Saturday 31 March 2007

Djembes - only a few left!


We have only a few left of our African handmade Djembes and this is the end of the stock guys! We probably won;t be renewing this line so if you want to snap up a bargain get into us - 20% discount on all Djembes, including conga djembes and also on our Kapunga sets (1 left in stock)


Friday 23 March 2007

Corvus Corax



Fabulous! Just found this great band - billed as folk/classical/gothic and that barely begins to cover it. Magical sound!





http://www.myspace.com/spielleute





http://www.corvuscorax.de/

Check them out and trust us you'll be hooked! As far as we can tell their CD is only available from their website, but it's worth the effort to try to get one!

Last week of Sale

It's the final week of our march stock clearance sale: 10% off all bodhráns (Paul McAuley, Paraic McNeela, FIrst Island, Dublin Bodhráns, Michael Vignoles, Malachy Kearns) and 20% off Djembes plus look at our books, cds, dvds, videos (10% off) and other percussion offers (15% discount off Native American Drums handmade by Paul McAuley)


So have a look and take advantage of these offers, cos it will be too late in April!


AND BEST OF LUCK TO THE IRISH SOCCER TEAM ON SATURDAY!

Tuesday 20 March 2007

How to Write an Irish Ballad

A customer asked me today what was a the "best" Irish ballad; we couldn't really help them, after all it's really a matter of opinion! but we did enjoy a productive half-hour of naming our favourites.
Some opted for the obscure (instant kudus in Irish traditional circles if you can name some little known piece only sung between two parishes in the Wesht and even then only on a Tuesday and if you see a brown bull) while some opted for the old classics

We came up with the following list:

Fields of Athenry (comes under the heading of Guilty Pleasure)
Kevin Barry (top of the Rebel Songs Category)
Boulavogue (next most popular)
A Nation once Again (third popular rebel song)
Gortnamorna (representing the Music Hall Ballad)
Streets of New York (Modern Irish Ballad)
I know my Love (Catchiest Ballad)
Connemara Cradle Song (Sweetest ballad)
A Bunch of Thyme (most coyly suggextive ballad)

Feel free to add your own!

Of course there is a certain sameness to Irish Ballds, particualrly those of a certain ilk. If you ever want to write the classic Irish folk song, remember the following rules

  1. Bloody English (AKA the Auld Enemy, The Redcoats or the Yoemen) are to blame for starting it, whatever the aprticular "it" is this time
  2. Mention a rotten Landlord preferably one that threw you out into the snow, barefoot and pregnant, with four starving childer and your dying mother.
  3. Add in a hint of sex - either the landlord's son, a redcoat or the boy in the next parish. The former will ahve deserted the herione and the latter she regrets leaving behind.
  4. rebel against something, traditionally some combination of the above
  5. set it all to a lamenting air except the chorus which shoul be rousing and sound like you're exhorting your listener to murder!
have fun!

Wednesday 14 March 2007

St Patricks Day....and ukuleles


We don't open on Paddy's Day frankly because the city centre is not the best place to be on a day like that! So the shop will be shut between Saturday the 17th and Tuesday the 20th: but the sale goes on....the bodhrán sale in particular is prooving very popular!

We've just got in new Ukuleles: handmade ones in beautiful wood, pink ukuleles for kids, ukulele banjos (truly a work of art!) and lots more, including pineapple shape hawaiian and electro-acoustic ones.
Ukuleles!

Tuesday 13 March 2007

Craviola








The Craviola by Giannini of Brazil



Saturday 10 March 2007

Saturday in the City



We're having a busy morning in here and it's great to see the tourists return! Lots of happy faces around, on holidays and weekends away, in advance of Paddy's Day next weekend. With only two of our three staff members in this month we're a bit short staffed and on slightly shorter hours than normal; we shut at 4.30 on a saturday and 5pm on a weekday. It's such a lovely day out there, I'm surprised anyone is in town (I wouldn't be if I could help it :) ) but it's certainly nice to see so many tourists out and about!


Obviously our bodhran sale is a big draw as are the reductions on books etc; but whistles, bones, spoons, and larger traditional instruments are prooving very popular too!





If you're out and about in town today, enjoy the sunny Saturday atmosphere!


(think of us trapped in here in the gloom while you're out there enjoying yourselves! :) )

Thursday 8 March 2007

More March Sale News!


IN addition to 10% discount on ALL bodhrans we have some padded covers from only €15.00! Check out our range of beaters, over 400 designs in different woods, weights, grips etc and our special "sound effect" range, clicker sticks, bamboo brush beaters, Flix Sticks brush beaters etc and specialist woods beaters, including Heart of Rose Brazilwood, Mexican Pine and Aunstralian hardwoods- 10 % off ALL beaters....

Perhaps our best reductions are in the Djembe range - never again will you get a djembe of this quality for these prices! a full 20% discount on remaining stock!
Plus Djembe hats, and covers, videos and tutor books all at 10% discount. You just can't go wrong with these!

Wednesday 7 March 2007

March Sale: Happy St Paddy's Day


Now is the best time to buy Bodhráns and accessories - we have a great sale offer on for the month of March. In honour of Paddy's Day, we are giving 10% discount on ALL bodhráns and accessories. This also includes all books, cds, dvds, and videos on a range of subjects.


We have a limited selection of top quality handmade Djembes at a very special 20% discount! And 15% off Native American style drums...
and more....there are selected special offers throughout the month so keep an eye on the blog for updates!

Old Violins...Odd Violins


One of our favourite instruments: this is often mistakenly called a Marian Trumpet but it is more accurately described as a Choir violin. It's a violin used in the 18 and 19th centuries by both parish choirs and local pub players equally. It ahs a very strange sound but is capable of a surprising rnge of notes and a deep, pleasant accompanying drone.

The History Of Charles Byrne Music

A lot of our history can be found on our website

Founded by the first CCHARLIE BYRNE in 1870,
ours is one of the oldest family-owned music shops in Europe.

The very building itself has seen many of the historical events,
which have shaped the Republic of Ireland.
Home Rule, The Easter Rising, The War of Independence, Civil War and more,
becoming itself a listed heritage building and a recognised local landmark for Dubliners

http://www.geocities.com/charlesbyrnemusic/his.htm

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