Our special guests for the first 60 minutes-plus of the show were All-Ireland accordion and melodeon player Damien Connolly of Ennis, Ireland and Sally Tressler of nearby Easton, who accompanied Damien on several tunes on flute. Twenty-one-year-old Damien has just released his first CD (“Tippin’ Away” on Kincora Records) and is in Connecticut for the summer before heading for a year of study at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

Both Damien and Sally have music deep in their genetic make-up! Damien’s father if accordion maker and player Martin Connolly and his uncle is famed Celtic fiddler Seamus Connolly, director of the Irish Music Heritage Program at Boston College. Sally is the daughter of Will and Katie Tressler, guiding lights in the Jackson Pike Skifflers string band here in Connecticut.

We finished up the night with come recorded Celtic music, including several pieces from Damien’s uncle.

FIRST HOUR

Damien Connolly & Sally Tressler Live In WSHU’s Studio A

Reels: “The Ships Are Sailing”/“The Morning Star
Jigs: “Jack Coen’s”/“The Lark In The Strand”
Reels (on melodeon): “Sailor On The Rock”/“The Wise Maid”

CD: Damien Connolly & Pete Mancuso, “Fitzmaurice’s Polka”, Tippin’ Away, Kincora Records

March: “Brian Boru’s March”

Tape: Martin Connolly, “The Fort Of Kincora”, Martin Connolly, Kincora Records

CD: Damien Connolly, “Miss Langford’s Reel/The Taylor’s Thimble”, Tippin’ Away, Kincora Records

Reels: “Music In The Glen”/“The Reel Of The Mullinavat”

SECOND HOUR

• Artist, "Title", Album, Label

• Seamus Connolly, “Fiddle Medley”, My Love Is In America, Green Linnet

• Seamus Connolly, “Sprig Of Shillelagh/Planxty Penny”, “Little Red Hill”, Playing With Fire, Green Linnet

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• Niamh Parsons, “Annan Waters”, In My Prime, Green Linnet

• Kila, “Turlough”, Untamed, Narada/World

• Aoife Ni Fhearraigh, “Song”, Celtic Aura, Gael Linn

• Lunasa, “Eanir Medley”, Untamed, Narada/World

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• Andy Irvine & Davy Spillane w/ Marta Sebestyen, “Kadana”, East Wind, Tara

• Andy Irvine, “The Highwaymen”, Way Out Yonder, Appleseed