Hi Martin!

Very interesting. Thanks for letting us know. This is a fascinating area of folk music.

Happy to tell you that I am anxiously awaiting the CD test pressing of "Irish Ballads and Songs of the Sea". "Billy O'Shea," sung by myself and Lou Killen is on it. There are 15 songs altogether. The other performers are Mick Moloney, The Irish Tradition, Brian Conroy and a group of guys I've sung with, off and on, at South Street Seaport here in NYC since 1972 (including, my brother, Liam). The CD should be on Folk-Legacy but I'll try to work out something so that it's readily available in Ireland too. At the least, I'll bring some to Ballyliffin in case anyone is interested.

Getting back to the thread, Dave Kincaid is singing in NYC tonight. Bonnie and I are going. I have heard the CD once and it's very well done though quite "produced." He has a good voice but, and the only negative, is that he uses it a lot like a rock'n'roll singer.

Bonnie and I sang "Pat Murphy of the Irish Brigade" up in Ballyliffin. We had a couple of other Irish-American songs from the Civil War to do in keeping with the theme of the seminar but didn't get around to them.

Bob Conroy, whom you met in Ballyliffin, and I are in the middle of recording a "theme" CD that will include at least 3 U.S. Civil War songs of the Irish. Will keep you posted.

Hope your computer troubles are diminishing.

All the best, Dan Milner