Accessibility links
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 And Shamrock: Roots Run Deep

Natalie MacMaster. Richard Beland/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Richard Beland/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: Roots Run Deep

Musical communities coast-to-coast in the U.S. and Canada show their roots with great traditional fiddling, gorgeous sensing and ear-catching blends of American and Celtic music.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/247523966/247522834" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: New Fall Sounds

Breabach. Archie MacFarlane/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Archie MacFarlane/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: New Fall Sounds

Get a few ideas for your holiday gift shopping as Fiona Ritchie introduces new releases from debuting artists that have caught her ear, as well as favorite players who have helped to define the genre.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/246324110/246326174" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: Continental Celtic

Dan Ar Braz. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: Continental Celtic

Follow hypnotic dance rhythms to Brittany and Galicia, explore a panorama of songs in Breton, French and Spanish, and savor the essence of continental Celtic music.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/245078217/244996551" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: Heart Of The Session

Edinburgh's famous folk bar, Sandy Bell's. Jeff Meade/Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
Jeff Meade/Flickr

The Thistle And Shamrock: Heart Of The Session

From Matt Molloy's pub in County Mayo, Ireland to Edinburgh's famous folk bar, Sandy Bell's, we celebrate the sound of communal music making.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/241838871/241840755" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: The Road of Tears

Battlefield Band. John Slavin/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
John Slavin/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: The Road of Tears

From broadsheet ballads to music hall choruses, songs have documented true-life emigrant experiences through time. This week, Battlefield Band, Mick Moloney, Mary Black and others continue in that tradition.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/240241115/240241752" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: Nuala Kennedy And A.J. Roach

A.J. Roach and Nuala Kennedy. Louis DeCarlo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Louis DeCarlo/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: Nuala Kennedy And A.J. Roach

Hear how two musicians, raised over 4,000 miles apart, share a deep musical connection. Fiona chats with the pair and delves into their individual recordings.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/228184275/228193132" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle And Shamrock: Wisdom In The Strings

Lucy Champion of Anuna. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle And Shamrock: Wisdom In The Strings

We explore contemporary and traditional music conveying wisdom from ancient times this week. Featured are Celtic-tinged arrangements of the sacred chants of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) and William Jackson's music developed from a medieval manuscript, created on a tiny Scottish island in the 13th century.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/226548416/226562156" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: Harlaw Scotland 1411

This monument was erected outside of Inverurie in 1911 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Harlaw. Wikipedia hide caption

toggle caption
Wikipedia

Thistle And Shamrock: Harlaw Scotland 1411

Music and song have carried the story of the Battle of Harlaw through the centuries.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/221708689/221712391" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: New Summer Releases, Part 2

Iarla O'Lionaird Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Thistle And Shamrock: New Summer Releases, Part 2

More of the latest traditional and contemporary recordings from rising talent in the Celtic roots music scene, along with new releases from our most popular artists.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/217177127/217177931" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: New Summer Releases, Part 1

Karine Polwart Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Thistle And Shamrock: New Summer Releases, Part 1

Catch up on the latest traditional and contemporary recordings from rising talent in the Celtic roots music scene, along with new releases from our most popular artists.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/214460272/214460322" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: Family Gathering

Mícheál Ó Domhnaill Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Thistle And Shamrock: Family Gathering

Some of the finest Celtic music recorded since it was so labeled has sprung from a few influential musical families. Hear the Brennans, the O'Domhnaills , the Cunninghams, the Fishers, and the Lunnys. Together and individually, they have helped shape the genre.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/214454716/214459603" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: Song Beat

The Poozies Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Thistle And Shamrock: Song Beat

Hebridean tweed workers' songs, rowing songs, hiking songs, mouth music: their lyrics take a back seat to their integral rhythms, easing the work and keeping the singers going. Get into the rhythm of the song this week, with Catherine-Anne MacPhee, Ossian, Christy Moore, The Poozies, Alasdair Fraser and more.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/211962294/211969271" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Thistle And Shamrock: Brían Ó hAirt And Julee Glaub

Mark Weems and Julee Glaub of Little Windows. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Thistle And Shamrock: Brían Ó hAirt And Julee Glaub

Join Fiona Ritchie at The Swannanoa Gathering in the mountains of North Carolina for a conversational, musical encounter with Brían Ó hAirt and Julee Glaub.

Listen Now

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/210172893/208207048" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">