Question re Celtic/Irish/Chieftains music

This link may be helpful too:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/3BD6YGT2HFJRQ/ref=cm_bg_guides/102-6339634-8813754

I like a Scottish group: "Ossian" (pronounced osh-an).
Their "Borders" album is very authentic and "peaty".

How could a thread about "Celtic" / "Irish" influenced music not include at least a mention of The Pogues ?!?!?! Not exactly as mellow as the The Chieftains, but highly enjoyable none the less. If you don't mind knockin' a few brews back and getting smacked in the head with a shillelagh for dancing on the tables and kicking full stein's of beer off the bar, this is the band for you : ) Sean
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PS... Elvis Costello just divorced Kate O'Riordan of The Pogues so that he could marry Diana Krall.

PPS... The Pogues is short for "Pogue Ma'Hone", which is Gaelic for "kiss my ass". That should give you a clue as to what most of their music is like i.e. full of spunk and contempt fueled by a few "cocktails" : )

This covers a wide range of music as the list above indicates.
One decent compilation that covers everything from traditional jigs and reels to contemporary songwriting and the link to American artists is Bringing It All Back Home from 1991-I'm not sure it is in still in print.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70401081748502113&sql=Ajcv1z87a3yv1

might give natalie macmaster some listening time. kurt

http://www.nataliemacmaster.com/