Cathal McConnell’s 2006 NYC master class

Don’t like Game of Thrones? Listen to Cathal McConnell talking and playing music for more than two hours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y5Bplio-sI

play video

I am not a fantasy lover at all! I would most definitely prefer listening to a two-hour talk like this.

Thank you for linking this. This is a wonderful history lesson.

I always wondered about LH players on RH flutes - how much are they are able to reach the accidentals. He plays a tune in EM at about the 1:49:00 mark and he reaches across with his RH to play the LH G# Touch piece. I never saw that before.

I’ve been watching the video with my flutes and whistles out playing here and there. Chilling on a Sunday after a Saturday night bar gig/Sunday morning church gig and snoozing on and off. This video is perfect for this day of rest and recovery. I’m sure I’ll watch it several times over.

I remember sitting in a session next to Cathal in Edinburgh more than 10 years ago and watching him playing a tune that needed multiple keys. It was incredible to watch him moving his hand to play the keys and not miss a beat.

I happened upon this video the other day … what a serendipitous delight.

I still remember seeing Cathal (with Boys of the Lough) at Alexandra Palace in 1977 (it was “The People’s Jubilee”). I was just 11 years old, already playing tin whistles for a few years, and was completely bowled over by Cathal’s playing of Harvest Home.

Never forgotten and still an inspiration.