Band Info Band Bios Colm O'Brien - Colm was born and reared in Dublin and comes from a family steeped in music. He has played with numerous bands in Ireland and appeared on Irish television and radio. Colm has toured and recorded in the U.S. with such groups as Fatal Flower, Uncle Arthur and the Prodigals. He has also had a very successful solo career and his album “It is what it is” was rated one of the top ten Irish albums of 2005 by the "Irish Voice", America’s largest selling Irish newspaper. Martin Butler - Martin grew up in Cloughjordan County Tipperary, moving to the States in the early 90's. He began playing with the Boston branch of Ceoltas, and in many sessions with The Gannon Family and other notable musicians in the Boston area. He was an All-Ireland finalist in Bodhrán in 2002, winning the United States Fleadh (Championship) in New York. Martin performed in a series of concerts with famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan of The Irish Tenors in 2004. He played with several groups before forming Rud Eile with Colm, Jerry, and Matt in 2005. Seán Connor - Seán is a native of Kilmaine, Co. Mayo. Born into a family with a rich tradition in music, he began playing fiddle at age 8. Seán won his first Fleadh at age 14 in Stonehill, MA. Heavily influenced by both Sliabh Luachra and Sligo fiddle styles, he became very well known on European and American seisiún circuits. Expanding his instrument repertoire to include mandolin and banjo, Seán toured with a succession of bands in the U.S. and England, recording extensively. He has appeared on radio in England performing with famed country/bluegrass rockers "The Woodsmen". Seán also guested on McDermott's 2 hours' album "Goodbye to the Madhouse" with Mick Burbridge. Rud Eile - A Brief History "Rud Eile", pronounced rud ella, is Gaelic for "something else" or "something different" and is the perfect description of this band’s music. Drawing on many influences from the Celtic world and beyond, but with one foot firmly in the Irish tradition, "Rud Eile" produce a searing blend of music that tips more than a nod to the past but focuses firmly on the future. "Rud Eile" began in 2005 when Martin Butler had the idea of putting together an album featuring the finest exponents of Celtic music living in the North East U.S.A. The chemistry was right  and the energy intoxicating so the next logical step was to bring the music to live audiences. At the core of this music were Tipperary's Martin Butler, Dublin's Colm O'Brien, Jerry Murphy from Tipperary and Matt Glover from Newfoundland. In April 2008 Mayo's Seán Connor took up the mantle left by the departing Jerry and Matt, Jerry to return to Ireland and Matt to concentrate on projects very dear to him. With the arrival of Seán the band continue the tradition of performing the finest Celtic music to thunderous approval. The rest is history waiting to be written…………… Rud Eile - The Album This album brought together a group of highly skilled and passionate musicians to deliver, in the words of Irish Hit Parade radio presenter John Fitzgerald, "a breath-taking selection of words and music…". The selection of tunes and songs on this recording represents a very broad scope of Irish/Celtic traditional and folk music. Old songs like "Lord Randall" and "Follow me up to Carlow” are blended with more well-known favourites such as "The Ferryman" and the more recently composed "Cathain". The tunes range from Turlough O'Carolan's "Si Bheag, Si Mhor" through jigs and reels first recorded by Irish emigrant musicians in America in the 1920’s and 1930’s, right up to Finbar Furey’s wonderful "Lonesome Boatman". The album is a unique collection of music played by musicians with a very real passion for their craft. Musicians Featured on Rud Eile Aoife Clancy - daughter of the legendary Bobby Clancy of The Clancy Brothers and former member of Cherish The Ladies Amy Basse - master fiddler and founder of Bluegrass/Celtic group The Grasshoppers Andrew Harkin - former Prodigals bass wizard Declan Houton - multi-instrumentalist and singer from the well known musical family from Donegal Kevin Doherty - Donegal fiddle champion Johnny Towey - of the well known musical family from Mayo and original member of music group Osna Patrick Murray - well respected Uilleann piper and pipe maker. The album also features the talents of Dublin fiddler and guitarist Patsy Whelan, Harpist Regina Delaney of Réagánta, the members of Sín é and North Channel, Christy O’Connell the well-respected guitarist from Cork, vocalist Deirdre Wait, Mary Doherty on concertina and old friends Bob Condon on Bodhran and Marty Murphy on finger picked guitar.