Irish Fiddle & Celtic Music

A Sound that Transports You

The Music of a Land

Irish Fiddle is a style of fiddle playing that is fast, emotional, and insists on being danced to. Full of intricate bowing and furiously fast notation, Irish and Celtic fiddling is stirring. When you hear the fast fiddling done in Irish or Celtic style, you can almost see the dancers in your mind's eye.

A traditional Irish dance party, called a "Ceilidh" (pronounced KAY-lee) features jigs and reels, along with slow airs. It is a mix of extremes: fast-paced tunes and slow, haunting airs that bring a tear to your eye. If people are really into it, they can dance a jig. Or they can get together and do a set dance like a reel, with intricate steps and movements that usually involve a dance caller.

Jigs and Reels

So what is the difference between a Jig and a Reel? The trick to remembering the answer is in the question itself. "Jig" has three letters: J-I-G. And a Jig features a set of REALLY fast triplets. One-two-three, one-two-three, etc. Click here for an example.

Meanwhile, "Reel" has four letters: R-E-E-L. Reels have four beats, played extremely fast. Here is an example.

So now you can amaze your friends when you tell them the difference between a jig and a reel!

Picture of a man wearing a Scottish kilt playing a fiddle

My Setlist

If you don't see it here, ask!
I might know it.
If I don't, I can learn it.

Classical Tunes

Boccherini's Musica della Strada Di Madrid

Canon in D by Pachelbel

Christmas Adagio by Corelli

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

Overture from Tannhauser

Pop Songs

As the World Falls Down

Banjo Moon

Bittersweet Waltz

Brown-Eyed Girl

Can't Help Falling in Love

Crazy Love

Hallelujah

I'm Yours

Iris

Memory

My Girl

Postcard to Henry Purcell (Pride & Prejudice)

Rainbow Connection

Stand by Me

Sweet Caroline

A Thousand Years

You're Still the One

Movie/TV/Videogame Themes

Ashokan Farewell (The Civil War)

For the Dancing and the Dreaming

Game of Thrones

Last of the Mohicans

Leave Her Johnny (Assassin's Creed: Black Flag)

Skye Boat Song (Outlander)

Theme from The Godfather

Leave Her Johnny

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Airs, Waltzes, and Slower Tunes

Angel Band

April Waltz

Ash Grove

Auld Lang Syne

Aura Lea

Battle Cry of Freedom

Battle of Aughrim

Blind Mary

Bonnie Charlie

Bonnie Jean of Aberdeen

Bonny At Morn

The Butterfly

Danny Boy

The Dark Isle

Fanny Power

Feidlim’s Little Boat

The Foggy Dew

Give Me Your Hand

Hard Times

Hector the Hero

Leave Her Johnny

Like a Songbird that has Fallen

MacPherson’s Lament

Man from the Daily Mail

Mazurkas: Donegal and The Glenties

Midnight on the Water

Minguelay Boat Song

The Nightingale

John Brown’s March

Old Maui

Over the Hills and Far Away

The Parting Glass

Planxty Erwin

Pretty Saro

Scotland the Brave

The Second of May

She Moved through the Fair

Shenandoah

Si Bheag Si Mhor

Star of the County Down

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Fast Tunes

An Phis Fhliuch

Boccherini's Musica della Strada Di Madrid

Bonaparte’s Retreat

Boys of Malin

Britches Full of Stitches

Cold Frosty Morning

Crowley’s/Toss the Feathers Reels

Drowsy Maggie/Cooley’s Reels

Girl I Left Behind Me

Glasgow Reel

Gravel Walks

Gypsy Princess

*Harvest Home

Haste to the Wedding/The Joys of Wedlock Jigs

Irish Washerwoman

John Brown’s Dream

John Ryan’s

Kesh Jig

Kilfenora/Walls of Liscarrol Jigs

King of the Fairies

Longborne/Ashgrove/Atholl Highlanders Jigs

Maple Sugar

Maggie in the Woods SM

Miss McLeod’s

Morrison’s/Donnybrook Fair/Lt. Maguire’s Jigs

Musical Priest

OSullivan’s March

Old 1812

Pig’s Foot

Rakes of Mallow

Red Wing

Road to Lisdoonvarna

Roches Favourite

Rocky Road to Dublin

Rocky Top

Sal’s got Mud between Her

Toes

The Silver Spear/The Silver Spire

Soldier’s Joy

St Anne’s Reel/Liberty

Swallowtail Jig

Three Sea Captains

The Turnpike/Shetland Fiddler/Boys of Malin Reels

Whiskey Before breakfast

Whoopty Liza Jane

Need a Fiddler? Get in Touch!

Get in touch so you can bring the sound of Irish and Celtic Fiddling to your venue or next event!