Colcannon on the Web

Welcome to Colcannon's home on the web!

Who We Are

	The musical group Colcannon has developed a distinctive, inventive, and contemporary musical style while still keeping in firm touch with the heart and essence of traditional Irish music... [read more]
Photo by Jason Hallmark

New Album!

We're delighted to announce the release of our new recording -- "The Pooka and the Fiddler & Happy as Larry -- Two Stories by Colcannon." What started out as a project for a special occasion took on a life of its own and this is the result. These stories are in verse and embedded in music. Some of the music is traditional, some original. They are folktales or what might be called 'children's stories' -- we think of them as being for adults of all ages. We hope they charm and delight you.
[read more]

Some Reviews

"These two stories are based on Irish folktales; you'll meet Sean, who's initially lazy and a lousy fiddler until he meets the Pooka, and Larry, who knows the meaning of true happiness. Author Mick Bolger says he wrote the words of the Pooka story, which are told in rhyme, as though they were dictated to him, then worked on the music with his band, Colcannon, in a "spree of creativity." The joyful fun of their collaboration is wonderfully evident. The music (some original, some traditional) is an integral part of the tales. You'll hear fiddles, flutes, fifes, and guitar, along with Mick Bolger's lovely lilting Irish voice, which is terrifically engaging to children and adults alike. The entire family will want to listen to these stories again and again." --Jessie C. Grearson, AudioFile 2006. (Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine.)

"This is a real gem of a CD ..."-- Cindy Reich, Celtic Connection

"Three cheers to Colcannon for ... reviving a lost art." -- Kevin McCarthy

"Great CD!" -- Ron Olesko, WFDU-FM

"Highly enjoyable. Folktales are an important part of the folk tradition...it's great that you're continuing the art." -- Bruce Cameron,2MCE-FM, Bathurst, Australia.

2006 Parent's Choice Award Winner for Storytelling Album.

Listen

To celebrate the release of "The Pooka and the Fiddler & Happy as Larry," we have four minute samples of both stories available for download:
The Pooka and the Fiddler (mp3, 5.4 Mb)
Happy as Larry (mp3, 3.1 Mb)

You can order this or any of our other albums and our concert DVD using your credit card from our new Secure Order Form.

The Shore

Jane Condon's 1996 album "The Shore" is now available for sale from our online store. It features Jane's lovely singing, with musical support from Colcannon on nearly all the tracks. The album was produced by our own Mike Fitzmaurice, Jane Condon and Bill Douglas, who also plays piano. [read more]

Upcoming Appearances
Here's where Colcannon will be performing soon:

March 15th, 2008: Hartford, Wisconsin, Ruth A. Knoll Theatre, 147 Rural Street, 3pm and 7:30pm. Concerts with the Kettle Moraine Symphony. For information and tickets call (262) 670-0560 or go to https://secure18.inmotionhosting.com/~schaue5/cgi-bin/tm.cgi.
March 16th, 2008: Schaumburg, Illinois, Prairie Center for the Arts, Schaumburg Center for the Arts, 7pm. For information call (847) 894-3600 or go to http://www.ci.schaumburg.il.us/prairiecenter/.
March 17th, 2008: Tecumseh, Michigan, Tecumseh Civic Auditorium, 400 N. Maumee Street, 7:30pm. For information call 517-423-6617 or go to http://www.tecumsehcivic.com/.
March 23rd, 2008: Fort Collins, Colorado, Avogadro's Number, 605 South Mason, 7:00 pm. Tickets $12 and $8. For information call 970-493-5555 or go to http://www.avogadros.com/.
June 13, 2008: Denver, Colorado, The Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. 7:30pm. For reservations call 303-294-9258.
June 28, 2008: Denver, Colorado, The Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Avenue (at Elizabeth street, directly across the street from the East High School and City Park Esplanade), 10:00 am, free performance of "The Pooka and the Fiddler."
July 11, 2008: Fort Collins, colorado, The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia Street, 12 Noon. For information call (970) 221-6735.
July 12th, 2008: Denver, Colorado, The Colorado Irish Festival, Clement Park, Littleton. Times to be arranged. For more details go to http://www.coloradoirishfestival.org/.
July 18, 19 & 20: Calverton, New York, the Abbess Farms, Long Island Irish Festival. For more information go to http://www.irishculturalcentre.com/festival.html.
August 2nd & 3rd, 2008: Fort Collins, Colorado: The Feeling Lucky Festival--Fort Collins Irish Festival, Civic Center Park, Laporte & Mason. For information go to www.fortcollinsirishfestival.com or call 970-535-9999.
August 7-10, 2008: Lunenburg, NS, Folk Harbour Festival. For details go to http://www.folkharbour.com/.
August 16, 2008: Cheyenne, Wyoming, 710 South Lions Park Drive, 5:30pm. For details go to http://www.botanic.org/.
August 24, 2008: Fort Collins, Colorado, Avogadro's Number, 605 South Mason, 7:00 pm. Tickets $12 and $8. For information call 970-493-5555 or go to http://www.avogadros.com/.
October 17 & 18, 2008: Golden, Colorado, Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 West 32nd Avenue, 7:30pm. Two concerts with the Arvada Chorale! For information call 303-279-5252 or go to http://www.jeffersonunitarian.org/.
November 1, 2008: Littleton, Colorado, Littleton Town Hall. 2450 Main Street, Littleton. 7:30pm For information call 303-794-2787 or go to http://www.townhallartscenter.com/production-details.asp?ProdID=121SOLD OUT