Why do traditional musicians place a premium on humor and social rapport? Rory Makem, John Doyle, John Williams, Aidan Collins, Pauline Logue, Lisa Coyne, and Siobhan and Brendan McKinney help Shannon investigate the deep wellspring of Irish wit. Whether you already have an arsenal of quick comebacks, or you’ve never heard Irish people slag each other, this episode digs behind the banter.

There’s plenty of music here, too. Credits below.

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Special thanks to Matt Barlow, Brian Benscoter, and Mark Johnson for supporting this episode. And thank you to Matt Heaton for script editing and production music.

Please CLICK HERE if you can kick in to support this podcast!

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Visit IrishMusicStories.org

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Music Heard on IMS Episode 09 all music traditional, unless otherwise indicated

Tunes: “Tap Room, Mountain Road, Galway Rambler” (reels), from Rehearsal Recording, c. 2009 Artist: Dan Gurney (accordion), Shannon Heaton (flute), Matt Heaton (guitar)

Tune: “Ramblin’ Man” from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “John’s Theme” from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Sabai Sabai” from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Hometown Lullaby” from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Song/Tune: “Dawn Song and The Killavil” from Rehearsal recordingArtists: Dan Gurney, Shannon Heaton, Matt Heaton

Tune: “Abbey Reel: from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Tune: “Travel Theme” from Production Music Made for Irish Music StoriesArtist: Matt Heaton

Song: “The Hawk And The Crow,” from The Light And The Half-Light, 2004Artists: Sean Doyle with John Doyle

Song/Tune: “Mountain Dew,” from Irish Drinking SongsArtists: The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

Song: “Parting Glass,” from Live Farewell Concert at EnVie, Boulder, CO, 2001 Artists: Siucra featuring Beth Leachman Gadbaw