Photos from Tony Friel

Thanks to Tony Friel, a pillar of the bluegrass community in Ulster, for photos from festivals in Ireland over the last two months. The one above catches a moment from one of the long, intense jams in the marquee at the 1st Mohill Bluegrass Festival in mid August at Mohill, Co. Leitrim; members of Southern Welfare and the Down and Out Bluegrass Band are conspicuous. Also visible are John Gleeson of Carlow (seated, with dobro); and on the extreme right and nearest to the camera, Xavi Castanys (mandolin) of Barcelona.

Below: Tony (on the right) with the legendary Peter Rowan in the foyer of the Longford Arms Hotel in Longford town at last month's Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival; the right-hand background gives a glimpse of the many goodies brought over by the Eagle Music Shop, Britain's leading supplier of banjos, guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, and ancillary materials.