Accessibility links
The Thistle & Shamrock Award-winning radio host Fiona Ritchie explores evolving music from Celtic roots in Europe and North America.
Special Series

The Thistle & Shamrock

Host Fiona Ritchie explores Celtic roots music on her weekly radio program
The Thistle & Shamrock: Ballads Of The Border
Steve Eason/Getty Images

The Thistle & Shamrock: Ballads Of The Border

Cattle raids, battles, betrayals and family loyalties are all commemorated in the ballads of the borderlands between Scotland and England, sometimes referred to as "the debatable lands".

The Thistle & Shamrock: Ballads Of The Border

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639268342/639282120" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Len Graham

Len Graham is featured on this week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock. R.L. Geyer/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
R.L. Geyer/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Len Graham

Meet Len Graham, the legendary singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland who carries an equal number of songs and stories in his heart.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Len Graham

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/636659820/636668461" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Singer-Songwriters

Karine Polwart is featured on this week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock Reed Ingram Weir/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Reed Ingram Weir/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Singer-Songwriters

In addition to the traditional music you hear on 'Thistle', there is also an abundance of contemporary songwriting talent.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Singer-Songwriters

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/634651237/634869803" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Music Migration

Grammy-winning guitarist Al Petteway is featured on this week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Music Migration

Join Fiona Ritchie to uncover the deep roots that run through a family tree of songs from Scotland and Ireland to the Southern Appalachians.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Music Migration

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/631937439/631948969" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: ThistleRadio Classic

This weeks' episode of The Thistle & Shamrock features music by Kris Drever. Chloe Garrick /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Chloe Garrick /Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: ThistleRadio Classic

Great songs and tunes are always available to stream on ThistleRadio's 24-hour music channel. Span the decades on ThistleRadio with classic tracks.

The Thistle & Shamrock: ThistleRadio Classic

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/627759735/627794025" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Dear Jean

This week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock features music by Jean Ritchie. Photo Courtesy of State Archives of Florida hide caption

toggle caption
Photo Courtesy of State Archives of Florida

The Thistle & Shamrock: Dear Jean

Artists celebrate Jean Ritchie (1922-2015) by singing the songs she taught them.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Dear Jean

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/625593612/625604858" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: The Songs of Robert Tannahill

The Tannahill Weavers, who are named in tribute to poet Robert Tannahill, are featured in this week's show. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Songs of Robert Tannahill

Hear the music and learn about the short life of an 18th century poet who wrote in the style of Robert Burns and composed well-loved songs that are still widely sung today.

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Songs of Robert Tannahill

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/623855718/623973134" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

This week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock includes music from Salsa Celtica. Salsa Celtica hide caption

toggle caption
Salsa Celtica

The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

What goes with what? When it comes to Celtic music combos, almost anything goes, as long as it sounds good.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Combos

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/621522720/621534466" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: The Strange Undoing Of Prudencia Hart
Pete Dibdin/National Theatre of Scotland

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Strange Undoing Of Prudencia Hart

Hear music from an acclaimed National Theatre of Scotland production that celebrates traditional poetry, storytelling and music woven through a supernatural tale.

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Strange Undoing Of Prudencia Hart

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/617253467/617264151" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Kickstarters

Noel Duggan, Ciaran Brennan, Moya Brennan, Padraig Duggan and Paul Brennan of Clannad on November 24, 1982. H. McCarthy/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
H. McCarthy/Getty Images

The Thistle & Shamrock: Kickstarters

Hear vintage sounds from some of the trailblazers of Celtic music, artists who influenced a generation of musicians across the world.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Kickstarters

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/611684595/611695987" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Brittany

Musicians Nicolas Quemener, Kevin Burke, Christian Lemaître and Charlie McKerron at The Celtic Fiddle Festival. Ben Costello/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Ben Costello/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Brittany

Hear intoxicating melodies from the father of the pan-Celtic sound, Alan Stivell, along with Kornog and the Celtic Fiddle Festival.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Brittany

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/610060751/610067088" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: The Road Of Tears

This week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock features music by Battlefield Band. John Slavin/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
John Slavin/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Road Of Tears

Fiona Ritchie's selections this week include traditional broadsheet ballads and music hall choruses from artists like Dolores Keane, Mick Moloney, and Battlefield Band.

The Thistle & Shamrock: The Road Of Tears

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/602314213/603564283" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: New Writing

This week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock features music by John Doyle. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Writing

Brand-new music, including festival commissions and soundtracks, from artists including Gillian Frame, Michael Rooney and The Macalla Orchestra, John Doyle, John McCusker and Mike McGoldrick.

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Writing

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/601127120/601792647" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Spring Is In The Airs

This week's episode of The Thistle & Shamrock features music by Liz Carroll. Marianne Mangan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Marianne Mangan/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Spring Is In The Airs

We feature your favorite Celtic artists including Nightnoise, Ossian, Liz Carroll, and Moving Hearts, as they create musical impressions and notions of springtime.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Spring Is In The Airs

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/598820287/599481583" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Harlaw

This week's episode of The Thistle and Shamrock features music by Bonnie Rideout. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Harlaw

Fiddler Bonnie Rideout and her musical guests perform ancient music commemorating the legendary events of the Battle of Harlaw in 1411.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Harlaw

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/586532979/597581092" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Thistle & Shamrock: Singing The Land

This week's episode features music by Karine Polwart. Sandy Butler/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Sandy Butler/Courtesy of the artist

The Thistle & Shamrock: Singing The Land

Hear music from Karine Polwart's award-winning theatrical event "Wind Resistance" and excerpts from fiddler Duncan Chisholm's "Sandwood," named for the finest and least accessible beach in Scotland.

The Thistle & Shamrock: Singing The Land

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/594334343/595273910" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org