Daniel Neely

Daniel T. Neely is a musician and ethnomusicologist (New York University, Ph.D. 2008) with specialties in the musics of Ireland and Jamaica. Since 2008 he has been the Public Relations Officer of the Mid-Atlantic Region of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann’s North American Province, from 2011-2016 he was the artistic coordinator of the Augusta Irish Week, a Irish music camp in Elkins, West Virginia, and since 2021 he has been on the Board of Directors of the Milwaukee-based Ward Irish Music Archives, the largest public repository for Irish music in the United States.

He plays tenor banjo and fiddle, loves playing at sessions, and has been a member of both the Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra and the New York Céilí Band.  He has given invited lectures on this history of Irish music at Boston College, the Catskills Irish Arts Week, the Ward Irish Music Archives, Na Píobairí Uilleann in Dublin, Ireland, and elsewhere.

Latest Stories

Brilliant, practical bodhrán book Brilliant, practical bodhrán book
Over the summer I ran into bodhrán player Anna Colliton, who in the course of a chat told me that she was putting together a bodhrán instruction bo...
Trad loses Collins and O'Donovan Trad loses Collins and O'Donovan
There has been entirely too much heartbreak recently in the world of traditional music and it just seems to keep coming. Just after writing about t...
Pivotal Milner was steeped in Irish, English and Scots song Pivotal Milner was steeped in Irish, English and Scots song
Devastating news from the world of traditional music with the announcement of the passing of singer, scholar, photographer, and Air Force veteran D...
Banjoists are headed to Baltimore Banjoists are headed to Baltimore
Banjo drivers! Book your flights and pack your things, because the second annual Irish Tenor Banjo Summit is coming up this Nov. 17-19 at the Creat...
'Beo' is a spectacular album 'Beo' is a spectacular album
Folks, if you love a hard-hitting pure-drop trad album the way I do, well, “Beo,” the new album from Pádraic Keane, Páraic Mac Donnchadha & Macdara...
Ní Chathasaigh game-changer, Moloney's first solo reissued Ní Chathasaigh game-changer, Moloney's first solo reissued
In the media thingy this week are two newly-remastered reissues, Máire Ní Chathasaigh’s “The New-Strung Harp” (1985) and Mick Moloney’s “We Have Me...
 'Turning Hay with a Crowbar' is a great listen all the way through 'Turning Hay with a Crowbar' is a great listen all the way through
Big news from the world of piping with Na Píobairí Uilleann’s announcement of €11.3 million in capital funding for its planned “Sound of Ireland Ce...
Musical dialogue at album's heart Musical dialogue at album's heart
A few things to talk about this week! First up is the Irish Arts Center’s recent announcement of their fall term. It kicks off the week of Sept. 19...
'In Reel Time' sound is big & rich 'In Reel Time' sound is big & rich
About a zillion musicians descended upon the town of Mullingar in County Westmeath last week for the 2023 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann! As readers wil...
Bodhrán features in doc, books Bodhrán features in doc, books
Stop the presses, everyone – I lead this week with news of the bodhrán. A few days back I received a text from the great Jimmy Keane that contained...
Ó Meachair follows up accordion album with 'Melodeon Medleys' Ó Meachair follows up accordion album with 'Melodeon Medleys'
Starting this with an email I received last weekend from Richie Piggott – whose book “Cry of a People Gone: Irish Musicians In Chicago 1920–2020” I...
Linnane album is a stunner Linnane album is a stunner
Folks, if you didn’t already know, the Catskills Irish Arts Week wrapped up over the weekend. I was there for the whole thing (I taught the intro b...

 

Donate