Tim O’Brien and The Crossing

Town Hall Cavan Sat 10pm 20 049-4361312; The Grand Social, Dublin Sun 7

Town Hall Cavan Sat 10pm 20 049-4361312; The Grand Social, Dublin Sun 7.30pm 18 01-8740090; Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo Mon 9.30pm 20/18 071-9161518; The Dock, Carrick-On-Shannon Wed 8.30pm 15/12 071-9650828

Rafters will be reinforced in anticipation of the arrival of Grammy award-winning bluegrass fiddler, singer, mandolin player and songwriter Tim O’Brien and his turbo-fuelled band, for a much-anticipated Irish tour.

On this tour, along with his song and tune books, he’s got such top quality band members as Mike McGoldrick (of Capercaille) on pipes and flute, John McCusker on fiddle, Arty McGlynn on guitar, Flook’s John Joe Kelly on bodhrán and Heidi Talbot on vocals.

O'Brien fluently "speaks" both Americana and Irish music and this tour promises much in the way of shared tunes and duelling storylines, with both traditions likely to be laying claim to such linchpins as Down In The Willow Garden.

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Mountain music that travels just as well across the plains.

Siobhán Long

Siobhán Long

Siobhán Long, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about traditional music and the wider arts