#favorite cead

[bettsfic]

craft essay a day #4

fuck yesterday's essay. to me, this is the only breakdown of "write what you know" that matters.

"Fascinated to Presume: In Defense of Fiction" by Zadie Smith

beginner | intermediate | advanced | masterclass 

filed under: process, character, favorite, pedagogy

summary

yesterday's Johnston essay and today's Smith essay have very similar theses, and yet one upset me deeply (yes, i got so angry i cried; almost nothing upsets me more than the blatant disrespect of the creative process*), and one i take to be the gold standard of this entire discussion. in fact i rely so much on Smith's essay that i rarely bother to come up with my own words on the topic. why would i, when she says it better (and with more authority, knowledge, and wisdom) than i ever could?

*i know that sounds ridiculous, but when you have had dozens of students in your office visibly shaking in terror of receiving individual feedback, or who repeatedly self-sabotage because it's easier to handle failure when you tell yourself you don't care, or who start crying when you compliment their work because that's how rarely anyone gives them praise or attention, it's hard to read something that spits in the face of their experiences. i've had students write in detail about their suicide attempts and they honestly believe it doesn't matter, that those experiences are worthless. i've had students write mountains of love poems for their real partner or ideal partner or horse or one time even just frogs, generally--and they think they don't matter. they think no one cares, no one's listening. and so yeah, when i read an essay that's so narrowly focused, so clearly confirms all these wonderful students' worst fears about writing, about being seen and received and accepted, yes, i get angry.

Smith opens the essay by describing what it feels like to have the voices of so many fictional characters in your head all the time, and quotes the Whitman "i contain multitudes" poem that has now been distorted by internet meme culture in the vein of Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese" and William Carlos Williams' "This Is Just to Say." she uses Whitman to introduce the idea of "containment": that we as writers contain identities other than our own, and in writing about them, face the adage of "writing what you know."

"The old—and never especially helpful—adage 'write what you know' has morphed into something more like a threat: 'Stay in your lane.' This principle permits the category of fiction, but really only to the extent that we acknowledge and confess that personal experience is inviolate and nontransferable. It concedes that personal experience may be displayed, very carefully, to the unlike-us, to the stranger, even to the enemy—but insists it can never truly be shared by them. This rule also pertains in the opposite direction: the experience of the unlike-us can never be co-opted, ventriloquized, or otherwise 'stolen' by us."

to me, what lends the most credence to Smith's argument is that she acknowledges that it's rational and reasonable to be wary of reading/writing a social identity you don't share. containment, she says, has colonial implications, and it's important to consider the greater historical context of oppression.

"Containment—as a metaphor for the act of writing about others—is unequal to the times we live in. These times in which so many of us feel a collective, desperate, and justified desire to be once and for all free of the limited—and limiting—fantasies and projections of other people." 

she then introduces an idea to better represent the concept of containment: "presumption," as defined specifically in a Dickenson poem, writing the presumption of others' grief.

"The counterargument would be that when it comes to presumption, we are in far less danger of error when writer and subject are as alike as possible. The risk of containment is the risk of false knowledge being presented as truth—it is the risk of caricature. Those who are unlike us have a long and dismal history of trying to contain us in false images. And so—the argument runs—if we are to be contained by language, let that language at least be our own."

her argument is nuanced and she makes many other interesting points, however in my summary i'm mostly concerned with defining the terms she sets out as a way to put the abstraction of writing the self/other into sharper relief. (i'm particularly interested in the paragraph about how it's the sentences themselves that create believability, and i have Thoughts on that i'm still working through.)

she concludes with what, to me, is the only answer: it depends. some writers do it right, and some writers do it wrong. some people will agree, some people won't. but you can't make sweeping declarations of what should or should not be, when the question at hand is so complicated.

"We know some representations are privileged and some ignored. Prejudice in these matters must be thought through, each and every time. Is this novel before me an attempt at compassion or an act of containment? Each reader will decide."

my thoughts

between these two essays (Johnston's essay yesterday and Smith's essay today), the ultimate point is that writing fiction is to reach outside oneself, even if we're constrained to our limited identities and experiences. and yet Johnston's essay comes at it from a place of privilege: not just that you can write outside yourself, but you should write outside yourself, and you should not write about yourself. he dismisses differences of race, gender, orientation, ability, and other oppressed social identities into a single paragraph that basically boils down to "don't worry about it." meanwhile, Smith acknowledges that the separation between self and other is a complicated one when considering the entire history of civilization. because within that history (and present), there's systemic oppression of certain social identities. and within that oppression, art exists. literature exists. publishing exists. there are identities and experiences that are offered a platform far wider and higher than others. so no, you can't just say "don't worry about it." thoughtfulness on this topic is imperative.

i labeled this essay "beginner" because i think it's a must-read for all writers and readers. ironically i haven't taught this essay yet, so i don't have a handy dandy lesson plan to quote my talking points or discussion questions. i have, however, been taught this essay in a workshop, and strangely i can't remember how the discussion went, or what i had to say about it, or what anyone else had to say about it either. this is strange namely because i'm very vocal (and possibly overbearing) in group discussion and end up replaying in my head all the things i said, wishing i'd said them better.

it does make me a little sad that Smith sort of declares fiction dead and writes about it in the past tense. i really don't think things are as abysmal as she makes them seem in certain paragraphs. there are a lot of amazing writers out there doing such great work. i don't think fiction is dead. i don't think it can ever die.

it's interesting to think of this essay in the context of fanfiction, because fanfiction is fundamentally about writing the other. we're not writing our characters, we're writing someone else's characters in our way. the concept of "self" in fandom is so flimsy anyway; as authors, as readers, we're usually either pseudonymous or anonymous. we often tuck the self as far away as we can. "write what you know" i think takes on a whole new meaning here. because...what do we know? we know our canon text, its universe and the characters within it. we are the audience receiving it and the creators speaking back to it. the readers of fanfic, presumably in the fandom for which they're reading, are also reading what they know. and yet it's always building new territory. i have a lot to think about still, and this overall topic is one that i'm considering a lot. as time goes on and i learn more, my opinions as writer, as teacher, as editor become more disparate and complicated.

despite that, my final thought is to read widely. read fanfiction, literary fiction, sci fi, fantasy, erotica. read academic journals, pop science nonfiction, memoirs and essay collections. read poems, short stories, novels, 12-book series. read old and new. read in translation. read old favorites with new eyes. read everything.

good news! i'm now cross-posting these entries to AO3, along with inputting a backlog of some of my older posts (the ones about/referring to fanfiction, to keep with the TOS) for better archiving/organizing. (all commercial hyperlinks will be removed and replaced with MLA citations in the end notes.)

craft essay a day tag | writing advice tag | ask me something

[head---ache]

Hey, I just realized you and I got the same name, I just have a C instead. Anyway, what is your favorite thing to draw with your Sonic AUs?

hi cead---ache/j tbh i just love character design

[mewsik]

My favorite radio stations. 💖😙💗🥰🎶📻🎵

91.3 RSU college radio. I have been listening to them for about 15 years. 💗 (as long as I've lived in Oklahoma and for the brief couple of years I did not I still streamed them online daily!) Always plays the best new indie and has amazing weekly programming blocks for punk rock, Latin alternative, metal, oldies (sockhop Saturday morning! One of my favorite blocks!), bluegrass, folk, psychedelic, lofi, hip hop, dance, country, reggae, even grateful dead has their own block, throwback blocks to 00s/90s/80s/70s/60s and just everything good! I will always love this station!

One FM 91.3 Singapore i found by accident when trying to get rsu on a smart speaker. A happy accident bc now they are one of the only other stations I will play regularly. They are newer. There are virtually no ads, they play great tracks from the 80s 90s and 00s and they are very pleasant when they do have their small talk shows and programing blocks, its also great to hear about Singapore traditions and lifestyles. Their time is different from mine so it is fun they will be talking about going to bed when I'm making breakfast or talking about morning things when its time for bed here and play Saturday night party remixes all Saturday morning and day, the extra long remix Mashup dance tracks are actually a lot of fun so I'm glad!

Irish pub radio is a great one for irish classics and popular Irish artists of today. My family is Irish heritage and I've grown up with this music. They tend to repeat a lot of things but I will put this on when I need my Irish fix or really want to hear the saw doctors. Cead mile failte. 🇮🇪

This one is pretty self explanatory. It's queen Selena Quintanilla Perez radio all Selena all day. For some reason it no longer works on tunein but the website seems to still work. I love Selena. Anything for Selenas. 👏👸

Favorite Bands/Discographies, if i haven't posted a song from any of these artists that you're looking for request it and I will!

mewithoutyou, Mother Mother, Margot & the nuclear so and so's/Richard Edwards, The avett brothers, An Cafe, The Get up kids, The postal service, The pillows, Nigel silverthorne/the Natalie fight, Jukebox the ghost, Mika, Andrew Jackson jihad, Ai otsuka, Annuals, Manchester Orchestra, Fun., Dear and the Headlights, Hot Hot Heat, Selena, Of Montreal, Vampire Weekend, Miniature Tigers, Frightened Rabbit, Alan Jackson, Kaela Kimura, Maria mena, Blink 182, Saint motel, Daft punk, The Grateful Dead, Kimya Dawson/moldy peaches/the uncluded, Jd natasha, Talking heads, Frank Sinatra, The Saw Doctors, Good Charlotte, 1997, Seatbelts, Yoko kanno, The Used, Forgive durden, Buddy Holly, Architecture in helsinki, Johnny Cash, Kate nash, Anais mitchell, The new pornagraphers, electric light orchestra, oingo boingo, dethklok, tenacious d, beastie boys, death cab for cutie, flight of the Conchords, childish gambino, cursive,...

Always adding more as i think of them/if I've posted any artists song not listed here chances are they're still a fav so you can ask for tracks by them.

[nancypullen]

Delightful Dingle

I know I'm moving like a sloth getting these posts up, and I can't even promise that they'll be worth it. Still, aren't they better than me droning on about my gardens or another recipe? Besides, I have something on a back burner that just might turn things around on the ol' blog. I might be making some life changes. MIGHT. Not counting any chickens before they hatch, but I'm a little bit excited. More on that later. For now, let's talk about Dingle! Dingle. It's fun to say and even more fun to visit. Of all of the castles, incredible views, ancient sites, and islands frozen in time - our day in Dingle was my favorite. The mister and I vacation differently. He is happiest when hiking up to a scenic vista, capturing an incredible snap of a cliff, tree, waterfall (oh, how he loves a waterfall), or meadow. I also love nature in all her glory, but I can get a lot of that at home. When I visit a foreign country I want to talk to people, find out what they do, what they eat, what's playing on the radio, how they spend their time. I absolutely love striking up a conversation with a stranger and getting a taste of normal life in wherever I might be. I was able to do that with a wonderful gentleman and artist in Waterville -Leo Quinlan, retired Irish Army major. He was a cadet sent by Ireland to JFK's funeral, now he paints. You can find him on Instagram! lqart.ie

Anyway, that's what I do. I will talk to people in shops, cafes, public restrooms, train stations, you name it. I don't think I've ever received more delightful responses than I did in Ireland. The warmth and openness of the people we met was exceptional. There's a reason that you see "Cead mile failte" posted near practically every door. It's Gaelic for "100,000 welcomes". They actually mean it. Our visit to Dingle was a chance for me to talk and talk and talk to locals. It was also a chance for me to take my fingernails out of the dashboard. You see, much of what you want to see in Ireland is found along "The Wild Atlantic Way". A little two lane road, much of it perched cliffside with the Atlantic crashing against rocks below. We didn't drive the whole thing, it's something like 1600 miles, winding along the west coast of Ireland. We did enough of it. I have very few pictures and no video because I was too busy hyperventilating. Here's a taste.

My blood pressure goes up just watching that. Flashbacks. I know that Mickey is capable driver. I don't know if anyone else is. Factor in that he was driving from the right side of the car and on the left side of the road and I get jittery. In my defense, I was once a passenger in a van (driven by a high school drivers ed teacher) that rolled off the side of a mountain. I lived to tell the tale, but I've never forgotten the sensation of tipping over the edge. It was all because the driver was distracted, so when I'm in the passenger seat and I see Mickey's eyes darting all over framing photos in his mind, I get nervous. I probably should have dealt with that bit of PTSD decades ago, but you can just add that to the long list of things that make me weird interesting. I do feel sorry for Mickey when I'm along, because he loves a good, twisty drive. We've been on too many. And I did enjoy some of the views (when I opened my eyes). This was at a lower elevation, almost to Dingle.

That was a long-winded way of explaining why a day spent walking around a beautiful town and talking to friendly people was so welcome. Dingle was an oasis in the desert for me. Hello, Dingle!

Its a lovely seaside town with a very artsy vibe. There were lots of pubs and restaurants, plenty of pretty boutiques, art galleries, gift shops, book stores, and ice cream shops. Apparently, Dingle is semi-famous for their ice cream. There's also a statue near the harbor dedicated to Fungie, a local dolphin whose antics delighted fishermen and tourists. He sought out human contact and chose to live alone in the waters near Dingle, enjoying his interactions, rather than join a pod. He was first spotted in 1983 and is believed to have died in 2020. His legend lives on.

Everything about this sweet town was fun. I don't blame Fungie for staying.

I sent the mister off to snap photos and I roamed up and down the streets. Murphy's was the most popular ice cream spot.

We also ate lunch at Murphy's Pub. I'm seeing a pattern.

One of my favorite stops was this little shop.

Do you see what I see inside the shop, just past the painted cat?

Of course I had to go inside and pet her. She was a bit chunkier than when her portrait was painted. Bless her fluffy heart, I understand.

I walked and walked...

popping in and out of shops and talking to everyone. It was so much fun. Little chats, interesting tidbits, not a stranger in sight. I felt that I was actually experiencing Ireland. Not just the many, many beautiful sights, but the heartbeat of the country - her wonderful people! I had so many little sacks with me when I finally met Mickey for a late lunch, I had scattered my money in every corner of town. Irish linen sachets filled with Irish lavender, tea towels decorated with happy Irish sheep, a fascinating book on the potato famine from a charming book store, a beautiful print from a gallery, two very pretty coffee mugs for two coffee lovers I know, and even a wedge of cheese from this little shop.

We enjoyed a wedge of Wilma's Gouda. Wilma O'Connor is a Dutch woman who married an Irish fellow, and in the 1980's began making the gouda of her homeland with Irish cow's milk. It was a hit and Wilma is now famous. Tasty cheese, well-deserved fame. Bonus points for the sign in English. I knew what I was getting before I walked in. Most shops had signs I couldn't read, if the window display didn't provide enough clues, I had to go inside, right?

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. By entering every shop I experienced everything from local pottery to a tobacco shop that smelled like my Grandpa Holtz. Even better, each shop had a friendly face inside just waiting to chat with me. Delightful. I really loved Dingle.

I met up with this guy for a bite.

Then I suggested we walk off our late lunch (I wasn't ready to leave!) and before we strolled back to the harbor where our car was parked.

For the mister that also meant a stop at Murphy's for ice cream. So yes, we saw amazing castles, we visited the Hill of Tara where Irish kings have ruled for centuries, we saw natural and manmade beauty around every corner. But my day in Dingle, talking and laughing with the warm and wonderful folks of a colorful, happy town - best day of all! That said, there's more to come. I swear I'll wrap this up. I'll be back to talk about more castles, ancient sites, and snails...so many snails. Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy

[anelespyrodrawings]

Primer boceto y dibujo de Brincanube!!! Lo dibuje ayer. Siempre quise dibujarlo ( más cuando supe que se venía la 3 peli) es uno de mis dragones favoritos!!! Esto en realidad en principio intentaba empezar a dibujar para el concurso del Deviantart. Pero terminó siendo un práctica🤣 ------ Fist Sketch of Cloudjumper!!! Draw it Yesterday. I always whated to draw him, he Is One of my favorite dragons!!! Atte fist I was trying to draw For the contest of Deviantart. But it finish as a práctice 🤣 #httyd #cloudjumper #Skeche #httydfanart #dragon #cead #brincanube #boseto #fanart #httyd2 https://www.instagram.com/p/BxqJLsRFCNT/?igshid=1vycydhoml51f

[celtfather]

Sherwood Forest Faire #180

Ten years ago, Sherwood Forest Faire opened their borders to allow a medieval festival to happen.

In this episode, you will learn how the festival came to be. You'll meet some of the musicians who have performed there since the beginning. You'll hear their music and some of the stories I recorded at the faire. Some are about travel or women in music, hypnosis, and juggling. There's a lot to unpack. And you get 3 1/2 hours to do just that.

Welcome to the Pub Songs Podcast, the Virtual Public House for Celtic culture through music. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a Celtic Geek musician and your guide to honoring our past and adapting for our future.

Today’s show is brought to you by my Gunn Runners on Patreon. Your generous pledge of $5 per month allow me to create music, podcasts, and my weekly video show, Coffee with The Celtfather. Thank you!

If you have comments or want to chat in the pub, email me. Use #PubSongs when talking about this show.

Cead mile failte! PubSong.net

  WHO'S PLAYING IN THE PUB TODAY

0:57 "Big Strong Man" by Brobdingnagian Bards from Songs of Ireland

Sherwood Arrival and See Vince Conaway

10th anniversary of Sherwood Forest Faire

Interview in show #50

5:18 "Kilted For Her Pleasure" by Marc Gunn from Kilted For Her Pleasure

7:32 Meeting Andrew McKee, The Irish Bard

8:46 "Satisfied" by Andrew McKee from The Irish Bard

12:02 Interview: Year 10 of the Sherwood Forest Faire with Autolycus

18:27 "Salty Sailor" by Shillelagh from A Turn of Fortune

22:03 Interview: Castle building with George Appling

37:29 "Jiggy Biddy's Slur Horn" by Tartanic from Uncharted

40:59 Interview: Musical Women in History with Apryl Knight

56:35 "The Cat On the Stairs" by Apryl Knight from Allons-Y! Time Traveler's Tales

59:11 "RPG Monster Song" by Apryl Knight from One Nerdy Knight

1:01:51 PUB CHAT

I want your feedback. What are you doing today while listening to the Pub Songs Podcast? How has this show inspired you? Send a written comment along with any pictures to marc@marcgunn.com. Use the hashtag #pubsongs in the subject of your email.

Troy Rodgers emailed before my last Celtfather Evenings show: "I've got my ticket! See you there! I keep meaning to offer Pub Songs feedback. Let me do so now. I love the new format. The latest episode... How America Saved Irish Music is one of my favorites of your albums. To hear you and Jaime discuss everything that went into this, it's gold. Excellent podcast."

Pamala emailed: "Marc, I fell asleep listening to #PubSongs last night. Your voice is so soothing and the music is just right so my brain settles down and sleep. I woke this morning with a smile because of you and your music being in my ears. Thank you for all you do to share this wonderful music and yourself. Blessed Be, Pamala"

I want your Ireland or Celtic Travel Questions. Email me!

1:03:08 "Johnny Jump Up" by Bedlam Bards from Furious Fancies

1:06:19  Interview: Laughter Hypnosis with Cedric of Bedlam Bards

1:38:45 "Leaf on the Wind" by Bedlam Bards from On the Drift (Music Inspired by Firefly and Serenity)

Get Cedric's book: The Little Book of Laughnosis: Using the Hypnotic Power of Unconditional Laughter to Change Lives

1:43:20 "Fantasia XI" by Vince Conaway from Liminal Spaces

1:45:05 Interview: Best Travel Tips by Vince Conaway

2:09:22 "Riding on a Load of Hay" by Vince Conaway from Liminal Spaces

2:11:51 NEWS

Moving so one podcast per month

Season 3 of Coffee with The Celtfather ends on April 17

Mikey Mason just hit his next big milestone which secures 8 more episodes of In the 'Verse podcast

Brobdingnagian Bards are launching a Kickstarter in July. Subscribe to our mailing list and podcast.

Help me move. Buy a shirt!

2:13:39 "The Water Is Wide" by Faire to Middlin from Kilts, Celts & Kippers

2:18:10 Interview: Adventures in Juggling with Paolo Garbanzo

2:40:53 "The Ballad of Steve" by Paolo Garbanzo

2:48:47 Celtic Invasion Vacations: Dingle, Ireland 2019 Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through it's culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos.

2019 is the Celtic Invasion of Dingle. 2020 is the Origins of Celtic Invasions. You can find out more about these two exciting trips. Join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

2:50:52 Interview: Rockin' Irish Harp with Dubliner Harpers

3:01:21 "Island Reel" by Dublin Harpers from Shenanigans

3:03:15 Interview: Married to Rambling Sailors

3:19:51 "Paddy Doyle's Boots" by Rambling Sailors from Kenway's Favorites

3:21:09 Interview: The Voodoo Island Cannibals Return with Master "Bones" Jangles

3:24:09 "Funeral Dirge" by Master Bones Jangle and The Voodoo Island Cannibals from Sail to the Wind

The Pub Songs Podcast is listener-supported. If you enjoy visiting the pub, please join the Gunn Runners Club to get more podcasts, videos, bootleg concerts, and exclusive MP3s. Special thanks to my newest patron: Elizabeth B.

Thank you for so kindly supporting my music. Go to marcgunn.net to join the Gunn Runners on Patreon today. Let's make a friendlier world.

3:27:26 UPCOMING SHOWS

Every Weds, 11 AM: Coffee with The Celtfather

Apr 19: Interstellar Ginger Beer & Exploration Co.

Sat, May 4: Interstellar Ginger Beer & Exploration Co. This is my farewell to Birmingham and Gwen’s congratulations on graduating, and Inara’s happy birthday celebration. Join us!

May 17-19: California Autoharp Gathering

June 8-15: Celtic Invasion of Star Wars

Aug 1-4: Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN

Dragon Con?

Sep 27-28: Browncoat Ball, Las Vegas, NV

If you enjoy the music in this show, support the artists. Buy their music and merch. Follow them on Spotify. Let them know how much you love what they are doing. And tell a friend.

3:29:05 "Serenity Valley Waltz" by Marc Gunn from Heroes

Pub Songs Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn. To subscribe, go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify or to my website where you can join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon and support my music and this podcast. I’ll also email regular updates of new videos, podcasts, stories behind the songs, plus 21 songs for free. Welcome to the pub!  www.pubsong.net.

Check out this episode!

[celtfather]

Rolling Home #319

Wouldn't it be cool to have an episode featuring YOUR favorite Celtic music? Today's show is dedicated to Patron of the Podcast, Annie Lorkowski, who compiled a list of her favorite songs in featured over the past 12 years. You'll enjoy Celtic music from Mary Knickle, Heather Dale, Navan, Black 47, the Screaming Orphans, Marc Gunn, Ockham's Razor, Merry Wives of Windsor, MacTalla Mor, Coyote Run, Ciara Considine, The Borrowed Angels, The Blarney Rebel Band, Trip McCool, Ceann, BOWI, John Byrne Band, Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones, Jesse Ferguson.

Listen. Like. Share. Then download 34 Celtic MP3s for Free! http://celticmusicpodcast.com 

Subscribe to the Celtic Music Magazine. This is our free newsletter and your guide to the latest Celtic music and podcast news. Remember to support the artists who support this podcast: buy their CDs, download their MP3s, see their shows, and drop them an email to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. http://bestcelticmusic.net

  Today's show is brought to you by Celtic Invasion Vacations

Every year, I take Celtic music fans on an adventure of a lifetime. This is not your typical wham-bam-thank you m'aam tour. We travel in small groups. We explore the Celtic history of different regions. We don't need to see everything, because this is a vacation. Instead, our invasion brings out the relaxation and magic of our adventure. In 2018, you can join me on a Celtic Invasion of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Sign up to the mailing list at celticinvasion.com.

  Notes

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a musician and podcaster. This podcast is dedicated to indie Celtic music. These are the bands who are trying to make it without a record label. I want to ask you bring these artists the attention they deserve by sharing the show with your friends. You can find more episodes at celticmusicpodcast.com. And you can support this show on Patreon.

Back in May, I knew my time would be tight this summer. So I decided to ask some of the Patrons of the Podcast if they had a Top 20 list of artists featured in the podcast. Annie Lorkowski was one of the first to respond with 20 songs. So today, I'm gonna share with you her top 20 list, in no particular order. As she said on Patreon, many are older songs because she was binge-listening from the beginning. And I found at least one that I actually don't have the music for. So we'll make do.

* CELTIC PODCAST NEWS

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast comes out each and every week due to the generosity of people like you. Your kind pledge of as little as $1 per episode pays for the production of this podcast, as well as my time in producing the show. You get shows before regular listeners and my deepest thanks. I want to thank our newest patrons Valerie Gilliand, Paolo Bianchi, Linda Kazalski, Luke Sinclare. All of our patrons help you get a 2-hour special. Become a patron today! To celebrate Celtic culture through music.

July 31st is the last day you can purchase the 2017 Sainted Song Henger special and get 10 bonus CDs from my Celtic music archive. Go to our store at bestcelticmusic.net/shop. You'll get shirt, coffee mug, and whole bunch of awesome CDs. Your kind purchases promote Celtic music and helps support this podcast.

* I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK: What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com

Erin Holman emailed: "Just wanted to say—I’m a freelance copyeditor and discovered your podcast just about a month ago (what took me so long? I have been listening to podcasts for about as long as they’ve been around!) Anyway, I think you are almost singlehandedly responsible for my recent uptick in productivity. I spent a study-abroad semester in County Galway (lived in vacation cottages just outside of Spiddal, with Galway Bay in my sightline) lo these many years ago (1991, to be exactk ;) ) and have enjoyed Celtic music well before that. Anyway, the upbeat tempo of so many Celtic songs is crucial for my focus and transports me back to ceili nights at the Hughes in Spiddal at the same time. Lucky for me, I’m just now listening to your early 2012 episodes—I’ve still got a wonderfully huge backlog to work through, and then I’ll start again. Thank you so much!"

This Week in Celtic Music

0:33 "Weave the Yarn" by Mary Knickle from Weave

5:27 "Mordred's Lullaby" by Heather Dale from Avalon

8:36 "He Mandu" by Navan from Oran nan Tonn

10:30 "James Connolly" by Black 47 from Fire of Freedom

16:28 "Rocky Road to Dublin" by the Screaming Orphans from Ballads Rule OK

23:11 "Mingulay Boat Song" by Marc Gunn from Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion

27:40 "Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile" by Ockham's Razor from Wolves in the Walls

31:02 CELTIC PODCAST NEWS

32:06 "Mad Jenny" by the Merry Wives of Windsor from Tales from Windsor's Tavern

35:51 "Chi Mi Na Morbheanna" by MacTalla Mor from The New Colossus he mi na morheena 41:22 "Mary Mac" by Coyote Run from Pleads the 5th

44:48 "Kilkelly Ireland" by Ciara Considine from O Mo Chroi

50:55 "Eist Eist" by The Borrowed Angels from The Borrowed Angels Singing Songs By Mazz O'Flaherty

54:00 "Stand With Me Boys" by The Blarney Rebel Band from Buy My Soul

58:24 CELTIC FEEDBACK

59:52 "Drill Ya Tarriers Drill" by Trip McCool from The Traveler

1:04:56 "Moron with the Bodhran" by Ceann from Making Friends

1:08:22 "Rolling Home" by BOWI from Dry Land

1:12:44 "Betsy Ross Bridge" by John Byrne Band from The Immigrant and the Orphan

1:16:47 "Cead Mille Failte" by Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones from Let Ye All Be Irish Tonight

1:22:37 "Loch Lomond" by Jesse Ferguson from The Parting Glass

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