In Tune with Tradition - Perspectives on Session Etiquette in Irish Traditional Music

About In Tune with Tradition - Perspectives on Session Etiquette in Irish Traditional Music

Welcome to “In Tune With Tradition,” the podcast dedicated to exploring the unwritten rules, shared experiences, and stories of Irish traditional music sessions. Sessions are magical gatherings where music, community, and tradition come together, and it is session etiquette (the customs and courtesies shared by all) that helps sessions run smoothly and ensures everyone feels welcome, whether playing, listening, or joining in for the first time. Hosted by Tara Connaghan, a seasoned and well respected Irish fiddle player and cultural insider, this series dives deep into the heart of the Irish session. Each episode features conversations with musicians, session regulars, and passionate participants from Ireland and beyond, sharing their personal experiences and perspectives on the etiquette and quirks that make each session unique and magical. Whether you’re an experienced player, a newcomer, or simply curious about the world of Irish traditional music, “In Tune With Tradition” offers an authentic, entertaining, and insightful look at the elements that make memorable Irish music sessions. Expect lively stories, practical advice, and plenty of laughs as we celebrate the music, the people, and the spirit of the session. The podcast was launched Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2025 in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, Ireland by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, renowned fiddle player, singer, and founding member of Altan. Join Tara and her guests each episode as they tune into the tradition, sharing the wisdom and warmth that resonate through the magic of Irish music sessions. Episodes are usually launched fortnightly.

Publisher

Tara Connaghan

Category

arts · music · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

3 Jul 2025

Latest episode

18 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

24 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   18 Sept 2026

   People First, Music Second

   This episode of In Tune with Tradition was recorded in person in Miltown Malbay during Willie Clancy Week 2025, (shortly after the podcast was officially launched), where Clare fiddle player, teacher and broadcaster Joan Hanrahan joins Tara Connaghan for a warm, reflective conversation about what Irish traditional music sessions really are: shared spaces built on listening, trust, and people first. They talk through session etiquette, intergenerational learning, the role of repetition and repertoire, and why music can feel healing in moments of grief, joy, and everything in between. Chapters 01:25 – What an Irish music session means to Joan 02:22 – First sessions in Garvey’s in Inagh and learning tunes by osmosis 04:55 – Why the intergenerational nature of Irish music matters 05:51 – Nobody knows it all 06:13 – Old tunes, repertoire and why quantity is not everything 07:24 – Advice for joining a session when you know nobody 08:25 – The natural high when a session really works 11:15 – People first, music second 12:27 – Music as a constant through grief, loss and life 14:18 – Friendships across the world and a connection with Cape Breton 17:13 – What happens when musicians truly gel 18:21 – Processing grief through music 20:05 – Writing tunes for Joan’s father and sister 24:48 – Why Joan likes playing tunes more than twice 26:21 – What blocks the flow of a good session 29:44 – Welcoming people without asking them to prove their worth 30:33 – Joan’s ideal session size and why sessions should inspire you 31:58 – Festival sessions, hospitality and keeping music human 35:18 – Ten ingredients of a successful session 38:12 – Old pubs, open fires, singers, dancers and good listeners Resources: The West Wind with Joan Hanrahan – Clare FM (https://www.clare.fm/radio-schedule/the-west-wind-with-joan-hanrahan/) Joan’s long-running traditional Irish music and song programme on Clare FM. Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy (https://www.scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com/) Session Etiquette Questionnaire (https://www.sessionetiquette.com/) Share a question, challenge or joy from your own session experience for a future episode. Support In Tune with Tradition (https://sites.google.com/sessionetiquette.com/sessionetiquette/support) Help support the recording, production and editing of the podcast. In Tune with Tradition: The Private Session Experience (https://sites.google.com/sessionetiquette.com/sessionetiquette/retreat) Join the Session Etiquette mailing list (https://sites.google.com/sessionetiquette.com/sessionetiquette/newsletter-signup) Recorded and produced by Tara Connaghan and edited by Anita Alvarez Santos. Recorded in person in Miltown Malbay during Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2025.

2. 

   1 Sept 2026

   Irish Music Sessions Are Strange Social Experiments!

   Fiddle player and teacher Jacqui Martin joins Tara Connaghan to talk about friendship, slow sessions, rhythm, seating, safe places to play and why Irish music sessions can feel like strange social experiments where anyone can walk in and change the whole evening. Resources: https://www.cobblestonepub.ie/cobblestone-backroom/balaclavas-session (https://www.cobblestonepub.ie/cobblestone-backroom/balaclavas-session) Ceoltóir course - Ballyfermot (https://www.bcfe.ie/courses/music-performance/) Clontarf Comhaltas CCE (https://clasac.ie) Session Etiquette Questionnaire (https://sites.google.com/d/1pkVuSFHLnkUI3P06JoJ63lUzSgJ9WbQE/p/1cObdhnuN_elimYQST_kYdh2PzvWztXVE/edit) Support the In Tune with Tradition podcast (https://sites.google.com/d/1pkVuSFHLnkUI3P06JoJ63lUzSgJ9WbQE/p/1uQn0ikomgE-AqFn0qDukAjUC_s_1149l/edit) In tune with Tradition: The Private Session Experience (https://sites.google.com/d/1pkVuSFHLnkUI3P06JoJ63lUzSgJ9WbQE/p/14Io7zK6ze78RNGMHAVX5qoMeoRFUmRl6/edit)

3. 

   15 Aug 2026

   Music is a biological necessity

   This episode explores how music can regulate the nervous system, build belonging, and help people feel safe in communal playing spaces. Tara Connaghan is joined by Louise Kelly, a consultant music therapist from the North of Ireland, TEDx speaker, and co-founder of Resilient Rhythms, whose perspective connects traditional music with anxiety, confidence, and connection. We discuss why some players sit on the periphery, why others play loudly or keep leaving and returning, and how those behaviours can be understood through fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses rather than judgment. Chapters 00:00 - Music as shared nervous system regulation 00:44 - Introduction to Louise Kelly and the episode’s focus 03:02 - Louise’s background in music therapy and why she speaks publicly about music’s power 04:32 - The TEDx selection process and the journey to speaking on stage 06:24 - Why music is a biological necessity, not just entertainment 07:46 - Sessions, teamwork, and rhythm as connection 09:01 - Growing up outside the Irish music tradition and feeling drawn in 10:55 - Discovering session etiquette through a therapist’s lens 12:49 - The nervous system’s job: keeping us safe 13:45 - Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn in session behaviour 15:05 - Loud playing as a possible fight response 16:33 - Playing louder after being ignored elsewhere 20:03 - Shy entry, fawning, and freeze in newcomers 21:00 - Humour and repeated movement as safety behaviours 22:25 - Watching body language and seat choice from the outside 23:39 - Why confrontation often pushes musicians toward flight 24:34 - Cultural identity, language, and why the tradition matters so deeply 25:08 - Louise rejoining beginner trad life through North Coast Antrim 26:43 - Practicing a session at home by recording and replaying it 28:26 - Therapy, music, and the value of repetition 29:44 - Confidence, anxiety, and finding a voice later in life 31:24 - Teenagers, music, and why young people live inside sound 32:28 - Why adults lose sight of music’s value 36:05 - What really stops newcomers is fear of getting it wrong 38:53 - How shame is learned through family and society 40:08 - School messages that damage confidence in music 41:16 - Everyone can participate without being “a trained singer” 42:06 - Walking in circles, staying on the periphery, and feeling safe first 43:19 - The sweet spot where musicians become one 44:17 - Coping strategies for anxiety and choosing music as support 46:20 - Breath work, self-awareness, and self-expression as regulation tools 48:08 - Session rules as a way to protect safety, not exclude people 49:28 - Mind-body awareness in music and in everyday life 50:44 - Music as mindfulness and being present in the moment 54:09 - Slow sessions as beginner-safe spaces and why they matter 57:47 - Session vibe, belonging, and why context changes everything 59:39 - Louise’s advice for listeners: be open, curious, and avoid perfectionism 61:34 - A memory of belonging in a school traditional group 63:48 - The tune that still moves Louise and why music stays personal 64:32 - Closing reflections on reopening a long-closed doorway Resources: Louise Kelly, TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTKezQB0A3E https://resilientrhythms.co.uk/ https://www.sessionetiquette.com/questionnaire In Tune with Tradition - Private Session Experience: https://www.sessionetiquette.com/retreat

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

17 ratings

Contact In Tune with Tradition - Perspectives on Session Etiquette in Irish Traditional Music

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.