“Back to Donegal” is a collection of traditional & newly composed tunes & songs from Ireland. Featuring Hughie and Kathleen Boyle (father & daughter) on piano, accordion and vocals, this cd is a real gem. It moves from fast flowing jigs and reels to beautiful slow airs with special guests Joanie Madden (flute & whistles), Mary Coogan, (guitar), Manus Lunny (bazouki) , Theresa Kavanagh (fiddle) and Charlie Boyle (drums & backing vocals), Anna Boyle Philbin (backing vocals). “A wonderful collection of traditional Irish music and songs beautifully performed by Hughie and Kathleen Boyle. It’s a rare treat when you can capture the magic of family members making music together which brings us all back and reminds us of why we fell in love with Irish music in the first place.” “It’s their first album together and a class album, I highly recommend it.” Joanie Madden, Cherish the Ladies “There is nothing clouded about blood coursing throught the veins of the Boyle clan when it comes to proudly playing Irish music, and if you spent some time with this recording, those feelings will make you like you are at home as well.” Paul Keating, The Irish Voice Glasgow based musician Kathleen Boyle comes from a family steeped in the traditional music of Donegal. She has won All-Scotland and All-Britain titles on both the Accordion and Piano. In 1999 she made history as the first graduate of traditional music in Scotland, from the R.S.A.M.D. where she now teaches. Kathleen has appeared on numerous national television and radio shows in the UK, America and Canada. She has performed on tour and at festivals in the UK, America, Canada, China, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Austria and Czech Republic. Kathleen is a member of the bands Cherish the Ladies & Dochas, as well as performing as a solo artist. Hughie Boyle Accordionist, pianist and singer Hughie Boyle is a very popular Irish traditional musician. Hailing from Cronashallog, Dungloe, Co Donegal, Hughie comes from one of the most musically acclaimed Irish families in Donegal music. He is the son of the renowned fiddler Neillidh Boyle, composer of the “Moving Cloud” reel. From a very young age Hughie was exposed and influenced by many great musicians and singers who came to ceili in his family home such as Seamus Ennis & John Doherty. Hughie started off his musical career playing in his father’s band the Neil Boyle Family as part of “The Magic of Ireland” show performing in the Metropole Theatre, Glasgow in 1960. He later formed the showband “Anna & the Statesmen” with his siblings Anna, Paddy & Charlie. In the 1960’s & 70’s they toured all over Scotland and Ireland sharing the bill with Dickie Rock & The Miami Showband, Joe Dolan & the Drifters and Brendan Bowyer & the Royal Showband. Today, Hughie is well known as the leader of the Tirconnail ceili band, with whom he still plays alongside his daughter Kathleen (accordion) and brother Charlie (drums). Throughout his career Hughie has graced the stage with Cherish the Ladies, Dochas & Julie Fowlis, Clannad, Moya Brennan, Phil Cunningham as well as Seamus McGee & Daniel O’Donnell to name but a few. Hughie has a great passion for music that reflects in his playing. He plays accordion with a vibrant energy, at high speed and yet has a great lift & bounce that will be sure to get the feet tapping. He is renowned for his soulful phrasing of slow airs and is also one of the most sought after traditional irish accompanists around.