Clareen Banjos on RTE

The RTE station TG4 has just broadcast (9.45-10.15 p.m.) a feature on the banjo in Irish music, which centres on the work of Tom Cussen of Clarinbridge, Co. Galway, maker of Clareen Banjos. The programme included plenty of good banjo sounds (with one speaker stressing the 'aggressiveness' of the instrument) and a good brief survey of the banjo in Irish music, giving due credit to Barney McKenna for the introduction of the GDAE tuning. And yes, the 5-string did get one mention (though not the fact that banjos with long necks and thumb-strings were around for many decades before the tenor). Tom Cussen makes great banjos - including 5-strings - and can be contacted either at his own workshop or at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford this coming September.