Summer Update

I hope you are all enjoying the start of summer. I just updated the concert calendar on my website with a bunch of new shows so I hope you will check it out. Robbie's Concert Calendar

I will be teaching a class on Songs, Singing and Performance at both the New York Irish Arts Week and Irish Week at the Augusta Heritage Arts Workshop in Elkins, WV
Class Description

The Celtica Heart of Ireland Tour in May was a huge success and, as usual, we had a wonderful time. I'll be joining Brian O'Donovan again in September on a WGBH learning Tour called an Irish Sojourn. This will be our 4th WGBH tour and it is almost sold out. So if you are interested in that, please don't delay in contacting WGBH Learning Tours for more info.
Visit Ireland with WGBH learning Tours

For those of you interested in the May 2008 Celtic Heart of Ireland Tour, we are still working on the itinerary but it should be on the website in the next few weeks. Celtica's Heart of Ireland Tourl

Last year I joined the board of the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI. Russell, Bob, Mary Lee and all the volunteers have have created an amazing venue for both performers and audience. I have been a great admirer of the wonderful work they did in restoring a beautiful building and the incredible line-up of acts they bring through there each year so I am delighted to now be part of it. This year, on July 21st, they are having a Celtic festival at Diamond Hill State Park in Cumberland, RI. I lived in Franklin, MA for many years and every time I drove by the park, I though it would be a great setting for a festival. Now it is about to happen so I am really looking forward to it. They are also in need of volunteers for both the festival and the theatre so if you are interested, please contact them.You can find out more at:
Blackstone River Theatre Festival

Over the years I have played with lots of different musicians and I always enjoyed it. It keeps the music fresh and gives a little edge to the performances. This summer will see a few new musical collaborations. I am looking forward to doing more shows with Aoife and Donal Clancy and George Keith as the Clancy Legacy as well as with James Hamilton, the flute player, who will be joining us for the first time in Webster, MA and in Butte, Montana. Sea songs have always been a special favorite of mine so I am thrilled to be doing a Sea Music Festival in Quebec with Dan Milner, one of my favorite singers.

For the past couple of years I have been working on a book of stories from the Irish music scene with four other singers, Dennis O'Rourke, Seamus Kennedy, Frank Emerson and Harry O'Donoghue. Dennis came up with the idea and edited the book which is a collection of stories and anecdotes about life on the road, the gigs, the characters and the craic. It is called, " Clean Cabbage in the Bucket and Other Tales from the Irish Music Trenches" and it will be available in July. I will do a special emailing when I receive some copies and it will be available on the Celtica website and from Amazon.com. It was a lot of fun writing the stories and Dennis did a great job of pulling it all together. Having five different voices telling the stories gives it a broad range and an interesting variety of styles so I think it will be a great fun read.

It's going to be a busy summer for me but I am looking forward to it and I hope to see you all at some of the shows.