Welcome to a new episode of Music At Maddens Podcast with me, Lynette Fay.

This week we welcome Greta Curtin to the podcast.

This week in the snug, Lynette welcomes concertina player Greta Curtin for a lively tour of Slíabh Luachra style and the stories that shaped her music.

Growing up in Brosna on the Kerry–Limerick–Cork border, Greta went from a TV fiddle that became a concertina to big mixed classes, sessions, and festivals that turned shyness into voice and community.

She talks polkas and slides, how a tune like “Maggie in the Woods” can turn into “Mary in the Woods” a half hour up the road, choosing gigs over kitchen shifts, teaching in a music school, and watching her students become the next wave. 

In her work as a special needs assistant, music is a bridge: sometimes a hallway guitar, sometimes just the right pause, always a way to help a child feel seen.

We also dive into the Patrick O’Keeffe Festival in Castleisland: a session trail from morning into morning, album launches, archives, and a youth award that invites players from Donegal to Dublin to learn a Slíabh Luachra set with care.

With a nod to Brosna football pride, quiet All-Ireland wins, and the occasional bout of imposter syndrome, this is a warm, witty portrait of tradition that’s brilliantly alive.

Enjoy!

New episodes every Monday.

Maddens Bar

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Hatch Belfast

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Avalon Guitars

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Smithwicks Irish Ale

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