Ahead of their first European gigs, Tupelo, a four-piece from Dublin and Mayo, have released a CD single taken from their 2011 debut album, Dirty Money. The band is James Cramer (vocals, banjo, guitar, guitjo, harmonica), Kevin Duffy (fiddle, mandolin), Damien McMahon (double bass), and Paul Murray (guitar, dobro, mandolin, guitjo).

The accompanying information states: ‘Given the current political climate encompassing Europe alongside the fact that the Irish football team are about to battle it out on the pitch … the lads felt “Irishman” would be the perfect song to release … A rousing, patriotic, anthemic roll call of some of the greatest Irishmen to live, the single instantly conjures a memory back to the thrilling folk days of the Dubliners and Luke Kelly. Still the sound is fresh and new.’

‘Irishman’ and Dirty Money are available on iTunes, irishmusicshop.ie and in some record stores.

tupelo.ie.

Meanwhile, a duo from Ballyfermot called the Feekers, have released their first album, Tarbolten. Darren Lynch (vocals and octave mandolin) and John Keenan (banjo and whistles) have played together for a number of years in pub sessions and various gigs and festivals.

Lynch started off playing music after finishing a successful amateur boxing career with Crumlin Boxing Club. He picked up the banjo and then later the octave mandolin and mandola, learning from some of the great folk and trad musicians in the area, including Tom Moran, Liam O’Neill, Darach de Brun and John Lane. Keenan has been playing banjo since the age of ten, learning from his uncles who he has also played with down the years. His uncle Paddy Keenan plays the uilleann pipes and played with the Bothy Band, and his uncle Johnny Keenan was a celebrated banjo player and has a banjo festival named in his honor held in Tullamore every year.

The album is available from Claddagh Records. The track list is as follows:

1. Tarbolten
2. Sullivan John
3. Connaghtman’s Rambles / Eavesdropper
4. The Foggy Dew
5. Blackbird / Harvest Home
6. Belfast’s Mill
7. Boulavogue
8. Lizzy Lindsay
9. Gareth Barry’s Jig / Tripping Up the Stairs
10. Whiskey In the Jar

thefeekers.weebly.com.