By John Slavin
Occasionally music can take you to an elevated state of emotion. It is a joyful place to be when sitting in front of a live performer, fighting back the tears of appreciation when the music is making a deep connection that is often hard to understand.
Thankfully I’ve been to that place a few times in life, and I was grateful to experience another on Friday, August 14th at the final day of Piping Live! 2026.
There was a theme of Scots and Irish Gaelic connections evident in the programming of performances and I was drawn to The Bothy for two in particular.
The festival planners have created such an inviting, intimate venue which likely seats a little over fifty, and it became the perfect Piping Live! Folk Club on Friday afternoon.
The first event was titled Òrain is Amhráin, translating from both Gaelic traditions as Songs and Songs, and featured Allan Henderson on keyboards, uilleann piper Leonard Barry, and singers Màiri MacMillan and Diane Cannon. This concert wove songs and stories together and culminated in a powerful performance sung in Irish Gaelic by Diane Cannon which set me up beautifully for the next event.
What followed was titled Gaol nan Gael, Love of the Gaels, comprising Allan MacDonald from Glenuig, uilleann piper Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn from Monaghan and harper Laoise Kelly from Achill Island. I didn’t intend to review the performance, so I was tardy and made no notes at all on what was played, but I can only say that it all felt very important that it should be heard and recorded (hopefully at a later date, hint hint PL!), and then I’ll offer the notes from the programme: “Together, they explore the deep-rooted connections between the two traditions, drawing on a wealth of tunes and songs that have traveled across the Irish Sea for centuries.
“It is a masterclass in musical heritage, highlighting the foundational bonds that continue to unite the Scottish and Irish Gaelic worlds.”
It certainly was a masterclass, and completely unrehearsed, as Allan remarked: “the rehearsal is live on stage”. But that’s what made it so magical. It felt like we were sitting at the feet of tradition bearers while they were having a song and a tune in the kitchen.
I got the impression they planned what they were going to play, but it was the first time they had met to do it. Laoise did a sterling job of introducing the sets and describing the ancient sources of the tunes and how they connected across both of the traditions.
There were many standout moments and I’m now kicking myself for not taking notes, (but I’ll try and get the set list and add it here for completeness). There was a set of tunes where it looked like Allan was about to finish and then Tiarnán added another tune, and a good few more, that Allan just picked up after the first note or two, with Laoise adding the sparkling notes of the harp above the pipes. It was fascinating to watch the process and the music continued unabated.
Allan was scheduled to sing early in the performance and beforehand he was given such a glowing introduction by Laoise, she left the audience in no doubt the high regard and love felt for Allan by the Irish Trad music community. Allan looked suitably abashed by the high praise and muttered something about owing her a bottle of wine.
What followed was a soulful performance from Allan’s gritty, authentic voice which should echo down the ages. It has me wondering, and hoping that someone has already done the job of ‘collecting’ his songs and has the recordings stored away in one of those doomsday seed vaults.
Another magical moment was soon to follow, and I think a gust of wind must have brought some dust into The Bothy as I’m sure I got something in my eye…
It was a slow air played once through by Laoise on the harp, with a tasty key change as Alan came in with smallpipes and voice to carry the tune with canntaireachd, or ‘humming’ as he called it as he encouraged the audience to join in – perhaps it was Gaelic humming rather than canntaireachd. I hear you, I hear you, I don’t have the name of the tune, but even better, I have a recording of part of this tune that you can listen to below.
One set of tunes I do remember names for comprised of Jewels of the Ocean, Buntàta Mòra (Big Potatoes) and We’re a Case The Bunch O Us – and I remember the first and last of those tunes as they are composed by Allan. Again the appreciation of Allan was expressed by Laoise in her introduction of this set, as Allan was muttering disapproval Laoise said “they are very good tunes, and we want to play them with you Allan,” or words to that effect, (as I never made notes etc, etc).
So how to finish? I need to say just how important Laoise and Tiarnán were to creating this musical experience. Both are tradition bearers in their own right. I now know I’ve never appreciated the harp enough, as hearing it beside the bellows pipes and Allan’s voice it felt so natural and in its rightful place. Tiarnán’s playing was very important in carrying the tunes and giving a bigger pipe sound beside the smallpipes, and his uilleann pipe sound was so lush and keening and mixed the ‘pure drop’ with Allan’s west Highland Gaelic vocals.
“Do we have time for another?” Alan asked before their final set. I really hope there is time for a re-run of this concert, and can we make it at least twice as long with a 45 minute interlude, and be sponsored by a distillery giving away free drams? I would also like to include a full version of March of the King of Laoise which they used on Friday for an impromptu sound check with all three instruments. And rather than having my most favourite Gaelic songstress, Kathleen MacInness, sitting in the audience as she did, can we have her on stage and singing Mo Ghile Mear with full pipes and harp treatment and maybe some vocal harmonies from Allan (and Iarla O Lionaird with Steve Cooney on guitar if the budget will stretch to it… ok, ok I’m pushing it now ;-). When I win the lottery I’ll make it happen. It’s the only way this concert could be improved. C’mon, I’m not asking for much. 🙂
