Irish banjo music players exhibit an array of talents and styles. Some can play classical style five string banjo, others can mimic Scruggs sound with plectrum banjo or switch between these styles with ease.
However, in Irish Traditional music the banjo is most frequently employed as a melody instrument and must therefore be tuned to GDAE; the same tuning as used for fiddle but one octave lower.
Pauline Conneely
Pauline Conneely was born in Bedford, England to Irish parents whose lives revolved around music and dance – her father played fiddle, flute, accordion while her mother was an accomplished step dancer who knew and appreciated Irish traditional music thoroughly.
As a child she was encouraged to explore various instruments including piano and banjo; eventually settling on banjo as her chosen one and studying under legendary fiddler Brendan Mulkere for training and perfecting her craft – today being considered one of Ireland’s finest tenor banjo players.
Since moving to Chicago she has become an active participant in the Irish music scene and shared stages with many acclaimed Irish artists whose music can now be found worldwide. Additionally she founded and now performs regularly with Irish Music All-Stars who perform at Irish festivals across both Midwest and East Coast regions.
We Banjo 3
Galway, Ireland-born We Banjo 3 are an impressive musical act from Galway who take great pride in performing at Milwaukee Irish Fest each year on the lakefront. Led by two sets of brothers – Enda and Fergal Scahill (bamjo, fiddle, mandolin vocals), as well as Martin and David Howley (banjo guitar mandolin vocals) – who continually push musical boundaries while remaining committed to giving an unforgettable audience experience.
Their music is an eclectic blend of Celtic, Americana, bluegrass and pop music; brilliantly played instruments amplify lead singer David Howley’s powerfully emotive vocals to an engaging height.
Enda and Fergal Scahill are masters of the banjo, having both written best-selling tutorials. Together they have performed with Grammy award winner Ricky Skaggs as well as The Chieftains, Frankie Gavin, The Brock McGuire Band and Stockton’s Wing; in addition to winning multiple All Ireland banjo titles between them.
Enda Scahill
Enda Scahill comes from a musical family and has made his mark as one of the premier Irish banjo players. A four-time All Ireland Champion, Enda has shared the stage with The Chieftains, Ricky Skaggs and Frankie Gavin among many others; and currently serves on We Banjo 3.
Galway-based We Banjo 3 offers both Irish and Americana music seamlessly, fusing their respective traditional disciplines with artful song-craft and infectious live performance – earning them spots at major folk festivals such as Bonnaroo, Kerrville and High Sierra annually.
Enda’s book and CD course provides the ideal way to learn the Irish tenor banjo basics. It outlines all essentials, such as holding, picking patterns, body mechanics and ornamentation – in an accessible package that also provides notation and tablature notation for each instructional exercise, tune or example in this book.
Martin Howley
Martin Howley is a celebrated export of Irish folk music. His virtuosic performance has allowed him to collaborate with luminaries such as Mumford & Sons, Ricky Skaggs and The Chieftains during live shows.
Martin was raised in Galway and shared an appreciation of traditional Irish music with both his father and older brother. At an early age he began touring around Europe and the US.
Current resident of Nashville, he has won multiple national banjo and mandolin titles and is widely considered one of the foremost authorities on Irish banjo technique. Additionally, he possesses extensive musical background on fiddle and guitar instruments.
We Banjo 3 is a band that blends Irish and American music in an “Celtgrass” style. Consisting of two sets of brothers – David Howley (lead vocals, guitar) and Martin Howley (tenor banjo, mandolin and vocals); Enda Scahill (tenor banjo and vocals); and Fergal Scahill (fiddle, viola, dobro, bodhran and guitar); We Banjo 3 has quickly established themselves as an international force on musical scene!