Recommended Irish Music Recordings February 2026

February 2026’s recommended listening pick is fiddler Doireann Glackin and concertina player Sarah Flynn’s 2019 release The Housekeepers. This album documents the music and lives of five women Irish traditional musicians in the early 20th century: Ella Mae O’Dwyer, Nora Hurley, Aggie Whyte, Ellen Galvin, and Mollie Myers Murphy. Glackin and Flynn provide well researched biographies for each musician and highlight compositions and versions of tunes from each as well. The result is a fantastically performed and informed homage to these overlooked musicians. The album features minimal accompaniment, only on a few tracks provided by Flynn’s brother, John Francis Flynn, on guitar.

Some standout tunes on the recording include the first track, “Spike Island Lasses/Pride of Rathmore” - the second being a two part version recorded by Mollie Myers Murphy on a home recording recording in 1967. Glackin’s solo set features Frank O’Higgins version of “Farewell to Éireann” gleaned from a 78rpm recording. Flynn’s solo outing includes a lovely reel discovered from her grandmother’s notebook attributed to Pigot McGee. And the titular jig, “The Housekeepers,” is a lovely setting of the tune from the playing of Mollie Myers Murphy.

Two settings of traditional tunes from fiddler Tommy Potts are recorded here and are worth noting, especially considering Glackin and Flynn’s Dublin roots. Potts’ version of “The Star of Munster” appears after a composition of Nora Hurley called “Sonny’s Delight,” written when she was 97 (and it’s a smashing tune!). The duo also give Potts’ four part setting of “Drowsy Maggie” a go. These versions breathe fresh air into tunes that are often dismissed as common or overplayed. 

If you’re reading this in early February of 2026, consider picking this up as part of Bandcamp Friday this Friday, February 6th. The Housekeepers is a thoroughly enjoyable album, expertly performed and well conceived.

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