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The Thistle & Shamrock Award-winning radio host Fiona Ritchie explores evolving music from Celtic roots in Europe and North America.
Special Series

The Thistle & Shamrock

Host Fiona Ritchie explores Celtic roots music on her weekly radio program
The Thistle & Shamrock: New Fall Sounds 1

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The Thistle & Shamrock: New Fall Sounds 1

Join Fiona Ritchie as she explores the latest batch of releases, hearing what's new from established artists and uncovering the emerging talent.

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Fall Sounds 1

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Lowlands

Archie Fisher. Stephanie Tristam/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Stephanie Tristam/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Lowlands

From shipyards and farmlands to mills and mining villages, the Scottish Lowlands have been a hive of activity for centuries. Tour the musical landscape with Archie Fisher, Deaf Shepherd, and more.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Lowlands

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Canada

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Canada

Travel to Cape Breton, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and on into the west to hear the authentic Celtic-rooted music of Canada.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Canada

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Irish Pairs

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill. Erin Baiano/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Erin Baiano/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Irish Pairs

Few musical sounds make a more honest and direct statement than duos in the Irish tradition. Enjoy them combining their voices, guitars, fiddles, flutes and more acoustic instruments.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Irish Pairs

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Julie Fowlis

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Julie Fowlis

Raised in the Outer Hebrides, Fowlis is one of a small group of singers bringing Scots Gaelic music into the cultural mainstream.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Julie Fowlis

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

We revel in the joyous sounds of multi-instrumental line-ups this week, shamelessly embracing anarchy in determining "what-goes-with-what."

The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Clear Sounds

All-Ireland fiddle champion and National Heritage Award winner Liz Carroll. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Clear Sounds

Enjoy the pure beauty of the unaccompanied voice, solo and layered, along with virtuoso solo instrumentalists.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Clear Sounds

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Live & Kicking

Scottish musician Jim Malcolm is featured in this week's Thistle & Shamrock. Genie Dee hide caption

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Genie Dee

The Thistle & Shamrock: Live & Kicking

From the pubs and clubs of home to international festival stages, some great live performances electrify this hour of music.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Live & Kicking

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The Thistle & Shamrock: A Broader Canvas

Every year, 4,500 artists and bands from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Asturias, Galicia and Brittany come to Lorient in early August to take part in a music festival. Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

The Thistle & Shamrock: A Broader Canvas

Follow the Celtic music trail to Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias, Wales and Brittany.

The Thistle & Shamrock: A Broader Canvas

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The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 2

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The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 2

Host Fiona Ritchie handpicks more new sounds of the summer, featuring The Yanks, Clannad, Stockton's Wing and more.

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 2

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The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 1

Hanneke Cassel is featured on this week's show. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 1

Host Fiona Ritchie handpicks new sounds of the summer, combining artist debuts with the latest from musicians whose work has helped shape the sound of the program.

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Releases And Debuts, Part 1

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Essential Celtic

Scottish musician Dick Gaughan is featured on this week's show. Markus Großmann/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Markus Großmann/Wikimedia Commons

The Thistle & Shamrock: Essential Celtic

Learn how to inject a Celtic core into your music library that reflects past and present, honors tradition and celebrates the spirit of innovation.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Essential Celtic

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The Thistle & Shamrock: Global Gathering

Afro Celt Sound System is featured on this week's show. Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Wikimedia Commons

The Thistle & Shamrock: Global Gathering

Circumnavigate the world of Celtic music with an Afro-Balkan-Latin-Urban-Country-Celtic fusion hour.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Global Gathering

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