Traonach

TRAONACH is a traditional Irish ceili band that grew out of the lively and long-standing Ithaca Irish music scene. Traonach is a fortunate meeting of talented seis?n musicians from around the USA who had all, to their own amazement, ended up living in the small city of Ithaca, New York. Over the past two decades they have created a tight, driving sound that has delighted audiences at festivals and concert halls throughout the northeastern states.

The band includes Mark Bickford on concertina, accordion, banjo; Harry Lawless on banjo, bouzouki; Ed McGowan playing fiddle, and Scott Whitham playing bodhran.

Two decades of playing together have created a tight, driving sound that has moved audiences at festivals, concert halls and other events throughout the northeastern United States. Their thorough 2004 album "Macintosh Jon" joins the earlier "The Yellow Bustard."

Traonach is the Gaelic term for the corncrake, a reclusive bird with a sweet call once common throughout Europe, Central Asia, and Northern Africa, and, of course, Ireland. The bird is described in the sixth-century Book of Kells. Modern farming developments, particularly the increased use of machine harvesters have brought the traonach to the brink of extinction.

"A deep knowledge and love of the music and a palpable zest for playing." -- Dirty Linen Magazine