Music At Maddens Podcast #016 - Slides, Smiles, And Sleeves with Greta Curtin

Welcome to a new episode of Music At Maddens Podcast with me, Lynette Fay.This week we welcome Greta Curtin to the podcast.This week in the snug, Lynette welcomes concertina player Greta Curtin for a lively tour of Slíabh Luachra style and the stories that shaped her music.Growing up in Brosna on the Kerry–Limerick–Cork border, Greta went from a TV fiddle that became a concertina to big mixed classes, sessions, and festivals that turned shyness into voice and community.She talks polkas and slides, how a tune like “Maggie in the Woods” can turn into “Mary in the Woods” a half hour up the road, choosing gigs over kitchen shifts, teaching in a music school, and watching her students become the next wave. In her work as a special needs assistant, music is a bridge: sometimes a hallway guitar, sometimes just the right pause, always a way to help a child feel seen.We also dive into the Patrick O’Keeffe Festival in Castleisland: a session trail from morning into morning, album launches, archives, and a youth award that invites players from Donegal to Dublin to learn a Slíabh Luachra set with care.With a nod to Brosna football pride, quiet All-Ireland wins, and the occasional bout of imposter syndrome, this is a warm, witty portrait of tradition that’s brilliantly alive.Enjoy!New episodes every Monday.Maddens BarInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddensbarbelfast_home_of_trad/Hatch BelfastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/belfasthatch/?hl=enAvalon GuitarsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/avalonguitarsofficial/Website: https://www.avalonguitars.com/Smithwicks Irish AleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithwicks_ireland/Website: https://www.smithwicksexperience.com/