Some time ago, I reported on the workshops that Luke Ward offers on Patreon. He offers two different series, one for beginners and a second for advanced players. He publishes a workshop twice a month. So far, he has devoted himself to various topics related to accompanying tunes. Mainly accompaniment in different keys.
Now he has turned his attention to accompanying the song “The Blacksmith” in Andy Irvine's version. He sticks pretty closely to the version Andy plays live. He shows the intro and the accompaniment for the verses. Of course, there is also tablature for it.
So if you've been hesitating to sign up, now there's one more important reason to do so. It's worth it!
Strumming away at chords certainly has its place, but there’s a whole gamut of options that can be employed in Irish music accompaniment. We’ll explore a palette of ideas including partial chords, countermelodies, how melodies inform accompaniment, rhythmic choices including minimal (the oft-quoted “music is the space between the notes” can be applied to accompaniment as well as to melodies). Demonstrations will be primarily on the bouzouki but the concepts apply to guitar and other forms of accompaniment.
Instructor: Randy Clepper
Who's this for: Bouzouki, guitar, other accompaniment instruments
Level: Advanced Beginners/Intermediate/Advanced
Will this class be taught by ear, with sheet music, or both? By ear
Cost: Pay what it's worth to you. (The checkout page defaults to $25, but that's not the suggested price...choose what works for you. Thanks!)
Video: Registered students will receive the class recording immediately after the class, so feel free to sign up even if you can't attend live.
___________________________________________________________________
Instructor bio:
Randy Clepper is an in-demand player of the Irish bouzouki, guitar, and tenor banjo. He performs and tours regularly with several artists including fiddler Bella Issakova and fingerstyle guitarist John Sherman. Randy performs and teaches at festivals around the country and has been called upon to accompany many well-known traditional players. Randy also hosts the popular Trad Nua Celtic concert series at Natalie's Live Music in Columbus, Ohio, where he has featured many of the scene’s finest traditional touring acts.
Check out Randy's work here:www.randyclepper.com
A concert of Danny Diamond (Fiddle) and Brian Millar (Guitar, Bouzouki) which was available only on Facebook until now.
Here's a bit of information which I had asked AI to write for me:
UCC TradSoc is University College Cork’s Traditional Music Society, bringing students together through Irish music, song, and dance. Open to all skill levels, they host weekly concerts, pub sessions, and workshops throughout the year.
Their highlight event is TradFest, a lively annual festival featuring gigs, lectures, and session trails. The society also promotes Irish music globally, with performances in countries like Malaysia and South Africa.
Whether you're a musician or just love the tunes, TradSoc offers a warm, welcoming space to celebrate Ireland’s living musical tradition.
One of the first songs I ever heard Daoiri sing back in 2011. I had heard the song before from a Duo at Irish Folk Festival some time ago but don't remember the names of the two singers.
First a video of Daoiri, I think it's from 2013 made in Elmstein, Germany.
A live version from around 2001, only audio.
A live version with his trio I filmed in Pforzheim, Germany in 2019
{t:The Mickey Dam}
{st:Daoiri Farrell Version}
No capo
Daoiri: nur D 7050 und C 7500 je 2Takte In Str. 1
I’m an [D]honest Irish Laborer and I [G]came from the County Clare
I [D]always had a little farm with [G]nothin left to spare
I [D]had to sell me donkey and me [G]famous billy goat
And [D]with the money I received, to [C]Glasgow took the boat
In the [D]morning, when I landed there, be[G]fore me hair got [C\G]dry
I was [D5]started [C]at the [G]Micky [D/A]Dam in a [C]place they [D/A]called Mull [D5]Guy
And the [D5]ganger that I started with, they [C]call him [G/B]John the [C]Mouse
And the [D5]very first [C]day that [G/B]I got [D/A]there, at [C]me he’d [G/B]start to [G]grouse
Well, I [D]quickly did surprise him and I [G]said, „“You little [C\G]rat.
I’ll [D5]tie a [C]string a[G/B]round you’re [G]neck and [Dsus4/A]toss you to the cat““
For I’m [D5]strong as any lion. I was [G]reared on eggs and [C\G]ham
I’m a [D5]terror [C]to all [G/B]fighting’ [D/A]man a[C]round the [D/A]Micky [D5]Dam
Well, this roused the mouse’s temper and at me he made to jump.
And he swore he’d paralyze me with the handle of a pump
But, I quickly surprised him and I grabbed him by the throat
And I shook that ugly monkey ’til the tail fell off his coat
{soc}
For I’m [D5]strong as any lion. I was [G]reared on eggs and [C\G]ham
I’m a [D5]terror [C]to all [G/B]fighting’ [D/A]man a[C]round the [D/A]Micky [D5]Dam
{eoc}
Well, the big hotels we’re stopping at, they call them navies huts
And the fleas and bugs that are in the bed are as big as coconuts
Of a Saturday night, when I get home, I stands behind the door
And as they come out, one by one, I bashed them to the floor
For I’m as strong as any lion. I was reared on eggs and ham
I’m a terror to all fighting me around the Micky Dam
Chords:
D5: 7,0,5,0
G/D: 7,5,0,0
G: 0,5,5,0
C/G: 0,2,3,0
C: 5,5,0,0 or 5,5,3,0
G/B: 4,5,0,0
D/A: 2,0,0,0
Dsus4/A (or A7?): 2,5,0,0 (A chord Daoiri uses often to lead from A to D)
What a gem! I don't think there a many video recordings of Andy from that time. Here's one hour of Andy solo and with Kevin Burke and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. Once again thanks to AndyFanblock page on YouTube who collects videos of Andy.
"Biddy Mulligan" is a folk tune composed by Seamas Kavanagh in the 1930s. It honors the lively personality of a street vendor from the Coombe area in Dublin. The song paints a picture of a woman who makes a living selling things like fruit, nuts, and used clothing, and it emphasizes her strength and sense of pride in her working-class roots. It also stands as a cultural companion to the better-known Dublin ballad, "Molly Malone."
Just found this little boob while searching Amazon. The reviews are really bad. Does anybody know more about it? The index looks ok, but the misspelling on the cover???
If you maybe have it it would be nice if you'd comment and tell about it.
The UCC TradSoc Lunchtime Concerts take place regularly and offer great concerts. Here is a concert with Alan Finn & Fionn O' Hanlon (Fiddle and Bouzouki)
Here's Simon Crehan and Fionn O'Hanlon at Crowleys Music Centre
By chance I came across this CD on bandcamp a few months ago but forgot to mention it here on the blog. Fine bouzouki playing here. I especially like the polkas and slides.
I asked chatgpt to write a short text about the musicians, here's what came out (hope the information is correct ;)
Alan Finn, Joanne Quirke, Paul Clesham & Fionn O’Hanlon
This quartet brings together four of Ireland’s finest young traditional musicians, each with deep roots in the music of their home counties.
Alan Finn(Buttevant, Co. Cork) is a renowned button accordion player and founder of the Shandrum Céilí Band, celebrated for multiple All-Ireland titles and his lively, driving style.Joanne Quirke(Co. Cork) is a versatile multi-instrumentalist on whistle, flute, fiddle, piano, and harp, and a graduate of University College Cork who was awarded the prestigious Seán Ó Riada Prize. From Hollymount, Co. Mayo,Paul Cleshamis an All-Ireland champion on concertina and a highly skilled accompanist, equally at home on fiddle, accordion, melodeon, and piano, with a strong academic background in ethnomusicology. Completing the group isFionn O’Hanlon(Boherbue, Co. Cork), a bouzouki player whose roots in the Sliabh Luachra tradition bring rhythmic energy and harmonic depth to the ensemble.
Together, their 2025 album’Twas Many a Wild Nightcaptures the joy, drive, and spirit of Irish traditional music today.
Here's a video of them playing at Custy's in Ennis.
Eimear Arkinsis an award-winning fiddle player, singer, and dancer from County Clare, now based in St. Louis, Missouri. A multiple All-Ireland champion, she is equally celebrated for her rich traditional fiddle style and her expressive singing, fromsean-nósto contemporary folk.
Eimear has toured internationally with ensembles such asCherish The Ladies,Téada, andThe Paul Brock Band, and has represented Ireland at cultural showcases worldwide. Her debut albumWhat’s Next?(2018) was praised for its fresh take on Irish tradition, and her follow-upHere & There(2024) reflects both her Clare roots and her life in the U.S. Whether on stage or in the classroom, Eimear is known for bringing warmth, virtuosity, and authenticity to Irish music.
(Text made by Chat.gpt) ;-)
The first track of her album Here & There is a set which starts with the jig Scully Casey's. On thesession this tune is written as a slide. As I could not find an abc-file written as a jig I used this for my tab. There is a video of Flute Player Hatao on youtube which contains staff notation for the tune as a jig.
The bouzouki player on the album is Alan Murray who seems to become one of my favourite bouzouki players at the moment.
This is the album version:
Here's the tab. Might not be absolute perfect, but gives an insight into Alan's style of playing.
You can download the whole tab here. Now I made a tab in 6/8 which is easier to read, you can find it here.
Here's a video of the release concert for the album:
Another gem from Daoiri Farrell. A version of The Bonnie Irish Maid or Blackwaterside. The lyrics here don't match Daoiri's always. Here's a link to the lyrics he uses but the chords are a bit different and in G.
Live Version, Capo 5
Studio Version, Capo 3
{t:Blackwater Side - Bonny Irish Maid}
{st:Daoiri Farrell}
{c:Capo 5}
As [D]I went out one [G]morning [A]fair, so [A7]early [A]as I [D]strayed
It being all in the month of [G]May the [D]birds sang [A]in the [G]shade[A]
The [D]sun shone down right merri[G]ly and the [D]water did [A]swiftly [G]glide [A]
Where the [D]primroses [D/F#]and [G]daisies [A]grow, down [A]by Black[A7]water[D]side
I [D]had not gone but [G]half a mile when [D]there by [A]chance I [D]spied
Two lovers talk as they did [G]walk down [D]by Black[A]water[G]side
And [D]as he held her in his [G]arms, these [D]words to [A]her did [G]say
"When [D]I am in A[G]merica I'll be [D]true to my [A]Irish [D]Maid"
"T’is [D]when you are in A[G]merica those [D]Yankee [A]girls you'll [D]find
And you'll have sweethearts of your [G]own more [D]pleasing [A]to your [G]mind
Do [D]not forget the promi[G]ses and the [D]vows you [A]made to [G]me
Oh, [D]stay at home love, [G]do not roam from your [D]bonny [A]Irish [D]maid"
"T’is [D]when I'm in A[G]merica, those [D]Yankee [A]girls I'll [D]see
And they must be very hand[G]some, to re[D]mind me [A]love of [G]thee
For [D]there's not a bird in yonder [G]bush or [D]flower in [A]yonder [G]glade
That [D]does remind me [G]love of thee, my [D]bonny [A]Irish [D]maid"
"It's [D]many's the foolish [G]youth" she said, "has [D]gone to some [A]foreign [D]shore
Leaving behind his own true love be[G]hind, for [D]ne’er to [A]see no [G]more
It's in [D]crossing of the Atlantic [G]foam, some[D]times their [A]graves are [G]made
Oh, [D]stay at home love, [G]do not roam from your [D]bonny [A]Irish [D]maid"
These [D]two young hearts to[G]gehter so [D]fondly [A]did em[D]brace
Like honey drops upon the [G]dew, the [D]tears ran [A]down her [G]face
"There’s [D] not a day while you're a[G]way I'll [D]visit [A]still these [G]glades
Un[D]til you do re[G]turn again to your [D]bonny [A]Irish [D]maid."
I made some tabs for the intro and verses in Tabledit, which is an app I really can recommend.
Many years ago Graham McDonald released a book how to build bouzoukis. He is a luthier and builds bouzoukis for about 40 years now. So he knows what he does. You can buy his book on Amazon or as Ebook from McDonald Strings.
The first chapter can be downloaded as a .pdfhereand Andy Irvine's Forward can be downloadedhere.
The full size plans can be downloaded separatelyhere.
Now he released an online course on this topic. On YouTube you can watch the introductional video which I enclose here. So if you ever wanted to build your own bouzouki this one's for you.
Matt Heaton posted a series of bouzouki videos on YouTube some time ago. I can highly recommend these to any bouzouki player. There are videos on different keys, rhythms and chord overviews. One type of tune that is often overlooked is the polka. In this video,
Matt shows his approach to accompanying polkas. Since the bouzouki tends to vibrate due to its double strings, it is not advisable to play too loudly. Here, he shows a way to play more delicately and emphasise the rhythm. The emphasis here is more on the second beat. This results in a slightly bouncing rhythm.
