Thistleradio

04/01/2025

HAPPY 2025! Hope you've had a smooth passage into 2025 and here's wishing a guid New Year to ane an' a'! As the bells rang out on New Year's Eve, did you join in a rousing chorus of Auld Lang Syne and wonder: what was all that about? In this show we delve into the verses of the famous Robert Burns anthem and explain its irresistible nostalgia, with Pete Clark, The Cast, Andy M. Stewart, and Dougie MacLean.

The songs of Robert Burns are as popular today as they were when they were first written over 200 years ago.

31/12/2024

Happy Hogmanay to one and all! How about bringing in the New Year with two brand new tunes? Fiddler Pete Clark composed a strathspey for Scotland and a jig for Ireland to celebrate The Thistle & Shamrock, and we love them! Hear the pair of tunes played by Pete Clark and pianist Muriel Johnstone at the link below and start dancing early!!:

Two new fiddle tunes to celebrate The Thistle & Shamrock.

29/12/2024

Hope you've all been enjoying the many Midwinter festivals and thanks to everyone who's joined me so far for a winter walk along the riverbank in A SPECIAL THISTLE & SHAMROCK CHRISTMAS on NPR Music, including listeners to:
KFSK KXCV WLTR WUWF WVPE KUSU WCBU WGLT WAMS WKMS WUNC KUWR WGTE KXCV KUAC WPSU WSKG WFSU WCMU WUOT KETR KSKA KRCB WTEB WMEA WXXI KLCC KBSU KWBW, MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING, NORTH COUNTRY PUBLIC RADIO and other stations on air and online. With music from Emily Smith, Tim Edey, Sting, and Al Petteway there's still time to tune into these special scenes of Midwinter on public radio. Streaming link will follow here soon! &ShamrockChristmas

03/12/2024

I told you I'd be back on your radio! Delighted to be offering a brand new holiday special for NPR Music. Come with me on a winter walk through woodlands, along a riverbank, where we'll hear Celtic music and folklore inspired by the Midwinter scenes. Check your local public radio station for their festive program schedule and find our more about A SPECIAL THISTLE & SHAMROCK CHRISTMAS here: https://www.thistleradio.com/thistle-christmas
Hope you can join me and be sure to wrap up!

01/12/2024

This Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks for all the decades of connecting with wonderful listeners on public radio stations via NPR Music. Thank You One and All! Over the holidays, why don't you re-visit the last weekly episodes of The Thistle & Shamrock (A Few Faves, Firsts and Farewells), and browse many, many more years of radio shows in NPR's archive for The Thistle & Shamrock at npr.org/thistle See you there!

07/10/2024

Many thanks indeed to Nancy, Steve, and my friends at the American Folklife Center for this generous blog piece. It includes links to my 2-part radio celebration on The Thistle & Shamrock of the 40th anniversary of the American Folklife Center with Nancy and Steve sharing lots of examples from their remarkable audio archive (Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jean Ritchie). The Library of Congress NPR Music

With gratitude and best wishes, the American Folklife Center notes that on September 30, 2024, after more than 40 years on the air, our longtime friend and colleague Fiona Ritchie ended her successful and influential weekly public radio program “The Thistle & Shamrock,” an institution in the Cel...

03/10/2024

As promised the last three weekly episodes of The Thistle & Shamrock - the Final Fling - are streaming online here at NPR Music, along with several years worth of shows. Hope you enjoy!

Award-winning radio host Fiona Ritchie explores evolving music from Celtic roots in Europe and North America.

29/09/2024

THANK YOU to all the listeners and musicians who have posted and sent so many kind thoughts about my stepping back from weekly broadcasts of The Thistle & Shamrock (including Alasdair Fraser, Alan Reid, Hanneke Cassel and many more). It's been such a privilege to bring great music to the airwaves for 41 years and share fun interviews and some truly special performances. I am more than grateful to have shared this radio journey with you all, with the final episode airing on most stations this weekend. Hoping to offer some specials in future so watch this space! Here's my thoughts on making this change: https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-extra/2024/06/28/g-s1-7051/a-note-to-listeners-from-nprs-the-thistle-and-shamrock
And NPR's statement from earlier this year: https://www.npr.org/2024/06/28/g-s1-6875/nprs-the-thistle-shamrock-radio-program-to-end-this-fall
You can listen again to my Final Fling (the last three shows are A Few Faves, A Few Firsts, and A Few Farewells) at my radio archive via NPR Music and listen on-the-go via the NPR app (search 'Thistle'): https://npr.org/thistle
Again - a resounding thank you for your company on the airwaves through the weeks, months, years!

29/09/2024

Enjoyed my chat last week with Peter O'Dowd of Here & Now on NPR about the early days of The Thistle & Shamrock and the journey of the music featured on the show. As I step back from producing weekly radio episodes, it was fun to play a few tracks and reminisce. Thanks Peter and WBUR 90.9 FM

Fiona Ritchie has hosted "The Thistle & Shamrock" since 1981.

15/08/2024

Rod Paterson (1953-2024) ~ a musical tribute.
From his days with Scots bands Jock Tamson’s Bairns and Ceolbeg, to the rhythm and swing of The Easy Club, Rod was widely regarded as the finest male Scots traditional singer of his generation. From Robert Burns to Cole Porter, enjoy an hour of superb singing and guitar playing from this much loved artist.

We remember Scottish singer and guitarist Rod Paterson.

15/05/2024

Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill has been a musical cornerstone of all your favourite Irish bands and she continues to make the most wonderful music. Enjoy this hour dedicated to her recordings, past and present.

One of Ireland's leading interpreters of folk and traditional music, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill is also a composer and songwriter of international renown.

19/03/2024

Try to imagine where Scottish music would be without Ian Green, who has died in Edinburgh age 90. Never was a police pension so creatively invested! With his, Ian launched Greentrax Recordings Ltd in 1986, and it quickly grew to be Scotland's largest record label for folk music and more. We all owe you the most heartfelt thanks, Ian, and we'll raise a glass to you, your amazing life, and the music you loved so well. RIP and thank you.

07/03/2024

Across almost two decades, this great trust continues the good work of nurturing all forms of traditional music and in particular the music of the Great Highland Bagpipe. The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust promotes performance, study and composition, and encourages innovation. It has helped countless young people to realise their musical potential and strengthened the traditional music culture of Scotland. Find out how the legacy of Gordon Duncan continues here: https://www.gordonduncan.co.uk/

Our Agm tonight with our trustees. Lots of exciting things in the pipeline.

04/03/2024

Irish broadcaster RTÉ has recognised Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. A founder member of legendary Irish bands Skara Brae and The Bothy Band, Tríona is one of Ireland's leading interpreters of folk and traditional music, as well as a composer and songwriter of worldwide renown, with a recording and performing career spanning a half-century. Tríona was also a member of the groundbreaking bands Touchstone, Relativity and Nightnoise and performs today with T with the Maggies. Her music has helped form the sound of The Thistle & Shamrock since the very first shows on NPR Music. Congratulations Tríona, a musical legend!

Gradam Ceoil TG4 | Profile Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill

01/03/2024

DYDD GŴYL DEWI HAPUS... Or... Happy St. David's Day! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Here's a Welsh favourite on harp from Siân James.

Sian JamesSee more on Sing4Wales.com

16/02/2024

Are you word perfect with your Auld Lang Syne, or do you mumble through it on New Year's Eve, hum along on Burns Night, and repeat the same rituals each year? Hear the story behind the famous anthem with the verses broken down, along with great artists singing a variety of Robert Burns songs.

The songs of Robert Burns are as popular today as they were when they were first written over 200 years ago.

16/02/2024

Don't miss this chance to discover some great new music.

Having crossed the threshold of 2024, let's get the New Year off to a good musical start with some brilliant new sounds.

24/12/2023

Here's a last minute wee musical gift that will make a big difference. Christine Kydd has written new lyrics to the French Traditional carol 'Il est né le divin enfant' to send out her continuing hope for Peace this Christmas and in the coming year. You can download this lovely track and all proceeds (minus Bandcamp commission) will go the Maggie's Centre Dundee. Maggie's is a charity that offers free expert care and support in bright welcoming spaces for people facing cancer. Many thanks go to Christine, Angus Lyon (keys), and the lovely voices of the Maggie's Choir, Dundee for sharing their enduring desire:
Wishin on a winter star, wish to live in peace thigither
Wishin on a winter star, Peace to you where ere ye are.

track by Christine Kydd