The Celtic Fiddle Festival functions as a fixed trio rather than an event. Its name traces back to a 1992 U.S. tour assembled as a one-off project that brought together three standout Celtic fiddlers. Those capacity shows were taped for Green Linnet, and the resulting album’s strong sales prompted the same three players to mount a second tour in 1994.
The core members are Scotsman Johnny Cunningham, Irishman Kevin Burke, and Frenchman Christian Lemaitre. Although the fiddlers dominate both stage and recordings, additional musicians appear. Boston guitarist John McGann performed on the first release and wrote the piece “Canyon Moonrise.” For the follow-up tour, Soig Siberill, also of Komog and Gwerz, took over on guitar.
Burke, born in London to parents from Sligo, carried his Sligo-style fiddling into Christy Moore’s projects after leaving Planxty. A leading Celtic fiddler since the 1970s, he has led Open House, played with the Bothy Band and Patrick Street, and recorded for Green Linnet with Michael O’Domhnaill. Cunningham stayed with Silly Wizard until the band ended in 1989 and also belonged to Nightnoise and Relativity. Lemaitre, raised in Brittany, worked with Paris-based Fiddle Dee Dee before joining Pennou Skoulum and Komog.
In 1996 a parallel lineup called Celtic Fiddle Festival II appeared, consisting of Scotsman Brian McNeill, Irishman Martin Hayes, and Canadian Natalie McMaster, with guitar support from Glasgow’s Tony McManus and Chicago’s Dennis Cahill.
