Sligo River Blues beside the Sligo (Garavogue) River

Posting this especially for Rich Gall @leadzeppbelly who requested this one a while ago. Rich is one of the earliest subscribers to this channel and still tuning in. This is my take on John Fahey’s Sligo River Blues Live at Osta Café on the final day of this year’s Sligo Live Festival. Being on the banks of the Garavogue seemed like the perfect excuse to play this beautiful tune. Hope you enjoy Rich!

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

Right place, right time, right gal, right guitar! I wish Fahey was still around just to see this...

[@tdb517]

I have a deep, deep love for Fahey and it brings me joy to see young people, not that i'm very old myself, playing and sharing Fahey's brilliant music. I'm playing this song almost every day to my newborn son, as it is one of the only pieces by John Fahey that is easy enough for me to play. Thanks for this beautiful rendition.

[@ghostdestiny1]

Very rarely at my age am I left dumbstruck,but last night watching you on jools Holland,I sat there speechless, such talent is rare indeed, wow,

[@billquailes7882]

Excellent - Thank you - I just "discovered" you - Old man in the USA

[@steviemack2580]

My mum is from Sligo. She’s 92. I’ll be playing this to her over the Christmas. Good luck with Jools x

[@haroldsteinblatt2567]

It’s so nice to see you where you belong - on stage, sharing your gift. I am so happy for you and your dad, Muireann.

[@riffraffrichard]

John fahey yes love this one!

[@rkrbar]

Lovely that someone so young and talented has found John Fahey. Challenging music and a challenging personality even in his day.

[@guitartommo2794]

Captivating performance on Jools Holland. Pure talent.

[@emmaogorman8819]

Brilliant, you're going to be a big star, in a class of your own!

[@sporranheid]

The power of music. This makes me want to laugh and cry all at the same time. 👍

[@ghengis5410]

Love to hear that John Fahey coming through. Your Dad must be one hell of a player too.

[@rockyb9160]

Just seen you on Jools. Love it. My 11 year old daughter plays guitar quite well. Hope she has the confidence and voice like you some day. 👈✅👍

[@shawndooley7778]

She's gonna be big

[@shirleymurray2232]

Muireann you ACED it on Jools.. go you!!

[@dublincitytoday]

Outstanding talent... Wishing you the best for the new year and beyond... 💚☘️🎶🕺🎵💃🎶☘️💚🇮🇪

[@taranunya336]

Incredible and quite frankly you are stunning

[@kerryevans1562]

I am on the Muireann Bradley Train For life... The pride of Donegal ... She can sang.. Greetings from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪 You stole Da show on the hootenanny Darling..

[@BIKERJIM]

Deffo 🎉

[@billyminihan901]

Amazing work on Jools Holland Muireann, you did yourself and the country proud. 🎉🎉🎉 Enjoy the celebration

[@brianr.hartmann327]

This is so pleasing to the ear.

[@diqital_aviator]

There is something I find so melancholy and pure about this song. I always seem to recall long summers. Bird sounds. And that was merely about a decade and a half ago. Time really flies. This song just unlocks something, like, not fully, but you get that hint into the nostalgia of the past which doesn't seem so real - so distant, but so familiar and close.

[@tomordon7583]

John Fahey is one of our favorites! Great job! Tom and Lori Ordon Taylor, Texas

[@1blastman]

I'd love to hear her cover Fahey's "Yellow Princess".

[@twoeagles19]

If i never saw You playing i'd believe you were an old famous bluesman gitpicking ! Pretty dazzling axeful gallop on that Gitfiddle ! ✌👏

[@tracymckee6371]

I've watched other version's of this song today on youtube, but you are clearly heads and shoulders above them! Terrific version. Thanks

[@ballesterosI]

I just recently discovered your work on the blues and soul show (spotify podcast). I've always loved to "travel" in music and with such talent the music will certainly travel aswell. Hope the best for you and keep the blues smiling!

[@johnford7847]

Beautiful rendition. Thank you for sharing.

[@xntricity6446]

Well done with your performance on Jools Holland show❤ fantastic

[@1blastman]

Great cover, Keep on, keepin' on!!

[@wheninroamful]

Just found you today; holy cow!! You are playing all the greats, from MJH to Blind Blake to Fahey. You are incredibly gifted, and i know you've put a lot of time and work into playing too. Im a fan and excited to see where music brings you, and you it!!!! Ive been playing for 25 years and really need to step up my game, haha.

[@peterburke3035]

So good, Muireann. I hope we get to see you down under here in Australia sometime soon. I first heard about you when a couple of our local community radio presenters were raving about you on their shows. Now I know what they were talking about. Everything they said was true and more. All the Best Muireann. Have a Great New Year and keep on playing and singing the blues as only you can. You're very special.

[@eddo5436]

John Fahey is my favorite guitarist, and you do him justice. I like the depth of feeling and melancholy in his music.

[@gameboy228]

OMG Muireann. I have been following you for several years now and have been overjoyed with your playing and talent. I love this music and you play it so well. It wasn't until today when I watched this video and heard you speak that I knew that connection was so deep. You see, my families heritage originated in Donegal. I feel most at home when I'm in Ireland and I'm overwhelmed with pride that you're from the old country and playing this music. I can't wait to hear your next album. Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing much more of you in the future.

[@liamgaynor3576]

Just discovered you on Jools Holland, fsntastic

[@dieselman7453]

Wat a tune to play in Sligo 👍👍👍top notch seen u on jools Holland fair play ur amazing 🇮🇪🇮🇪🎸🎸🎸👍👍👍

[@TheDennzio]

Brilliant.

[@donaldrose5530]

I loved your album. Best of luck with this special music. I hope you put out something new soon. No pressure

[@Nathan-zq5gy]

Beautiful

[@timszeliga1158]

I had to go to Silver Springs, Maryland for a conference. Had to visit the next town over, Takoma Park. Took a twilight walk along the Sligo River Parkway, saw New Hampshire Avenue and many sites name-checked in his song titles. Saw the library was open and stopped in to see what kind of CD selection they had. Nary a one and the librarian had never heard of Fahey. The prophet is without honor in his own land. This was before the Thousand Incarnations of the Rose festival of Fingerstyle Guitar, so the situation might be better by now.

[@MuireannBradley]

I hope it is, my god there should be a statue or something.

[@richardshields6171]

Good on you, hard to beat a bit of Fahey.

[@musicmoonk]

Very cool tune thank you for sharing! Great playing 🎉

[@dealer205]

Hi, just found you after a peter doherty post, love your playing and singing. My favourite style of guitar, i havent played for years now but feeling the urge after hearing you play, amazing!

[@loilt5091]

I’d love to hear her take on the daunting, Lonnie Johnson…mere mortals tread lightly. Her captivating combo of voice & guitar would be a welcoming touch!

[@jennysulzberger7351]

Awesome, Muireanne. We are definitely following you.

[@gregmaryhughes6830]

Great job! I've been enjoying your CD immensely.

[@dejaliloquy]

This is real music if ive ever heard it ❤

[@blmjr]

Just lovely! Thank you for sharing this with all of us.

[@mjw12345]

Watch out Garacogue River, the great Mississippi might sweep this lady away. Lovely, Muireann!

[@healy3]

That was really good

[@MrPvgo]

Well done! It's fun to watch you add your personality to these awesome songs.

[@williamhole1914]

I like it ! So wonderful ! Congratulations for your choise of music !

[@jimmysqueezyronin5623]

Awesomeness, what a great talent🎶

[@midn43]

I'm a Bradley who's living in USA who's family emigrate from Londonderry over 150 years ago. Proud of our cousin from back in the old country. Nice work ma'am.

[@anthonygillespie6977]

Nobody on the island of ireland comes from Londonderry

[@Cobratate6000]

Beautiful play🎉

[@leadzeppbelly]

Wonderful Muireann! Also so pleased to see you on Jools tonight! You are a wondrous talent! Happy New Year to you and wishing you all the success in the world

[@wmialil]

Makes me shiver. A great performer

[@jamescassidy5852]

Beautiful Muireann what more can I say just beautiful.

[@davelandreth185]

Cool song and very nicely executed, as usual.

[@raystargazer]

Very nicely done!

[@karbon712]

You are a gem Muireann, so pure and authentic😇

[@mettsmusic3460]

Excellent! Love Love loving your CD by the way!

[@MuireannBradley]

Great to hear you like it William, thanks for the support as always another one of my earliest subscribers ❤️

[@johnryan7761]

If this song doesn't transport you there's something wrong with you. Wow 😮

[@zatoichimasseur6767]

Fahey was the first one to look up and sea the moon.

[@Messihippi]

What a perfect tune for the occasion! Beautifully played, Muireann - I bet you got a real buzz out of that! 😁😄👏🏽👏🏽

[@MuireannBradley]

Thanks so much ! I learned this the week before especially for this gig. I decided I wanted to try to play 5-4-6-4 on the C chord parts unlike John’s original recordings where he leaves out the 6 on C. It didn’t take long to figure out why he did it that way but I couldn’t give in so I kept at it until I got it ! ☺️🙏

[@Messihippi]

Yup, I spotted that. Impressive thumb work. It messes with your head until you get it, then you wonder what was so hard about it!

[@MuireannBradley]

@Messihippi 🤣🤣So true !

[@kevinmorrow2788]

Chris smither said it took him 7 years to get the alternative thumb thing down!

[@BluzFan]

wow that was crazy good!

[@billylindros3023]

I absolutely love Muireann's playing and am a long term fan of John Fahey's playing. His name is actually pronounced Fay Hee, not Fah Hee. John grew up in Tacoma Park Maryland and gave some of his tunes rather grandiose names based on local locations. He named this for the Sligo Creek which ran near his boyhood home. But it's really cool that Muireann was playing it near the Irish Sligo River.

[@MuireannBradley]

I know Billy but in this part of Donegal we pronounce your name the way we think it should be pronounced not how you think it should be pronounced, it’s just something you have to get used to if you live here 🤣

[@Radaep1]

Lovely Muireann, love yr picking ❤🎉😮😊

[@bid84]

Such a great guitar player. Reminds a little of early John Martyn, your performance on Jools was top notch too

[@stevefranklin6041]

Another winner, Muireann!❤

[@daviemcf]

Brilliant picking Muireann....Just saw you on Jools Holland. 👏👏🎸🎸

[@MaximAndrd]

I really love how you play the guitar, it reminds me a lot of "Roberto Lara: Argentina - The Guitar of the Pampas". I highly recommend it 😃🖤

[@Dreyno]

Lovely. I live in Sligo so learned to play this (badly) years ago but I don’t have the finger picking skills you do.

[@lawrencevandenberg7725]

Steel strung classical? Yummy. Deep rich sound!

[@sclapple3192]

Its not a classical its a steel string with a slotted headstock they are generally called parlor guitars.

[@allrequiredfields]

Sounds fantastic. And thank you SO MUCH for not using an acoustic with an internal mic. External miking for acoustics is SO important and its just unforgivable plugging them in.

[@andrewhumphrey1047]

WOW. This song is very hard to play and you throw alternating bass on the C chord for extra flavor. Amazing

[@AmariLambo]

Just saw you on jools and woah! Candyman could be the sound track for a cohen bros movie has that vibe you’re really onto something with your style im sure you got plenty of compliments there too because of it

[@zorbanongreco]

My kinda music 🙂

[@Oklahoma-Dreaming]

It’s interesting because it almost sounds like you’re playing a banjo. I can’t recall anyone getting a tone like this out of a steel string. But I watched another video of yours and it was awesome. Obviously you’re really talented.

[@garymelnyk7910]

A very well observed comment!

[@noelmcgovern8995]

She was excellent on jools Holland Hootenanny.

[@grantonian4142]

Please , please do some Robert Johnson for us Muireann.

[@DjNikGnashers]

I'll admit. I thought oh here we go, a cute young girl who can't play the guitar but will get 100k likes just because she's young and cute. How wrong I was, you can really play !!! Really nice piece, well played, loved it.

[@mamaduhalyan6006]

Muireann, If you ever get a chance have a listen to Same Old Blues by Clarence Gatemouth Brown. If you havent already heard it.

[@kaecake9575]

Blind Blake and Blind Lemon brought me here👍

[@mrgreeley8500]

you should get a 12 string 2 finger picks and try some leadbelly or blind willie mctell.

[@martinmcdonald4207]

Jimmy Page would be proud. Bravo .

[@crystinamcdonough9120]

Hi! Anywhere in Dublin you'd recommend lessons?

[@alexfletcher5192]

You can't go wrong with JF.

[@SingleMalt77005]

Can someone tell me what guitar she is playing?

[@missknewbie1193]

Waterloo WL-S Deluxe

[@zorbanongreco]

Hers

[@SingleMalt77005]

Aren't you the clever one? @@zorbanongreco

[@zorbanongreco]

@@SingleMalt77005 yup

[@shawndooley7778]

This young lady is gonna make it to the grand ole opry

[@beestonpoet]

Great ..if u want to colab or any unreleased songs to cover or potentially release ..I am a songwriter who has lots of songs that would sound 1001times better with u putting Ur magic to em . One in particular I think wud suite u well called ",Changing Her Ways' obviously the lyrics cud be changed to Changing His Ways" etc . An u could be creative an add more eventful guitar playing to it .. I donr 3 versions of the song an they are on my page in the 300 Songs I Wrote Myself ..playlist .. feel free to check out if an when I find time If u don't wish to ..no worries Just an attempt to get my work covered by ..I ain't no gigging artist or a guy who wants to be out there..I am ok singer but nothing amazing .. . But I have devoted alot of my life to writing songs and wud be cool if could establish myself as a songwriter 4 others ..I believe I have written some potential hits of done by the right people Lee Foster

[@spazzymacgee5648]

So amazing to see a young Irish girl play this type of blues music, its usually the terrible 'country' crap that young ones get into. This is amazing. Her life is about to go crazy.

[@rimjobson]

Woo hoo! ... augmented MJH.

[@melchorh]

Da Da Da Damn that's amazing talent right there! Great song by MR. That performance was just as great! BIG Iron Indeed. Killer sound engineering

[@user-ek1fx5hy6s]

Beautiful