O'Flaherty Irish Music Retreat

Teaching Traditional Irish Music

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Instructors - Core Classes

We are very fortunate to have as core instructors some of the most talented musicians and teachers currently active in Irish music today.  We continue the tradition of sharing Irish music "knee to knee" by enabling our students to learn face to face with those who are recognized as great stewards of the music.  Here are our core instructors for this year:

List of Core Classes

Bodhrán -- Jacob McCauley, Nicolle Fig (Fundamentals)
Bouzouki -- Alan Murray
Button Accordion -- Sharon Shannon
Concertina --Pádraig Rynne, Margaret Keefe (Fundamentals)
Dancing (Sean-Nós) -- Rebecca McGowan
Fiddle (Fundamentals) -- Tess Hartis
Fiddle (Intermediate) -- Tara Breen, Brid Harper, Oisin McAuley
Fiddle (Advanced) -- Matt Cranitch
Flute -- Louise Mulcahy
Guitar -- Jim Murray, Margaret Graham (melody player)
Harp -- Cormac De Barra
Mandolin -- Dave Curley, Jack Maher (Fundamentals)
Singing -- David McKindley-Ward
Tenor Banjo -- Enda Scahill, Jack Maher (Fundamentals)
Uilleann Pipes -- Colm Broderick
Whistle -- Colin Farrell

Margaret Keefe

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Margaret grew up in a musical family in Albuquerque, NM and moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2010, where she studied mathematics, music, and education at the University of Oregon in Eugene. She has been playing Irish tunes on fiddle and concertina for the past 10 years, motivated by the sheer beauty of the music and the opportunity to connect with other players. Margaret lives in Tacoma, WA and … [Read more...] about Margaret Keefe

Margaret
Keefe

Instructor – Concertina Fundamentals  |  Workshop Presenter – Creative Practice for Melody Instruments

2023

Jack Maher

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Jack Maher is from Dublin, Ireland. Equally proficient as an acoustic and electric guitar player, Jack plays mandolin and banjo and his live work and recordings brought him to perform with Van Morrison, Eddi Reader, Declan O Rourke, The High Kings, Mundy and many more. Jack is also a singer in his own right and a songwriter. He has performed and recorded with the Sharon Shannon Band for more … [Read more...] about Jack Maher

Jack
Maher

Instructor – Mandolin/Tenor Banjo Fundamentals  |  Informance

2023

Oisin McAuley

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Oisin McAuley was raised in Carrick, County Donegal an area in rural North Western Ireland renowned as having one of the finest fiddle traditions of the 21st century. Later living in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, he learned from Ben Lennon, Seamus Sweeney and others before going on to study music at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland and began performing with a number of bands including … [Read more...] about Oisin McAuley

Oisin
McAuley

Instructor – Intermediate Fiddle  |  Enrichment Class – Variations – Improvisation in Irish traditional Music

2012, 2023

Jacob McCauley

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Jacob McCauley is a leading bodhrán player and instructor, renowned for his innovative approach to the instrument, and whose work has expanded the boundaries and re-defined the potential of this simple frame drum within and beyond the Irish tradition. Based near Toronto, Canada, Jacob grew up in a household filled with Irish music, where he was immersed in bodhrán playing from a young age. He is … [Read more...] about Jacob McCauley

Jacob
McCauley

Instructor – Bodhrán  |  Informance

2023

Rebecca McGowan

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From Boston, Rebecca McGowan performs, choreographs, and teaches traditional and sean-nós Irish dance. Drawing on the musicality of older-style step dance and the joy of social dance traditions, Rebecca is interested in exploring dance as music and making Irish dance lyrical and approachable. She performs and has been on the faculty of the Catskills Irish Arts Week, Acadia Trad Festival, and CCE … [Read more...] about Rebecca McGowan

Rebecca
McGowan

Instructor – Sean-Nós Dancing  |  Enrichment Class – Less Common Meters

2023

David McKindley-Ward

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David McKindley-Ward is a multi-instrumentalist from outside Washington, DC who now lives in Boston. He has made a name for himself as a top traditional singer and a much sought after accompanist and teacher. He regularly performs with and has recorded with with many of the regions finest traditional musicians and singers , including Liz Hanley, Billy McComiskey, Eimear Arkins, Joey Abarta, Brenda … [Read more...] about David McKindley-Ward

Dave
McKindley-Ward

Instructor – Singing  |  Workshop Presenter – How to Practice

2023

Louise Mulcahy

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Born in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, Louise is a well-established performer and tutor on both flute and uilleann pipes. Louise has travelled extensively in both capacities, as both performer and teacher of the tradition, appearing at some of the biggest national and international music festivals throughout Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, America and Canada. Louise released her highly … [Read more...] about Louise Mulcahy

Lousie
Mulcahy

Instructor – Flute  |  Enrichment Class – A Celebration of Women in Uilleann Piping 1800s-1900s

2011, 2023

Jim Murray

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Jim Murray is an internationally acclaimed Irish musician. Having a wealth of teaching experience and performing master classes around the world, 2011 saw Jim produce his own highly anticipated on-line guitar tutorial focusing on all aspects of accompanying traditional Irish music with a guitar. Jim produced this with the aim of bringing his unique style of accompaniment for Irish guitar to a … [Read more...] about Jim Murray

Jim
Murray

Instructor – Guitar  |  Informance

2020 (Virtual), 2023

Alan Murray

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Guitarist, bouzouki player and singer Alan Murray hails from Glasgow, Scotland, where he grew up playing the whistle and later guitar. Eventually moving to United States, he has established himself as an in-demand performer and teacher on the Irish music scene. He has recorded and performed around the world with many of the finest traditional musicians and acts today, including Lunasa, Eileen … [Read more...] about Alan Murray

Alan
Murray

Instructor – Bouzouki  |  Enrichment Class – The History of Accompaniment in Irish Music

2017, 2023

Pádraig Rynne

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Described as “one of the freshest sounds in Irish music” by fRoots, multi award winner Pádraig Rynne is a virtuoso musician, prolific composer and is regarded as one of the finest concertina player in Irish music today. With an MA in Music Technology and with a passion for experimenting in diverse genres, Pádraig is recognized for his refreshing explorations into the Irish tradition and for his … [Read more...] about Pádraig Rynne

Pádraig
Rynne

Instructor – Concertina  |  Workshop – Creativity within Traditional Irish Music

2023

Testimonials

Former Student

Without parallel!  Never been to anything like this before that was as intense, well-organized and personalized.

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