Pretty proud of this little guy! He puts his time in and plays sessions every thursday.
Awesome! If you’re ever passing through Wheeling, WV on a Monday night, let me know.
Pat
NextgenIrish,
I can hear why you are proud of Patch, very nice fiddle work. It is always nice to see young folks carrying on an interest in Trad. I thought Patch looked very much relaxed and within his comfort zone while playing, Nice playing Patch! 
Slainte,
Cayden
@ Plunk, we’re in South Jersey. But were always looking for session wherever we go. @ Cayden, we’re very proud indeed. Not only is he a
talented fiddler, he’s a all around good kid too. He puts his time in playing celli’s and actually has a big following with the seniors. The old ladies love him!
NextgenIrish,
It’s the “old ladies” that love him today, but it will be the Trad groupies that will love him a few years down the road. 
The lad certainly has talent and will just get better with time. Nice to see that Patch is loving his fiddle.
Cheers,
Cayden
Hey George, thanks for posting Patchy’s video. He is humbled by the response. It took me a long while to convince him to play at the event because it was a competition. I won him over by telling him we could play together at it and have some fun with it. The fun part was picking a few dance tunes the fit into some ceili sets. The O’Carolan tune “Wendall’s Wedding” was his choice instead of a slow air that most kids would choose. He played that tune at our nephew Andy’s wedding. His association with the Irish Traditional Music is really a blessing because he is really getting to understand the community and cultural identity that comes with playing. It’s funny, he spent most of last year learning tunes for the dance sets from a nice fellow from Tyrone, box player, that usually leads the music in the dances around the Philly metro area. Now, we hardly miss a ceili dance..lol..
Hey George, did you ever see this one of Patch up in New York? He was with his brother and another friend. Both are great whistle players. This was filmed at the end of a great set of jigs. We were just setting around waiting and started a nice long set of jigs before the scheduled session started.
Good example of how Patch can string his tunes together and take the lead.
I’m curious about young Patch. How long has he been playing now? Did he start learning violin before taking an interest in Irish trad music? School music, or private instruction? Does dad (or other parent/relative) also play fiddle?
Very nice playing from the lad. 
BTW, the Carolan tune is (Planxty) Madame Maxwell.
This is his dad. He had an interest in the music first listening to my collection of cd’s. He always wanted to play the violin for Irish trad after hearing the Chieftans, Lunasa, Solas, etc. We started him with a classical teacher (about 7yrs old) and he studied the Suzuki method. He picked up basics pretty fast, so after 6 months of learning he started learning irish tunes by ear. He still works classically but only with bowing and phrasing. He still has his other Irish Trad lessons for his tunes as well (Clare Style). I play the guitar (DADGAD) to accompany irish trad music and we head out to our regular local session faithfully every Thursday. He likes the session format and ceili’s. He just has fun with it and enjoys the people he has met along the way. I am very careful to teach him to share his music with others as it will be part of his journey through life! and school comes first ..lol
Sorry, it was madame maxwell…I forgot that he changed his selection at the last minute…
Hey Bob,
Nice work by all. Seems to me I saw a clip of Keegan playing Farewell to Uist somewhere along the way. Loved seeing Alanna switching off between concertina and fiddle. So great to see these kids so deeply involved in ITM. Both of my daughters were championship level step dancers and it is all such a wonderful connection to their Irish roots. Loved the whistle playing by Keegan and Mike. Patch, keep at it lad, you have the magic in ya. Bob, nice to see you playing guitar and sharing the music and your time with these great kids.
Slainte,
Cayden
Yes, It is awesome to see the kids all coming together. Their group in Philly, The Next Generation, will hopefully pass on an impress other kids to join in. It’s been great fun and very rewarding to play with the kids and at the sessions as well.
Bravo to Patch. He plays well with nice clean intonation and a much better bow arm than many much older than he.
Not at all to run Patch down, but I notice you also posted this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeSXUTm9lKA
Good Grief! Who is she? She look like she’s playing a 3/4 instrument because she is so tiny, but that is amazing sound and technique from one so young. She and Patch ought to get together. They’d make beautiful music…in the literal sense!
If these kids all stay with it, we are witness to stars in the making. They have such great technical skills now, and that will only improve and all while their brains are still developing. Love to see the pure joy on their faces as they play the Trad.
Cayden
That is Haley Richardson. She plays classical as well. Her teacher for Irish is Brian Conway. She likes to play in competitions and has played in several feadhs, She’s been playing about 6-yrs and that is a 3/4 violin. She is also a member of the Next Generation in Philadelphia. The fellow that took the vids is another parent. His daughter plays the violin and concertina and her name is Alanna Grifffin. She also has been to several fleadhs.
Next Generation indeed! Look out folks, we are about to become even less relevant! 
No way, with both my boys learning new tunes at a scorching pace, it makes me work harder to keep up! If anything, with any youngsters picking up the trad music on this side of the pond, it’s a good thing for the continuation of sessions and ceilis.
Hello Patch, hello Bob G. I usually see you posting on the LI site, but, its even nicer to see you posting here on C&F and its a good place to be.
I think they already made the movie The Natural but it could be remade with your Patch as that is simply awesome playing.
Post up regularly… and thank you Patch!
Well, I was here years ago and left. Now Patch’s brother is playing Flute and Whistle so it’s a natural progression to come back over here and keep up with things. Thanks, Patch just likes playing with friends and stuff. His uncle wound up posting here after we went to Bethlehem. I had to push Patch to go there on the premise that we could play together for the comp…I wound up playing along with his friend who went as well. It was fun, but not like session events and dances…Now we know.
Welcome back. Well it takes all kinds of experiences to get the full enjoyment out of playing. Patch and his brother Mike along with the other youngsters in the Next Generation should realize how much pleasure their playing brings to people. Be sure and have the whistle and flute players post on those forums as well. Be sure to tell Patch and the others that yes we are watching and enjoying their playing.
I also viewed all of the YT uploads from the Catskills CIAW 2012 and just have to say you all fit right in with the best of the best of ITM. 
And thanks to the camera guy too.