Live from Bushmills and New York City (NYC), Niall Toibin and Gerry Kelly host this four-part programme celebrating the joys of Irish folk music, in time for St Patricks day!

Found in the "most beautiful corner, of the most beautiful island on earth" is the "world's oldest distillery", the Bushmills Inn. It is here, that the night kicks off with fiddle player Sean Maguire playing a tune for the bar. Back to NYC and Pete Seeger explains the heritage of Irish folk music and how, without it, there "wouldn't be American cowboy songs". 

A riveting performance from The Chieftains sets the tone for Richard Harris, who makes mention of the troubles of Ireland and the various charities he sponsors, in an effort to ease tensions. He finishes with a poem he wrote about the conflict on the island. Next, we meet Mary O'Donnell, a fashion designer who shows off her designs from the Irish film Love Spell (1979).

Part three and four introduce an assortment of famous faces from the Irish folk scene, including archive footage of the McPeake family in 1963. The programme concludes with Toibin reading a message from the Whitehouse, before the true celebration begin off camera for the one day each year that "everyone claims to be Irish!"

An Ulster Television Production.

Hosted by Gerry Kelly and Niall Toibin 

New York Director: Bruce Milliard

Bushmills Director: David Donaghy

Programme Associate: Tommy Sands

Executive Producers: Michael Beattie and Moore Sinnerton

Produced by David Donaghy

Other Contributors: Ralph McTell, Liam Clancy and “The Fairweather Band”, Shivaun O’Casey, Tommy Sands, The Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur, Peter Yarrow, Lucy Simon, Francie McPeake and Francie McPeake Junior, and Bob Horan. 

Ulster Television would like to thank: 

The Tavern on the Green (New York City), The Bushmills Inn (County Antrim, Northern Ireland), Are Lingus, The Northern Ireland Tourist Board, The Old Bushmills Distillery, Bill McAndrew, Charles Comer, Maebeth Fenton,

• NI Direct - PRONI
• McPeake Family