Journal of Music in Ireland recently launched the beta version of the new http://www.journalofmusic.com, incorporating the first phase of their online development. There are plenty of features yet to come, but there is already a wealth of new articles, reviews and multimedia to browse on the website, covering subjects as diverse as new developments in traditional Irish music and the composition of electronic music.

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Anyone for a House Party?

Last night we went to see the Irish house Party at the Lansdowne Hotel ; we've had many tourists mention it and recommend it so we decided to check it out for ourselves - and a fabulous night was had by all!
The house party is hosted by real musicians and it's the answer to the plastic-paddy, tiddlyeye nonsense that so many venues seem to think is what tourists want. However as we at Charlie Byrne's get asked every day for "real" and "authentic" traditional music I think there's very much a need for a proper Irish music night. The Irish House Party is the perfect answer, lots of fun but with real music.

There are several different options; you can go for dinner and the show from 7pm (a very nice dinner and we got to know some of our fellow guests over it, so if you want the full experience definitely opt for this!) or you can simply go for the show itself from 8.30pm. If you're a guest of the hotel you get a discount and they also cater for large groups.

The dinner was lovely, everyone was very pleased with themselves and we got to chat to some New Zealanders. Then the show - there are around 11 musicians connected to the Irish House Party , all of whom are top notch. We were blessed last night with uillean pipes, fiddle, tin whistle and bouzouki/guitar (and I can tell you, it takes a lot to impress me but they managed it from the first reel!)
There's plenty of speil, plenty of audience participation, lots of fun and the presentation is very professional without ever seeming either jaded or perfunctory.
If I won the lotto tomorrow I'd hire them to play at my own damn house party :)

They have CDs on sale, I got one for myself and one for the father-in-law who would have loved it. We're planning on going back during the summer and taking the parents; it's over around 10.30 and that makes it ideal for all age gr0ups. The older more sedate visitor can get to bed on time and the younger ones can get out into the Dublin nightlife without missing anything.

All in all - massive thumbs up! We've linked them from the index page of Charlies Website so bookmark them and next time you need to impress the visitors...take them to a house party.

Xi'An Sí to play Irish Gigs

A recent excellent "find" (well, last year :)) has been the Chinese group Xi'an Sí (pronounced Shi-an Shee) who specialise in playing Irish music (traditional, folk, O'Carrolan etc) on ancient Chinese instruments. Their CD The Xi'An Sessions is superb and one of the most popular independent CDs we've ever stockedread about them, how they came to irish music and their instruments here http://www.geocities.com/charlesbyrnemusic/xiansthe.htm
Now....we have it on good authority...they're planning to come to Ireland this summer and will be playing a few dates!! One of the group is permanently based here and she's promised to keep us updated about the plans, and we'll announce dates as soon as they are confirmed.This will be a unique opportunity to see a wonderful group live, and I for one will be up front and centre, I'm not missing this :) Fingers crossed they avoid July 4th-19th (holidays)
Let you know as soon as it happens :)

Whistle for it!!

We said if we got it, you'd get it and that's what we're doing....any savings we get we pass on to you, dear customer...

Today's Good News
Tony Dixon D Whistle Polymer one piece was €17.00 now €15.00
Tony Dixon D Whistle Polymer two piece was €27.00 now €23.00

Tony Dixon Traditional Brass (adjustable mouthpiece) was €25 now €20
Tony Dixon D Whistle(adjustable mouthpiece) was €25 now €23

YAY!

The Emergency Budget Blues Lyrics

Here are ours...

Feel free to add your own !!

The Luck of the Irish!

Well, you'll be very lucky if you come into us next week for a Bodhrán ! We're shut for Monday and Tuesday - happy paddy's day to us! - but from Wednesday to Saturday inclusive there's still 10% off ALL bodhráns. Call in and have a look!

We have Vignoles, Paraic McNeela, First Island, Dublin Bodhráns...
and a very special offer on a tunable 18" Malachy Kearns - was €295, now €250....plus an addiitional 10% off this week!

Have a good one!

St Patrick's Festival Bargains!!

To celebrate St Patrick's Day and the Festival taking place in Dublin over the next week - and to bring a little happiness to the gloom and doom - we've got a fabulous Patrick's Festival offer!





10 % discount off ALL bodhráns - including tunable! - from today March 11th to Saturday March 22nd inc.*





Why not enjoy Ireland's most unique and traditional instrument, the heartbeat of Irish music, a handmade bodhrán: prices start from only €30 (now €27!!) inc Beater and Cover!!


We have First Island, Malachy Kearns, Pariac McNeela, Paul McAuley, and Michael Vignoles.

And......10% off all accessories - covers, beaters, books!








*please note, Charles Byrne is closed on Sunday 15th, Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th

You'll love us!

You'll love us and our new deals....


The R word is becoming almost chic now :) it's good fun trying to find bargains and a way to brighten up even the gloomiest day (and god knows there are a lot of gloomy days recently.)


Sadly we've been forced to put up the price of many strings, as manufacturers worldwide get hit by recession; but we did manage to lower the price of Pirastro Cello Strings! Plus we have new strings that offer great sound at really competitive prices : check our Rotosound Strings for mandolin and Uke and our new TGI strings for Guitar (extralight & light acoustic and Classical) only €3.95!


We also have D'addario Classical pro arte at €9.75, steel string at €6.95 and Boston Irish Tenor Banjo at €4.95





it all adds up!

January Sale - Limited Stock Special Offers! Only til Jan31st

Okay you lovely lot, we have a few- very few- very special offers just until January 31st...so if you are a guitarist today is your lucky day.

We have Hiscox Standard Classical and Acoustic Guitar Cases - amazingly strong cases, highly regarded - were €135, now €114.75
Hiscox Professional Classical Cases were €165 and the Acoustic Models were €175 now BOTH €140.25!

AND Admira Elena model.... handmade, in Spain, Advanced level Classical Guitar, Cutaway shape (not with electrics) was €1200 now available at €1050 including hard case.

We have very few in stock so pop in quickly!

Finding Charlie's Music Shop....

Now it's even easier to find us using Google Maps! We've updated our Location Page
to show Charlie's on a searchable, zoomable google map. Aren't Google maps the best thing ever? :) Love them. I have absolutely no sense of direction so a good map/sat nav system is a must for me, and I use google maps all the time to figure out where on earth I am, need to be, should have been before I got lost!

And of course if this still isn't enough just ring us and we'll talk you through it :) Of course you can always order over the phone and save yourself the trip! we take Visa, Mastercard, Laser etc


View Larger Map

Happy New Year, Music Lovers

Well Charlie Byrne's opened again this morning - the building was freezing and we were forced to get breakfast in the Kylemore while it heated up :) Really, it was too cold at half eight to sit here and defrost the teapot. But we opened bright and early anyway...and now it's time to see what we can offer for the New Year!

We have a very limited amount of steel string guitars at 25% discount, from around €86.50 upwards including one or two Tanglewood Packs that were €189 but now €141.95! We also have until the end of January 25% discount on handmade Moon guitars and Giannini Craviola.

We have discounts on selected books, from Half price on some tutors and collections; and we have a limited amount of tuners and covers on discount too!
And still some great offers on a range of CDS and DVDs

And tomorrow we'll see what else we can find :) so til then Happy New Year, Happy Back to School and Happy Back to Work. And if you've made any good resolutions let us know :)

Make no Bones about it.....

Real Bones are best! We have sets of Real Bones in stock again, handmade and a traditional instrument like no other....plus of course wooden bones for those who prefer them :) Still, these are a real harkening back to a bygone era, and something intrinsically "folk".

Aluminum Low Whistle by Tony Dixon

New! Tony Dixon has added to his already fabulous range with the Low D Aluminum ... only €120 ! with polymer adjustable mouthpiece, this is a lovely mellow affordable Low D.
Fresh in and already popular :)

Plus we have the Low D polymer two piece back in stock, still at the great price of €90

stockingfillers at Charlie Byrne's Music Shop

Santa Shops At Charlie Byrne's!

Even Santa shops with us - he loves our stocking fillers ! Where else can you get a unique, funny or practical gift for under €10?? Just check out the range -

New! Phone charms in amazing colours and designs, inc "banjo" "accordian" "fiddle" "guitars" "music stand" and more - only €4.95

Musical Snap and Music Trivia Quiz sets all reduced to €5.95

Fridge magnets (large) from Violin to Saxaphone - only €6.95

Musicians Joke Book €8.95

Music Facts in Handy Packs (guitar chords/trivia/theory and jokes) €2.25

Music Carrier Bags in great colours and designs from €7.95

Badges from €4.95

Playing cards €3.95

Mouse mats from €7.00

Mozart Design Thank you notes €5.95

Packets of Greeting Cards 5 for €8.95

Notebooks inc "Sick Note" "Drop me a note" "compose a note" only €1.25 (half price!)

Writing Paper inc cream and white - €2.60 (half price)

Post-it booklets inc "Gone Chopin,Bach Soon" and treble clef designs only €1.50 (half price)

Chopin Lizst shopping lists €2.25 (half Price)

Erasers and pencils €1

Pencil Cases - all 10% discount

Rulers €1.95

Bronze Die Cast Pencil Parers in Violin, Piano, etc € 5.95

Mugs (bone china, varied designs) €9.95

Mugs - varied designs €6.95 and €8.95

Benticels (Pencils in Treble Clef Shape) €2.95

Quaver pens €2.95

Pens in treble clef shape €1.95

Bendy Pens €1.95

Christmas Carols all half price!

Coasters (set of two) €2.50 (half price)

Aprons were €15.95 now €10

Tea Towels were €6.95 now €5.00

Padded Oven Gloves "food glorious food" were €15.95 now €10

PLUS amazing special offers including Photoframes were €18.95 now €15.95;

Cotton Bags "conductor" €12.95 now €10.95 and Music design Ties from €13.95 and much more!

SO follow Santa's lead and pop in - get a present or stocking filler that is fun, and useful, and pretty and VERY good value....

Fionn Seisiún Books and Double CD

New in today! We are delighted to stock the Comhaltas range by Brian Prior

Fionn Seisiún Books and Double Cds!

Pro: Fweeen Sesh -oon
A series of books and CDs, designed for both learners and appreciators of Irish traditional music, based on the Wednesday night session from Comhaltas headquarters in Monkstown.

Christmas Specials - Starting early!

Well we don't have to tell you there's a recession on; you'd have to be living on a different planet these last months not to know that. Unlike many though, we're optimistic - the economy will swing back upwards again in a while. Til then, we're all for sniffing out bargains, and getting the best value you can for your money - and Christmas is an ideal time to trim the fat, cut the waste and look for gifts that are both practical and fun.

Many people are looking to buy instruments as presents; particularly if you have a talent in the family, someone enthusiastic about their music, why not get that upgrade as part of their Christmas gift, rather than as a separate expense during the year? Bows, strings, accessories like violin cases... all make excellent gifts, that won't lose their value once the xmas frenzy is over.

We have an incredible early sale on Acoustic Steel string guitars at the moment, but stock is limited! we have 25% off ALL acoustic steel string guitars starting at €86.50 for a Hohner Countryman. There's also bargains to be had in selected Classical guitars and in gigbags.

If you just want the fun gifts, there are bargains to be had in novelties! Lots of stationary - writing paper, envelopes, post- its are an unbelievable HALF PRICE! As well as selected books, including Tangos for fiddle players, and modern collections from Tom Waites, Dido, and others. Music carriers in lovely colours and designs start at €7.95 and we have pencils, erasers etc from 95c.

One lovely gift this year is the Children';s Glockenspiel, a great instrument in a blue case for only €23.95 and another is the children's 1/4 size guitar at €27.95!


there's more! XI'An Sí have produced their CD the Xi'An Sessions for €14.95 making it an ideal xmas gift and we have 2 cds for €20 and 3 cds for €30 special offers on selected cds!

So check it out!