Every year, I take a small group of people on an exciting adventure overseas. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know it through it's culture, history, and legends. EtZvGiAuFJKsacyM2U1d In June 2023, we are going to Westport, Ireland in County Mayo. The itinerary is now online. We will spend seven nights, visiting Matt…

Celebrate Celtic culture and music through travel. I'm gonna tell you what you can expect on my Celtic Invasion Vacations? If you go to the website you won’t find much information. I usually list the itinerary when it becomes available but that can be January or March before the trip. You will find podcasts and links to pictures and videos. I don't…

I will share EIGHT great ways for you to have a spectacular St Patrick's Day today Celtfather Music & Travel. The best thing about St Patrick’s Day for me is that is a great time to celebrate Celtic culture. My passion lies in the music. I immersed myself in nothing but Irish and Scottish music for over a decade. I took that knowledge to create new…

Gerry O'Beirne is an Irish guitarist and songwriter behind the scenes of many great Celtic musicians. I met him when he toured the U.S. with Andy M. Stewart. But his history playing music is long and fascinating. I was surprised on last summer's Celtic Invasion Vacations that he's living in Dingle, Ireland now. He's performing both solo and with ma…

Mazz O'Flaherty owns the smallest record shop in Ireland. It's in Dingle, Ireland. It is a place you don't want to miss. It's walls are lined with music from Irish musicians, especially those in the County Kerry. In 2019, I took my Celtic Invasion Vacations to Dingle, Ireland. Ten years after my last trip. Mazz was as delightful a person to talk to…

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is no longer on Spotify. But it is still coming out each and every week. Spotify announced at the beginning of 2020 that they will no longer host music podcasts like ours. So in February, they pulled it from their app. This stinks, but it is understandable. And it doesn't affect the delivery of the podcast into the …

Scotland is an incredible country. In 2010, I led my third Celtic Invasion Vacations to Scotland. I learned a lot from this trip which helped form future invasions. I'm gonna share the comments from some of those invaders in #249 of Celtfather Music & Travel. Greetings my name is Marc Gunn. This show is about the many amazing experiences I have as …

The 2018 Celtic Invasion of the Isle of Skye is over. We had an amazing vacation. Every year, I ask my invaders for feedback. This year, I decided to do it a little different. I wanted to help you figure out what were some of the best things to see when you come visit. So I’m gonna share my Best and Worst things to see on the Isle of Skye, followed…

St Patrick's Day is coming soon. I'm gonna share with you TEN fun facts about St Patrick's Day in show #238 of Celtfather Music & Travel. As a Celtic musician and host of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, I thought I’d also pick songs you can listen to to go with each fact. celtfather.com CELTFATHER NEWS If you missed the latest CeltfatherLive Inte…

As a Celtic singer and autoharper, I've never felt super comfortable going to Irish sessions. I had a couple dirty looks when I first got into Irish music. It biased me a lot against them since. But I love Irish music. So I was excited to watch a video by Shannon Heaton where she provides a sort of how to guide to Irish sessions. It was very inspir…

Join me as I talk with Samuel of Visite Bretagne about the history of the Celts in Brittany, France. You'll learn how the Celts got to Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. And how they came back to Brittany. You'll find out the best places to visit while you're there, and a lot more. Brittany is a great place to visit. Subscribe to Celtfather Mu…

There's a lot about the Celts that I did not realize until I went on my Celtic Invasion of Brittany. It opened a secret history that most of us don't think about. In this episode, I'm gonna share how Venice is a part of that Celtic history and lots more. Subscribe at celtfather.com. Celtfather Weekly Buy my new 3-song single, Celtic Halloween, on O…

Hobbit Day is on September 22nd. We're gonna celebrate it with the true story behind my popular song and album "Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits". I'll share the origins of Hobbit Day and how I fell in love with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as well all of the exciting things that have happened due to my love of hobbits. Subscribe to my mailing li…

Dom Duff brought his guitar and charm over to Carnac during the 2017 Celtic Invasion of Brittany. We talked and then he shared stories about Breton music and culture along with his own original songwriting. You will hear some great music by Dom Duff, learn how to say "slainte" in the Breton language, and you'll learn the twisted meaning behind a fa…

Phil Duckworth loves Celtic Punk. When I want that music for the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, I call Phil, aka Grinning Beggar. You'll meet a man who started off in metal, found his way to Celtic and roots music. He listens to music with passion. He hosts Grinning Beggar's Paddy Rock Podcast and will be my guest host this week on my Celtic music p…

May and June are always a tough time of year for me. I have so much to do to get ready for my Celtic Invasion Vacations and never enough time. I find myself frantically trying to keep up with the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast during this time period. It's frustrating. This year, I have special guest hosts planned for the show. Steve Behrens runs 67m…

I realized I hadn't shared the latest itinerary for the Celtic Invasion of Brittany. How else am I gonna make you jealous and long to join me on one of my Celtic Invasion Vacations if I don't talk more about it? So you will hear about some of the oldest and most-condensed standing stones in the world in Carnac, Brittany. Plus, we'll explore the Bro…

One of the highlights of my Celtic Invasion Vacations is playing music for my invaders. That's because the setting is small and intimate. The music is often requested by my invaders who enjoy the many shades of Celtic music I play. On the Celtic Invasion of Cornwall, we had a beautiful house in Instow. I pulled out my autoharp and played a few song…

Every year, I host a Celtic Invasion Vacation. We travel to various locations around the world get to know a small region through its culture, history, legends and music. In 2016, we invaded Cornwall in the Southwestern portion of England. Cornwall is one of the seven Celtic nations and has a lot to offer. We only tapped a small portion of it. But …

Was King Arthur born in Tintagel in Cornwall? I went there on my Celtic Invasion of Cornwall. We talked to a couple experts. Subscribe to the podcast at www.celtfather.com.By Marc Gunn, King Arthur, Tintagel, Cornwall

The Celtic Invasion of Cornwall begins as I explore the Chalice Well, Glastonbury and how it all fits in with my life and my old band, Brobdingnagian Bards. Subscribe to the podcast at www.celtfather.com.By Marc Gunn, Chalice Well, Glastonbury, Brobdingnagian Bards

In 2015, I took a small group of 8 people on a Celtic Invasion of County Donegal. One of the highlights was Slieve League. These are the highest ocean cliffs in Ireland, 3 times higher than the more famous Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs were stunning, but was just as fascinating was Patrick Maloney, a young man selling walking sticks and Dulse, which …

When my first daughter was born, I had a flood of comments from Gunn Runners asking me when I would release a kids CD. It was bound to happen. I theme most of my albums from Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers to Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion, Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits to Sci Fi Drinking Songs. Nearly all of my albums have some unifyi…

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner and a show tomorrow, this is a good time to compile a list of funny Irish drinking songs that perhaps I might play this year. See my complete show schedule here. I also do a lot of shows online. You can check out the shownotes and listen to the songs mentioned right on the website. What are your favorit…

In county Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland is the giants causeway. What one Radio Times poll named the fourth greatest wonder of the United Kingdom. 40,000 interlocking basalt columns line the coast, the result of a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. Now it's one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland. Fi…

I didn't actually pick these amazing bands this week. It was a lot more organic than that. This list features the Celtic bands I played most-often on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. I love all of these bands, but there were a few surprises that I didn't anticipate. You can see the complete list in the shownotes. Or visit the Irish & Celtic Music …

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd share my views on What is Celtic Christmas music as I wrote last year. I confess I'm kinda picky about it. However, my views have defined what kind of music is played in my Celtic Christmas Podcast too. I hope to help you find better Celtic Christmas music this holiday season. Make sure you check…

Kat is considering joining me on a Celtic Invasion Vacation. But she had a few questions. She writes: "I know this is probably basic for you but I have never been able to traveling a lot, so I really don't know what Europe is like. So I need a closer budget to see if it is even in the vague realm of possibility. Just curious for estimates on the fl…

The bad news is that The Rogues have split up. The good news is that Randy Wothke is reuniting with The Rogues classic (Lars, Jimmy, and Bryan) to release a new album and all new shows. This is some of the best news for anyone who loves bagpipes & drums. What's next for these most amazing Scottish Rogues? Listen and rejoice! Find out more about the…

Traveling will fill your life with joy and satisfaction. You experience life more fully when you hit the road and leave your comfort zone. I've felt its rewards more fully through my years on the road. I've grown and learned a lot, much like Mark Twain. Twain wrote: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our peop…

It's funny how when I start planning this podcast, I frequently have NO news to share. Then I start searching to see what I did the past week, or what I have planned to come. Everything comes together. I end up with a longer show. I start the show off as usual with my Celtic Music Spotlight of the Scottish band Breabach. I also made an update to my…

Well, we’ve reached Donegal, and are currently enjoying our stay in a cottage by Mt.Charles! Though I’d initially intended to put out more podcasts during the trip, but because I’m enjoying putting more production into each one, several of them will probably be posted after the trip. There are only so many hours in the day, and when on vacation, th…

Exploring the Titanic by Marc GunnBy Marc Gunn, Celtic Invasion Vacations

Ireland Air Travel Tips: Celtic Invasion Vacation 2015 by Marc Gunn

Inara Claire Gunn was born yesterday at 7:08 pm. She's a happy, healthy girl of 7lbs. 11 oz and 20.5 inches long. Come meet her this Sunday on Concert Window. Find out more at http://marcgunn.com/celtfather027By Marc Gunn, Inara Gunn

There's still no news on the baby front. And we're less than one week away from the birth of Inara. Today, I share a little catch up news as well as do a short highlight of my Celtic Invasion of Donegal, Ireland in a few weeks.Find shownotes at http://marcgunn.com/celtfather025To subscribe, go to iTunes, or go to Celtfather.com where you can also j…

St. Patrick's Week starts tomorrow. So it's time to start philosophizing about Celtic music, awesome songs and fulfilling my promises through your generous patronage, including some thoughts I learned from Amanda Palmer. You'll find a link to the full shownotes at http://marcgunn.com/celtfather013 To subscribe, go to iTunes, or go to Celtfather.com…

I've been sharing the stage with the Dublin Harpers, a family of Celtic musicians from Dublin, Ohio. As the name says, they play harp music, but it's not like harp music you've heard before. There are at least two harpers, a bodhran player, and occasional other instruments mixed in by the whole family. The music is also upbeat, with reels and jigs …

The Whiskey Bay Rovers came by to chat with me at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival after a show. We talked origin stories of these pirates from Lafayette.By Marc Gunn, Whiskey Bay Rovers

The Bilge Pumps sent me their newest CD, Bail Money, last month. I had the pleasure of seeing them at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival where I dug deeper into their murky history. Subscribe to the podcast at http://celtfather.com You can become a patron of the podcast at http://marcgunn.net/By Marc Gunn, The Bilge Pumps

ALEP was wonderful. Now it's another ALEP Year until the next one. You'll have to listen to find out how an ALEP Year is. In this week's episode, I talk about my favorite moments at ALEP. Plus, I announce a bunch of shows that are coming up. The show is brought to you by ALEP. Go to http://www.alep-ky.us to find out more.…

Michael Drout is an amazing professor who teaches the works of JRR Tolkien. He's also a regular guest of A Long Expected Party, aka ALEP, the ultimate Tolkien gathering in the world. I had the pleasure of talking to him about his love of Tolkien and he also provided valuable insight on how to read The Silmarillion. If you are passionate about hobbi…

Jef Murray is a fantasy artist best known for his illustrations inspired by JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. He's been a regular guest of ALEP these past few years. I had the overwhelming pleasure of sitting down with him to talk about his art and love of Tolkien. http://www.jefmurray.com

Every three years, much like Brigadoon, a small hobbit village arises from the mist in central Kentucky. I just got back and was able to snag an interview with one of the founders of ALEP, A Long Expected Party, the ultimate gathering of Lord of the Rings fans on the planet. Our very own Bilbo Baggins had wonderful things to say about this amazing …

Andrew and I started Brobdingnagian Bards 15 years ago in 1999. We've been friends since 1993. You will hear a little bit if the Bards story in today's Celtic Geek. http://andrewmckee.com/

I've know Jessica Brawner for years when we first met her on the South Mall of UT Austin. She's gone to DragonCon as long as we've been there. She was back helping is sell CDs, but she also a new book for Con-goers. It's called Charisma +1. Get it right here: http://marcgunn.com/CharismaPlus1

I was racing to a panel at DragonCon when I heard a song about Dobby the House Elf. I had to stop and interview Wizard Rock band, the Blibbering Humdingers. http://camelot-treasures.com/humdingers.htm Enjoy this interview, then please become a patron of the arts at http://marcgunn.net/

Mikey Mason does comedy geek rock. I've had his song "So You Don't Like Firefly" stuck in my head all day and I haven't heard it since GenCon. So what does that tell you? But if you're a fan of D&D, then you don't want to miss "Best Game Ever". http://www.mikeymason.com/ Become a patron of the arts at http://marcgunn.net/…

I had a break at Dragon Con. I thought I'd take a moment to chat with Emerald Rose, the Celtic Geek band that inspired me to perform at Sci Fi conventions. They have a new cd out called Sunwise. Find them at http://emeraldrose.com/ Become a patron of this podcast at http://marcgunn.net/

I am in Indianapolis once again for GenCon. I added a new Wednesday evening show that went well despite Autoharp and location problems. Now it's time to rock out the rest of the con. Sponsored by Lunarpages http://marcgunn.com/lunarpages