In Tune with Tradition - Perspectives on Session Etiquette in Irish Traditional Music

Fiddle player and teacher Jacqui Martin joins Tara Connaghan to talk about friendship, slow sessions, rhythm, seating, safe places to play and why Irish music sessions can feel like strange social experiments where anyone can walk in and change the whole evening.

Resources:
https://www.cobblestonepub.ie/cobblestone-backroom/balaclavas-session
Ceoltóir course - Ballyfermot
Clontarf Comhaltas CCE
Session Etiquette Questionnaire
Support the In Tune with Tradition podcast
In tune with Tradition: The Private Session Experience

This episode explores how music can regulate the nervous system, build belonging, and help people feel safe in communal playing spaces. Tara Connaghan is joined by Louise Kelly, a consultant music therapist from the North of Ireland, TEDx speaker, and co-founder of Resilient Rhythms, whose perspective connects traditional music with anxiety, confidence, and connection.
We discuss why some players sit on the periphery, why others play loudly or keep leaving and returning, and how those behaviours can be understood through fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses rather than judgment.

Chapters
00:00 - Music as shared nervous system regulation
00:44 - Introduction to Louise Kelly and the episode’s focus
03:02 - Louise’s background in music therapy and why she speaks publicly about music’s power
04:32 - The TEDx selection process and the journey to speaking on stage
06:24 - Why music is a biological necessity, not just entertainment
07:46 - Sessions, teamwork, and rhythm as connection
09:01 - Growing up outside the Irish music tradition and feeling drawn in
10:55 - Discovering session etiquette through a therapist’s lens
12:49 - The nervous system’s job: keeping us safe
13:45 - Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn in session behaviour
15:05 - Loud playing as a possible fight response
16:33 - Playing louder after being ignored elsewhere
20:03 - Shy entry, fawning, and freeze in newcomers
21:00 - Humour and repeated movement as safety behaviours
22:25 - Watching body language and seat choice from the outside
23:39 - Why confrontation often pushes musicians toward flight
24:34 - Cultural identity, language, and why the tradition matters so deeply
25:08 - Louise rejoining beginner trad life through North Coast Antrim
26:43 - Practicing a session at home by recording and replaying it
28:26 - Therapy, music, and the value of repetition
29:44 - Confidence, anxiety, and finding a voice later in life
31:24 - Teenagers, music, and why young people live inside sound
32:28 - Why adults lose sight of music’s value
36:05 - What really stops newcomers is fear of getting it wrong
38:53 - How shame is learned through family and society
40:08 - School messages that damage confidence in music
41:16 - Everyone can participate without being “a trained singer”
42:06 - Walking in circles, staying on the periphery, and feeling safe first
43:19 - The sweet spot where musicians become one
44:17 - Coping strategies for anxiety and choosing music as support
46:20 - Breath work, self-awareness, and self-expression as regulation tools
48:08 - Session rules as a way to protect safety, not exclude people
49:28 - Mind-body awareness in music and in everyday life
50:44 - Music as mindfulness and being present in the moment
54:09 - Slow sessions as beginner-safe spaces and why they matter
57:47 - Session vibe, belonging, and why context changes everything
59:39 - Louise’s advice for listeners: be open, curious, and avoid perfectionism
61:34 - A memory of belonging in a school traditional group
63:48 - The tune that still moves Louise and why music stays personal
64:32 - Closing reflections on reopening a long-closed doorway

Resources:
Louise Kelly, TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTKezQB0A3E
https://resilientrhythms.co.uk/
https://www.sessionetiquette.com/questionnaire
In Tune with Tradition - Private Session Experience: https://www.sessionetiquette.com/retreat

In this episode of In Tune with Tradition, Tara Connaghan speaks with Donal O’Connor in Belfast ahead of Belfast Trad Festival and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
This conversation goes straight into one of the hardest parts of Irish session culture: expectations.
Donal talks about how different people arrive at a session wanting different things. Young musicians may want to play their new tunes. Adult learners and intermediate players may want the buzz of a big inclusive session. Older or more experienced musicians may hope for a smaller corner, strong repertoire, good listening, space, chat and musical connection.
The problems begin when all of those expectations land in the same room and are not spoken about.
Donal also talks about Belfast Trad Festival, the challenge of managing session trails, why master musicians need space to play too, how listening sessions can help, why song and dance matter, and why respect remains central to the whole thing.
This is a practical, thoughtful conversation about sessions as living social spaces: places where music, people, rooms, listeners, age, gender, alcohol, confidence, safety and expectation all meet.

Join Tara Connaghan as she reflects on a vibrant year of exploring Irish music sessions, session etiquette, and community connection via the In Tune with Tradition podcast.
This special episode features insights from musicians, educators, and session enthusiasts from around the world discussing what makes sessions meaningful and how to foster better experiences for all.

Guests: Dr. Michael Walsh, Michael Eskin, Lori Madden and Mimi Vidaver-Davis.

Transcript available on https://www.sessionetiquette.com/podcast

This episode is also available to watch on https://www.youtube.com/live/V6ItyDgg9y0

Resources
Celtic Back-Up for All Instruments by Chris Smith (book)
John Doyle Guitar on YouTube
Sheffield Folk Sessions Festival, UK
Dr. Michael Walsh
Michael Eskin
San Diego Comhaltas
Mimi Vidaver-Davis
Blue Ridge Irish Music School Virginia-based Irish music education
Plough and Stars pub
The Starry Plough pub
Slainte pub
TheSession.org - source of tunes, discussions, directory of sessions
TradRadar.ie - directory or sessions in Ireland
Shift.Irish - app to connect Irish people at home and abroad plus list of sessions / pubs
In Tune With Tradition - Private Session Experience
https://www.patreon.com/cw/SessionEtiquette
In Tune with Tradition / Session Etiquette website - https://www.sessionetiquette.com
Sign up to the In Tune with Tradition newsletter https://www.sessionetiquette.com/newsletter-signup

Intro music: Track 1: John Phadaí Chonchubhair’s jig - Derek McGinley & Tara Connaghan ‘Far Side of the Glen’ album (2011)

Summary
In this engaging conversation, Tara Connaghan speaks with Deirdre Scanlan, former singer with Irish music group, Solas. Deirdre is a passionate musician and educator, about the essence of Irish music, the importance of traditional singing, and the dynamics of music sessions. She shares her insights on emotional connections in music, the role of technology, and the challenges of teaching and learning in the musical community. They explore the expectations and realities of participating in music sessions, the significance of participation, and the balance between tradition and innovation. The discussion also touches on listener questions, providing valuable perspectives on navigating the world of Irish music.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Deirdre Scanlan
01:50 The Essence of Irish Music Sessions
05:35 Understanding Traditional Singing
09:15 Emotional Connection in Music
12:51 Gender Perspectives in Music Expression
15:31 The Evolution of Tradition
17:14 Variations in Singing vs. Instrumental Performance
22:57 Teaching and Learning in Music
28:24 Navigating Music Sessions
30:46 Navigating Session Etiquette
33:39 Understanding Session Dynamics
36:15 The Role of Personal Experience in Sessions
38:24 Baggage and Expectations in Musical Spaces
40:48 Inclusivity and Participation in Sessions
44:26 The Pressure of Performance and Hosting
47:45 Diverse Motivations in Musical Sessions
51:20 Finding Value in Every Session
54:16 Session Behaviour and Respect
56:20 Exploring Session Dynamics and Imposter Syndrome
58:22 The Art of Participation in Musical Sessions
01:01:22 Navigating Social Expectations in Irish Music
01:04:01 Understanding Personal Motivations in Musical Engagement
01:06:56 Supporting Others in Musical Settings
01:09:47 Final Thoughts and Personal Connections to Music

Resources
In Tune With Tradition - Private Session Experience
https://www.patreon.com/cw/SessionEtiquette
In Tune with Tradition / Session Etiquette website - https://www.sessionetiquette.com
Sign up to the In Tune with Tradition newsletter https://www.sessionetiquette.com/newsletter-signup
Deirdre Scanlan

To read the transcript, please listen to the episode on www.sessionetiquette.com/podcast
This is the transcript Tara generates (not AI generated).
Transcript assistance was given by Darragh Ó hÉiligh.