Welcome to ‘ Irish Old Time ’, dedicated to promoting awareness of Appalachian Old Time music and musicians in Ireland. This is the American equivalent of ‘sean nos’ from which springs ‘folk music’, ‘country music’ and ‘bluegrass’. There are Appalachian music enthusiasts and some very talented musicians scattered around Ireland. Regular old-time sessions can be found in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Clare and elsewhere. In North America, similarly, old time musicians have regular ‘jams’, as well as dances featuring callers and Appalachian string bands (the equivalent of Irish and Scots céilís). However musicians also collect in larger ‘Gatherings’, lasting a weekend or more, at various locations across the US. (The most famous is ‘Clifftop’ in West Virginia, going for nearly 30 years, attended by around 5000 musicians who spend up to 10 days in camp side jams from early to very late.) IrishOldTime held the first all-Ireland Appalachian music gathering on 16-18 February 2018 in Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, with the intention of bringing together Appalachian music enthusiasts from across Ireland, Great Britain, Europe and experienced old-time musicians from the US and UK. The Third Annual Old Time Gathering promises to be even better than this year! Given the enthusiasm of last year’s attendees, we are staging the Third Annual Old Time Gathering at the same place and at the same time. For 2020 we are bringing over an Icon of the Appalachian fiddle Clay Buckner of the Red Clay Ramblers who will be leading the sessions and giving workshops as well. Watch this space for more news