In the first programme Iarla catches up with Seán Ó Liatháin of Cúil Aodha in Cork and Séamus Ó Beaglaoich of West Kerry to record a new version of the rousing An Poc ar Buile. He then meets up with Connemara troubadour John Beag Ó Flatharta who sings a new version of the local classic Bean Pháidín.
On Christmas Day’s programme Iarla meets with West Kerry native, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, lead singer with the famed group Danú, and she sings Gréasaí Bróg and neighbour Séamus Ó Beaglaoich sings his version of An Seanduine
Iarla continues on his journey in the third episode and meets Donegal sisters Maighread & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill who sing a new rendering of their well known Cad é sin don té sin? a song they made famous in the 1970s with the ground-breaking group Skara Brae. He also meets Declan O’Rourke who records a new version of the humourous An Damhán Alla.
In the fourth programme Iarla meets Paul Brady who sings one of the country’s favourite national school songs Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile. He also meets Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, lead singer with Altan, who records Dún do Shúil. This programme also contains an animated version of Bleán na Bó, Tomás Mac Eoin’s hilarious composition about his Conamara cow that would not yield milk when sung sean-nós but that filled buckets when milked to the raucous sounds of rock ‘n roll.
Damien Dempsey and Róisín Elsafty do a duet of the rollicking Cailleach an Airgid in the final programme and Nell Ní Chróinín offers her own insightful version of Tá Dhá Ghabhairín Bhuí Agam
The story of Leitrim fiddler Bryan Rooney, the man they call ‘The Godfather’. In 1967, aged 16, he emigrated to London. He came as an unknown young musician yet with a depth of great music. Today he has achieved wide recognition within the traditional Irish music world and is recognised as one of the master fiddlers of his generation. Actor and fellow fiddle player Brendan Gleeson goes on a journey to find out more about the man, the music and that golden era in London.
