its purest essence. Transcending the technical challenges of the uilleann pipes, flute and tin whistle, Paddy has consistently mined the rough ore of jigs, reels, and airs, and worked and reworked their presentation until we, his audience, get to hear the real, pure, life-affirming beauty of them. If the end result is like water from a holy well, Paddy Keenan is surely one of the world’s best water witches!” – Tim O’Brien, 2001

“In a live situation, uilleann piper Paddy Keenan is probably the most exciting traditional musician in the world. His inventiveness and willingness to take risks most players wouldn’t even think of and pull them off makes his playing an endless source of fascination for traditional music lovers, and pipers in particular.” – Ken Ricketts and Marya Parker, 2001

“Paddy Keenan is the piper’s piper, the best of the best.” – Zina Lee, Celtic Café, 2001

Tim Edey needs no introduction to lovers of folk, roots, and Celtic music, having performed with most of the major names in Irish and Scottish music, as a performer in his own right, a go-to musician for the likes of The Chieftains (2011-2019) and Sharon Shannon, Carlos Nunez and Session A9, or his collaborations with a range of friends, such as renowned Scottish piper Ross Ainslie and Kiwi harmonica maestro Brendan Power, plus legends such as Mike McGoldrick and Dougie McLean.Receiving a BBC Radio Folk Award 2012 and winning the BBC Scotland/Alba Musician of the Year in 2020 & BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician of the Year 2012 are just two of his many accolades and confirmation of his standing in the industry.

“A ferocious passion and a beautiful tenderness, sensitivity, respect, understanding & love perpetually shines out through the music of virtuoso musician Tim Edey.” – Sharon Shannon

“Tim sits between Donal Lunny and Steve Cooney… yes he’s that good!” – Pete Fyfe – Folking.com

Dermot Byrne (button accordion and melodeon) was born into the heart of the music of Southwest Donegal as his father is from Teileann, outside Carrick.He played from a very young age and consequently has an in-depth knowledge of the music of the area and Donegal music in general as he is from Burnfoot, Inishowen.Dermot is a virtuoso in the true sense of the word he can play the accordion in any style and any key no easy feat on a two-row instrument. Recognised as one of the true best accordionists on the face of the world.