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The heart of Irish traditional musician Mike Rafferty (IrishCentral)

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:45:27 PDT

Mike RaffertyShortly after midnight on September 13, the heart of Mike Rafferty, the genial Irish musician who held fast to the East Galway musical tradition in which he was reared around Ballinakill, stopped beatingComing two weeks shy of his 85th birthday and a year since he was proclaimed a national treasure in Washington, DC for sharing that tradition and weaving it into America’s tapestry, the passing suggested that his earthly work was done and he could leave us knowing that he had left his mark with so many who enjoyed his company and his music READ MORE

America pays tribute to Irish traditional musician Mike Rafferty (IrishCentral)

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 06:45:18 PDT

It was said to be an occasion of celebrating a number of “ordinary people who produce extraordinary art” who came together in late September in our nation’s capital to be honored as National Treasures for their lifelong achievements as heritage artistsNine folk artists were selected earlier this year out of 217 nominees and honored in a series of events around Washington, DC for the newly minted 2010 National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts for their contributions to traditional arts in America READ MORE

Mike Rafferty, A Mighty Treasure says the NEA (IrishCentral)

Thu, 20 May 2010 10:15:39 PDT

A young Mike Rafferty with his parents Kathleen and Tom "Barrel" Rafferty before he left for America outside his Larraga home in East Galway and later teaching at the Catskills Irish Arts Week in East Durham in 2008 at the Shamrock House (photo by Timothy Raab) with his Speed 78 cap on the dresser in the background The bride of 57 years took the phone call from Washington DC that many had hoped would come sooner but thankfully came later at long last READ MORE

Anticipated duet recording of flute player Mike Rafferty and protégée Willie Kelly (IrishCentral)

Fri, 15 May 2009 02:08:16 PDT

By: PAUL KEATING

“The new broom sweeps clean but the old one knows the corners.”