Fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, button accordionist Daithí Gormley, and pianist–dancer Samantha Harvey will tour the United States this September with music from their 2024 trio album Lane to the Glen (Ceol Productions). The program centers on repertoire from County Sligo, long recognized for its deep Irish traditional music heritage.
The tour opens September 4 in Portland, Maine, with additional stops in Boston, New York, Albany, Rochester, Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland, Oregon, Washington, and the Spanish Peaks Festival in Colorado.
Mac Diarmada and Gormley, both raised in Sligo, previously collaborated on the 2017 Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook, a project that laid groundwork for Lane to the Glen. Their fiddle–accordion–piano lineup with Harvey underscores a classic dance-driven sound rooted in regional style.
Lane to the Glen features rare and revived material associated with the early- to mid-20th-century “golden age” of Sligo music. Composers represented include Ed Reavy (title track), Charlie Lennon, Paddy O’Brien, Tommy Maguire, Marty Fahey, James Kelly, and Josie McDermott. Much of the repertoire was sourced from Irish-American recordings and archives. The tour is supported by Culture Ireland.
Mac Diarmada, an All-Ireland champion fiddler, founded the internationally acclaimed group Téada in 2001. His work with Harvey includes the duo album The Green Branch, alongside extensive teaching and performances across Ireland, the United States, Italy, France, and Japan.
Gormley ranks among the leading button accordion players of his generation. His 2018 debut, Fiddling Without a Bow — Irish traditional music on button accordion, earned praise for its blend of classic and contemporary tunes and its clear link to past Sligo masters.
Harvey, a Ventura, California native now based in Sligo, is an award-winning step dancer and pianist. Touring credits include Téada, Ireland — The Show, Irish Christmas in America, Atlantic Steps, Cosa, and Tomáseen Foley’s Irish Times. Her recordings also include a duo release with mandolinist Ashley Hoyer as “Sam ’n Ash.”
Lane to the Glen September 2025 US Tour
Supported by Culture Ireland
| Date & City | Venue & Link |
|---|---|
| Fri, Sept 5 — Portland, ME | Maine Irish Center (7:30 pm) |
| Sun, Sept 7 — Boston, MA | Burren Backroom (4 pm) |
| Mon, Sept 8 — Cleveland, OH | Il Rione (7 pm) |
| Wed, Sept 10 — Rochester, NY | Lovin’ Cup (7 pm) Presented by Rochester Irish Music Association |
| Thu, Sept 11 — Baltimore, MD | The Green Room (7 pm) Presented by Baltimore Irish Music School |
| Fri, Sept 12 — New York, NY | NY Irish Center – Blarney Star Series (7 pm), Blarney Star |
| Sat, Sept 13 — Tualatin, OR | Winona Grange Hall (7:30 pm) |
| Sun, Sept 14 — Mount Vernon, WA | Littlefield Celtic Center (3 pm) |
| Mon, Sept 15 — Vashon, WA | Vashon Havurah (7 pm) Presented by John Whelan |
| Tue, Sept 16 — Scappoose, OR | House Concert |
| Thu–Sun, Sept 18–21 — Spanish Peaks, CO | Spanish Peaks Celtic Festival |
| Tue, Sept 23 — Chicago, IL | Seman Violins (7 pm) In association with Irish Music School of Chicago |
| Wed, Sept 24 — Albany, NY | Irish American Heritage Museum (8 pm) |
Author: World Music Central News Room
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