Category Archives: Musicians

Cran and Martin Doyle Flutes

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Cran is an Irish traditional music group made up of three people who, as individuals, are very important figures in the contemporary Irish traditional music culture.

Cran live on stage. Ronan Browne (left), Desi Wilkinson (centre) and Seán Corcoran (right).

Cran live on stage. Ronan Browne (left), Desi Wilkinson (centre) and Seán Corcoran (right).

Ronan Browne (uilleann pipes, flutes, vocals) is widely regarded as one of the great virtuosos of the uilleann pipes, Ronan has carved out an international reputation both as concert performer and session musician. Ronan is the piper on the original recording of Riverdance and is also the original piper with the Afro Celt Sound System, appearing on their first two top-selling albums.

Desi Wilkinson (flutes and vocals) is one of the leading exponents of the traditional Irish flute (“the timber flute”) and a fine singer, to boot. Originally from Belfast, he was inspired to get involved in Irish music through the playing of Fermanagh fiddler, Tom Gunn, a near neighbour. It was from Tom that he learned his first tunes.

Seán Corcoran (bouzouki and lead vocals) has had a long career as a solo singer before founding Cran with Desi Wilkinson, and is internationally renowned as a skilful interpretor of songs from the Irish tradition, both in English and Gaelic.

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A Wonderful Day At Millmount

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During my trip to Ireland in May, I was invited by Martin Doyle to attend a small but lively gathering of Irish traditional musicians at Millmount in the historic town of Drogheda, County Louth. I took the train from Dublin and arrived in time to have breakfast overlooking the River Boyne. Despite the drizzling rain, I was captured by the feeling of the place – it’s rich history dating from the Neolithic period was something that can be felt in the atmosphere of the town. My friend Martin has a deep fondness for Drogheda and the general areas of Loath and it’s immediate neighbour, County Meath. That part of Ireland, with it’s strong music tradition, has always been close to his heart. Very keen to attend the festival, Martin left his home in County Clare at 7am and joined us in Drogheda for morning tea!

Martin Doyle at Millmount.

Martin Doyle playing one of his own flutes at the Traditional Day in Millmount.

For the past four years Drogheda has hosted the week long Drogheda Arts Festival. Among the festival’s numerous events is an Irish traditional music component known as the Traditional Day in Millmount. Martin Doyle was invited to attend as a flute maker and traditional musician and he gladly agreed to participate. Also in attendance at Millmount was Martin’s good friend Ronan Browne, the renowned piper Seán McKiernan, stalwart Irish traditional musician, singer and organiser of the Traditional Day in Millmount Seán Corcoran (Seán and Ronan, along with Desi Wilkinson, are members of the Irish traditional music group Cran), Uilleann pipe maker Bill Haneman, flute maker John Hughes and Uilleann pipes aficionado Ken McLeod.

Discover all that Millmount has to offer by joining us for a traditional music day. From 12pm until 5pm the festival presents activities for all the family, including an outdoor ceili session, Irish dancing, story telling and live outdoor performances… Exhibitions include ‘A History of Piping in Drogheda’ presented by Na Píobairí Uilleann in the Millmount Centre…

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Excerpts From Sounding Post

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Website Updates

Two excerpts have been added to the African Blackwood Conservation page of Martin Doyle’s web site. In May of this year, Martin Doyle featured on a BBC Radio 4 program entitled Sounding Post which was produced by Nina Perry.

“Nina Perry takes a musical journey tracing the wood used in making musical instruments back to the forest, from an Irish flute maker and a Los Angeles-based guitarist to the Mpingo Conservation Project in Tanzania.” – BBC Radio 4.

Unfortunately Sounding Post is not currently available online ( since early 2015, it can be heard here: Sounding Post ). The two excerpts that have been added to Martin’s web site feature Martin talking about flute making and playing music on a ‘fresh off the lathe’ flute. The tune that Martin plays during the course of the interview is called Na Ceannabháin Bhána.

And on that note, here is a video clip that offers another version of Na Ceannabháin Bhána played by the late Kitty Hayes (concertina) and Clare piper Peter Laban (Uilleann pipes). Recorded in May 2008 at Miltown Malbay in County Clare, Kitty and Peter play two slip jigs actually – the afore mentioned Na Ceannabháin Bhána and also Hardiman the Fiddler. Enjoy…

Three Testimonials Added

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Website Updates

Three new testimonials have recently been added to Martin Doyle’s website. The first two are from flute players in Japan who are involved in the Irish traditional music scene there. writes:

“I am very pleased with the two flutes Martin! I played the D flute for the set dancing with my friends last Saturday evening. I was pleasantly surprised at the excellent responses and the great capacity of the tone colours. For me, these flutes are saikou — the best!” – Yusuke Usuda.

Bridget and Paddy Moriyasu.

Bridget and Paddy Moriyasu.

The second testimonial is from Isao ‘Paddy’ Moriyasu who, with his wife Masako, aka ‘Bridgit’, spend time in County Clare each year and have made several CDs of Irish traditional music. Paddy has this to say about his Martin Doyle flute:

“Martin is a great friend of mine. He’s not only an excellent flute maker but also (believe it or not) a master of the Japanese martial art of Aikido!! He regularly visits Japan for intensive Aikido training. I started working on a recording project called ‘The Complete Works of Turlough O’Carolan in 2007 — 7 CDs in all and have already finished recording 3 of them so far. I’ve decided to use Martin’s D and C flutes for the recording as his instruments always give me loads of inspiration and freedom. With his lovely flutes, I can explore a whole new world of Carolan music. Thanks Martin!! Looking forward to playing some tunes with you in Tokyo.”

The third testimonial is from David Thompson who is and member of The Belfast and District Set Dancing and Traditional Music Society from Bangor, Northern Ireland.

“The Celtic style flute without tuning slide is the most satisfying flute I’ve ever played. It has a crisp and full low register, and the low D really honks! I love the simplicity of this flutes appearance, yet the tone I can get out of it is truly awe inspiring and it’s always in tune. This is ‘flute minimalism’ at it’s finest!”

More comments from flute players all over the world can be viewed here: Testimonials »

Martin Doyle, Sri Chinmoy And The Royal Albert Hall

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Martin Doyle has not performed at the Royal Albert Hall, but he has been on the stage – and so have his flutes…

Martin Doyle presents Sri Chinmoy with a three keyed flute.

Martin Doyle presents Sri Chinmoy with a three keyed flute on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall.

On October 17, 2003, Sri Chinmoy offered a peace concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London and Martin Doyle went to see the Master perform. One of Sri Chinmoy’s students from New York had commissioned Martin to make a flute for Sri Chinmoy and he was invited to stay behind for a private post-concert function and an opportunity to present the instrument to Sri Chinmoy personally. It was a special order D flat three-key flute made of African Blackwood.

After the concert Sri Chinmoy remained on the stage while his students – several hundred in number that had come from all over the world to be at the concert – were seated in the auditorium. Martin assembled and presented the new flute to Sri Chinmoy and the Master played it for a while. He was very pleased to meet Martin and very grateful to him for the care and effort that went into creating the one-off flute. For his part, Martin was very honoured to have met Sri Chinmoy in such a way and commented that it was a unique moment in his life.

Martin Doyle watches as Sri Chinmoy tries the new flute.

Martin Doyle watches as Sri Chinmoy tries the new flute.

Audio tracks from Sri Chinmoy’s 2003 concert can be heard here:
Sri Chinmoy at the Royal Albert Hall, London »

The second event connecting Martin Doyle with the Royal Albert Hall was also a concert but not one that he personally attended. Two of his flutes were present though.

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Introducing Gwenn Frin

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Gwenn Frin

Gwenn Frin

Gwenn Frin is a wooden flute player who has been assisting Martin Doyle for the past few months and learning about the art of flute making. Originally from Brittany in France, a cultural region that has historic ties to the Celts and also has a very strong culture of folk music, Gwenn fell in love with the simple system wooden flute (also known as Irish flute) at an early age. The instrument has been an major part of her life ever since and has brought her to many countries around the world including Ireland, Korea and the United States.

Gwenn first performed with the Cercle Celtique de Rennes (who are coming to Cork in July of this year) where she was introduced to the traditional music and dances of Brittany before playing for the dancers themselves. Her true professional debut were with the band Beaj Iskis in the early 1990s, which toured the Fest Noz scene in Brittany for four years. Gwenn moved to Galway, Ireland in 1998, drawn to the roots of her passion, and took classes with renowned flute player Harry Bradley.

Gwenn Frin working at the lathe.

Gwenn Frin working at the lathe.

In 1999, Gwenn moved to Dublin to concentrate solely on her flute playing while completing a Higher National Diploma In Traditional Music performance (Ceoltóir) directed by flute player Paul McGrattan. This last experience led her to doing a Master’s degree in Music and Media Technologies in Trinity College, Dublin. These amazing two years transformed her musical understanding and experience and opened up her musical horizons not only to contemporary and electroacoustic music, but also to composition.

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