As Minnie Pearl would say "Hoooowwwwdy! I jus' proud to be here!" And so is Windy City Irish Radio! Over the years, American Country Music has had a tremendous influence on the world but especially in Ireland, where country music remains immensely popular. And it's easily argued that the very roots of American country music and dance began with the Irish and Scots as they emigrated to Appalachia. Join Tim and Mike as they celebrate an evening of country music -- Irish country music, that is! Cla...
Aug 08, 2018•1 hr 3 min
It's back to the basics on Windy City Irish Radio this week as the boys spin the best in Irish and Celtic music. Tune in to hear Jarlath Henderson in preview of his performance at the Irish American Heritage Center on October 5th. Or listen for tracks from Irish supergroup, Uliad, Pearl River, NY's Girsa, Galway's HighTime, and Eamon O'Leary. There's also music from Réalta,Dylan Walshe, Declan O'Rourke, Dàimh and Robbie O'Connell. Check out Windy City Irish Radio each and every Wednesday from 8P...
Aug 01, 2018•1 hr
20 million online viewers cannot be wrong! Internet sensation The Byrne Brothers join us in the Windy City Irish Radio studios this week for their first U.S. radio appearance. They are performing this Friday night in a FREE concert at the Irish American Heritage Center. Since arriving in the States from their home in Donegal and after six months performing at Raglan Road Orlando in Disney Springs, the family has hit the road to travel the country with instruments in hand and we are very happy to...
Jul 25, 2018•1 hr 5 min
The boys travel back in time this week by taking a tour of decades past in pop/rock music with a special edition of Cover Me, an hour of Irish artists and their takes on some of the greatest hits of the last 50 years. Tune in for fabulous cover versions of hits made famous by Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison (Official), The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Don Henley, u2, Thin Lizzy Official, The Cure, The Pogues, The Proclaimers, A-ha and yes, Britney Spears. Performers include The Man in Black, Johnny ...
Jul 18, 2018•1 hr 3 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio, Mike and Tim celebrate another successful Irish American Heritage Festival and play lots of brand new music from some of the Emerald Isle's most exciting upcoming artists. Tune in for music from Dubliners Wild Youth, Jiggy, The Eskies and The Young Folk along with new tracks from Mayo's Billow Wood, Suffolk County New York's Bangers and Mash Kalamazoo, Michigan's The Founding and Chicago favorite Michael McDermott. Tune in to WSBC 1240AM at 8PM next week for ...
Jul 11, 2018•1 hr 2 min
Happy Birthday U.S.A! Tonight on Windy City Irish Radio, it is a firecracker of a show as the boys celebrate Independence Day and preview this weekend's Irish American Heritage Festival. Tune in for music from the Red-Headed Cowboy himself Willie Nelson, The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem AND Rory Makem, Byrne and Kelly, JigJam, Tupelo, Chicago's own Jim Sullivan Music and String Sisters. Join Mike and Tim as they chat with Chicago Irish fiddle legend Liz Carroll before her appearance with Dá...
Jul 04, 2018•1 hr 2 min
At long last, the lads welcome the legendary Dooley Brothers into the Windy City Irish Radio studio for stories and songs from their decades-long troubadour life in music. Tune in for live performances from both first and second generation Dooleys as we preview their 33rd annual performance at the Irish American Heritage Festival on Sunday July 8th. Along with a whole lot of Dooley, listen for the BRAND NEW SINGLE off of We Banjo 3's soon-to-be-released album, Haven, and songs from festival head...
Jun 27, 2018•1 hr 5 min
The Irish American Heritage Festival is just two weeks away and on this week's show the lad's celebrate some of the fantastic musicians that will be gracing the stage from July 6th-8th at the Irish American Heritage Center. Tune in for music from local favorites Coyote Riot, Hoosier Staters Kennedy's Kitchen, We Banjo 3, Byrne and Kelly and The Mickey Finns, featuring members of Basket House Band who will be performing at the festival. Listen in as Tim and Mike take a stroll down some summer roa...
Jun 21, 2018•1 hr 1 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio the lads preview the David Keenan show at The Elbo Room this Friday night. Tim and Mike also begin their preview of the Irish American Heritage Festival at the IAHC with tunes and songs from some of the headline performers at this year's festival including the one and only Liz Carroll, festival stalwarts Gaelic Storm, the pride of Offaly JigJam, Thunderhead faves Byrne and Kelly, Rory Makem and the The Mickey Finns. And we'd be remiss to forget the Father's ou...
Jun 13, 2018•1 hr 2 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio Tim and Mike take a 60 minute musical journey across the green fields of Ireland with a Trip to Gort with Donal Lunny, Zoe Conway and Máirtín O'Connor to Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore with Lúnasa with Daoirí Farrell. Along for the ride are songs and tunes from Scotland's Heron Valley and Brave Giant, New York's Na Fianna and Dylan Foley and Chicago favorites Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill and The Chancey Brothers. Make sure you should listen for new tracks fr...
Jun 06, 2018•59 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio, Tim and Mike close out the Merry Month of May with music from The Waterboys Mike Scott with Carlos Núñez, The Fretless, Christy Moore, and Toronto's THE MAHONES, Solas, Flook, and Rig the Jig. Also featuring songs and tunes from the fabulous String Sisters, John Prine with Fiona Whelan Prine, Dylan Walshe with former Pogue James Fearnley and Celtic Woman in preview of their Homecoming Tour visit to Rosemont on June 17th. What's not to like? Tune in every Wedn...
May 30, 2018•1 hr 2 min
With Gaelic Park Irish Festival upon us, the lads are thrilled to welcome Galway City tradsters BackWest into the studio to play some music and sing some songs ahead of their gigs in Oak Forest this weekend. P.J., Maureen, Brendan and Peter rip up the Windy City Irish Radio studios and give you a taste of just what to expect this weekend at Gaelic Park. Tune in for Backwest and more from the festival including Rory Makem, Laurence Nugent, The Gothard Sisters, Pigeon Kings, Jimmy Keane and a trib...
May 23, 2018•1 hr 2 min
May 23, 2018•59 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio, Tim and Mike celebrate the Irish Fest at Chicago Gaelic Park and preview the Memorial Day festival's musical offerings with music from Canada's Ottawa Valley from The Fitzgeralds, from the Pacific Northwest The Gothard Sisters and Galway City's BackWest. Also featuring songs and tunes from Chicago's own Baal Tinne, Offaly's JigJam AND Mundy, Prince Edward Island's Ten Strings And A Goat Skin, Galway favorites We Banjo 3, legendary Scotsman Dougie MacLean, Cor...
May 16, 2018•59 min
It's time to step it up in the Windy City Irish Radio studios as WGN Radio personality and good friend of the show, Brian Noonan, pays the guys a visit to discuss a myriad of topics. Whether it is their collective love of the Crescent City, reminiscing about this past weekend's Irish American Hall of Fame or tales from his life in radio, Brian fits in quite well and without even saying it convinces the lads that they should not quit their day jobs. Tune in for brand new music from mutual friend ...
May 04, 2018•1 hr 4 min
This Saturday night The Irish American Hall of Fame hosts its 8th Annual Gala (TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE AT www.iahof.org!) at the at the Irish Irish American Heritage Center and on this week's show the lads dress to the nines to pay tribute to its esteemed inductees. The 2018 class includes Author and Historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Studs Lonigan author James T. Farrell, former Mundelein College President and women's rights champion, Sr. Ann Ida Gannon BVM, Philanthropist Charles "Chuck" Feeney,...
Apr 25, 2018•1 hr 5 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio Tim and Mike run the gamut from The Saw Doctors to Virginia-based singer-songwriter Ben-David Warner to Wexford brothers duo Basciville to Solas' Dave Curley & Mick Broderick. There's a brand new track from the Bard of Windy City Irish Radio, Rory Makem, off of his new self-titled EP, and a track from The Chancey Brothers off of Touch of Blarney Entertainment Group's In Troubled Times. If that's not enough, there's more music from Dublin's Billy Treacy and...
Apr 18, 2018•1 hr 5 min
April snow showers bring what? Join us on Windy City Irish Radio as the boys contemplate the Springsophrenic season and all of its merits with songs and tunes old and new from County Longford's Brave Giant, Canada's The Fretless and Corner Boy, Motor City Celt Rockers Bill Grogan's Goat and old favorites Scythian and Imelda May. Tune in for music from Pigeon Kings, Chicago's Anish, Van Morrison and a tune that will get you galavantin' from Galway/Tyrone tradsters BackWest in preview of t...
Apr 12, 2018•1 hr 1 min
The music tells the tale on Windy City Irish Radio this week as the lads play lots of new music along with some blasts from the past. Tune in for the new single from Cúig and new music from Dublin's Bry and Cork's Tiz McNamara. Tim and Mike also feature songs and tunes from The Fitzgeralds, The Narrowbacks, Ryan Sheridan & Ronan Nolan, Hozier, Aslan, Black 47, Paul Brady and Galway's own Celtic Salsa band, Baile An Salsa in advance of their Cinco de Mayo concert at the Irish American Heritag...
Apr 04, 2018•1 hr 3 min
Tune in to Windy City Irish Radio this week for more new music from Armagh tradsters Connla, Dublin's The Stunning and singer songwriters Hudson Taylor, plus a new track from Chicago's own Liam Durkin off of the new album produced by John Walsh's Touch of Blarney Entertainment Group LLC entitled "In Troubled Times." Tim and Mike also feature songs and tunes from Baile An Salsa, Pearl River, New York's Girsa, Meath man Pauly Fagan, Damien Dempsey, The Moxie Strings, classical Irish guitar man Joh...
Apr 04, 2018•1 hr 5 min
This week on Windy City Irish Radio Mike and Tim welcome spring time and with it the hope of the warm weather that will soon follow. Tune in for our ritual songs of the season from Tommy Makem, Frankie Gavin & De Dannan and Michael McDermott Murphy and tracks from Christy Moore, Dublin's Daoirí Farrell and I Draw Slow, Milwaukee's The Gleasons, Offaly's JigJam, Frances Black, The Chieftains with Ricky Skaggs and a tune from Altan from their new album in preview of their concert at Old Town S...
Mar 21, 2018•56 min
This is the week that we celebrate the life of one, Maewyn Succat, known more commonly as St. Patrick. As the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick's death has long been commemorated in the U.S. with green rivers, long parades, and habitually food-colored beer. Tonight on Windy City Irish Radio, the lads celebrate the man and his well-earned holiday with songs and stories of the traditions of the season. Tune in for music from Barleyjuice, Natalie MacMaster with Donnell Leahy, The Dubliners Offic...
Mar 14, 2018•1 hr 1 min
As the St. Pat's Season moves along, the boys keep on keeping on and this week's show is no exception. This week on Windy City Irish Radio, Tim and Mike welcome High King Darren Holden to talk about all of the exciting goings on with The High Kings including their upcoming sold out show at City Winery Chicago on March 22nd and their soon-to-be-sold-out show at Fermilab Arts & Lecture Series in Batavia on Sunday March 24th. Get your tickets now! Join us for previews of upcoming concerts from ...
Mar 07, 2018•58 min
It's been a pretty good year for Irish trad heroes, Lúnasa, as they celebrate their 20th year as a band, release their first new release in several years and return to Chicago this March to celebrate all of the above. Lúnasa at the Old Town School of Folk Music is WEDNESDAY MARCH 7th and tonight Mike and Tim are joined by the band's Kevin Crawford to discuss it all. Tune in for tracks from the new album along with songs from Gaelic Storm, Altan, The Great Whiskey Project and Scythian - all who w...
Feb 28, 2018•1 hr 2 min
'Tis a fine night of music on Windy City Irish Radio this week as the lads celebrate the riches of live music on its way to our fine city and new music from our pals in Tupelo off of their oh-so-soon-to-be-released new album The Heart's Bloodline. There's tracks from Lúnasa and Altan who will be performing over the next few weeks at The Old Town School of Folk Music and Glen Hansard who makes his Chicago return in March. Ready or not, St. Pat's Season is upon us! Also tune in for tracks from Run...
Feb 21, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Cupid draws back his bow and let's his arrow go straight through the airwaves to your lover's heart tonight in the Windy City Irish Radio studios. Join your funny valentines, Mike Shevlin and Tim Taylor, the pedagogues of love, as they spread love and romance and chronicle how St. Valentine, himself, is a resident of the old sod. Fiddle master, Kevin Burke, appears on Windy City Irish Radio ahead of his upcoming show and fiddle workshop at the Irish American Heritage Center. Plus music from Elvi...
Feb 15, 2018•1 hr 11 min
New Orleans has always held an appeal to the Irish due to its Catholic traditions and safe harbor for anti-British sentiments. An early wave of Irish immigrants, fleeing British persecution at the end of the 1700s, landed in New Orleans and became well woven into the economic and social fabric of the city. Irish pubs dot the Crescent City's French Quarter from the beatiful courtyards of Pat O'Brien's Bar or the divey feel of Fahy's or the Erin Rose. Ireland's influence is felt in neighborhoods s...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Come in from the cold and check out what the lads are up to this week! Tonight on Windy City Irish Radio Mike and Tim spin brand new tracks from Donegal gals Screaming Orphans, Pigeon Kings off their debut release, fiddle legend and new-found rocker Kevin Burke and the pride of Fermanagh Laurence Nugent. Listen for music from The High Kings, Paul Brady Music, and Dónal Clancy. Tune in as the boys get set for a busy February as they preview Makem and Clancy in Concert, Kevin Burke in Chicago, an...
Jan 31, 2018•1 hr
On Christmas Day, singer-songwriter of The Pogues Shane MacGowan turned 60 years old. Earlier this month, Shane celebrated this momentous occasion with his closest friends in a sold-out concert at the National Concert Hall in Dublin with President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins in attendance. This week on Windy City Irish Radio Tim and Mike pay tribute to the man that legendary Clash lead man and Pogues short-timer Joe Strummer called one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century with clips...
Jan 24, 2018•59 min
Jan 19, 2018•1 hr 4 min
