The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
This project is co-funded by Ireland’s Department of Culture, Communications & Sport and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade as part of America 250.
Noted musicians, Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello are a point of continuity between the great players in the post war period and the modern day. Both McCarthy and Costello have deep backgrounds in traditional Irish music and have recorded numerous albums, including Grace Bay. In 1996 they founded the bar The Burren, which built upon the early successes of the Village Coach House as one of the most supportive venues for traditional Irish music in the United States. They have supported numerous cultural events, musical acts, and currently operate two more music-focused venues, McCarthy’s & Toad in Cambridge and the BeBop, which caters in particular to the talented Berklee students nearby. The Burren’s Backroom series, in particular, have become “must attend events,” where Ireland’s best musicians and artists are showcased to varied audiences. McCarthy’s approach is deliberate: sessions are structured enough to maintain musical standards but open enough to remain welcoming. For Boston musicians, McCarthy represents the infrastructure that keeps the tradition alive week to week. Without figures like him, the scene would fragment; with him, it retains a sense of cohesion and momentum.
