News
The latest news
You never know who’ll turn up!
Proudly sponsored by Malachy Kearns
April 22nd 2024
‘Malachy Bodhran’ Christy Moore, shows off his artistry on his album Live at the Point. Also check out the songs Green Island and Aisling, on the album Smoke and Strong Whiskey (Columbia/Newberry Records). Johnny McDonagh considers him one of the two top players active. He exclusively plays drums made by Malachy Kearns. Gaelic Storm was the band playing in steerage in the movie Titanic. Preceding “Titanic Set” (Herding Cats – 1999), “An Irish Party In Third Class” was performed by Gaelic Storm in the movie Titanic in 1997. It is a variation of “John Ryan’s Polka”, a much older folk song. Also plays drums made by Malachy Kearns.
GalwayBeo Award
January 4th 2024
Galway shop scoops unusual top award winning Ireland’s best ‘special’ store. It seen off some top opposition too. Also in the specialist shop category was Roundstone Musical Instruments on Monastery Street. The shop has been in business for 45 years inside an old Franciscan Monastery and serves as the studio and shop of renowned bodhrán maker Malachy Kearns.
– https://www.galwaybeo.ie/news/galway-news/galway-shop-scoops-unusual-top-9014615
R.I.P Mick Maloney
November 17th 2023
Mick Maloney was a great friend and Humanitarian. He raised over €250,000 ++ every year for Mercy Centre Bangkok, usually by having a huge concert in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. His band was ‘Green Fields ‘. He visited Mercy Centre each year to teach Orphan kids music. I hope to go as part of team ‘to replace Mick’, it should need to be a big team! Mick my friend, a true gentleman. RIP. Beir bua, ”Malachy Bodhran”.
Chats of life?
July 10th 2022
Chats of life? I think @kearnsmalachy created the term. If only I could share the stories.
Dallas TV Star Patrick Duffy & Linda Purle
2022
– Dallas TV Star Patrick Duffy ( Bobby Ewing ) and His Wife Linda Purle chat and help Malachy finish off their bodhran.
Malachy Kearns to Princess Elettra, daughter of Guglielmo Marconi
October 07
– Across the Atlantic to Glace Bay Canada, an event that was to change mankind forever. Marconi sent the first radio message to Canada from Clifden/Roundstone on 7th. October 1907. To mark the Centenery of this event a Bodhran with Marconi’s picture hand painted on it, was presented by Malachy Kearns to Princess Elettra, daughter of Guglielmo Marconi. Roundstone Music was most honoured to make this presentation.
Billy Connolly took a short break from his new Dublin Show to vist Connemara.
June 9th. 08
– The world renowned Comedian Billy Connolly took a short break from his new Dublin Show to vist Connemara. A visit to Roundstone Music is a must for him. Here being presented with his own Mini Bodhran.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen being presented with a Bodhran.
June 19th. 08
– Maybe No to Lisbon but Yes to the Bodhran. Taoiseach Brian Cowen being presented with a Bodhran by Eamonn Walsh at a recent function at Government Buildings. Eamonn is currently the World Champion Uilleann Piper.
Malachy McCourt and Gifty and Malachy
March 07
– Malachy McCourt and Gifty and Malachy. Malachy McCourt is a candidate for Governor of New York. Picture was taken on a night out in N.York
Obama Bodhran
24th May 2011
– Malachy & Gifty Kearns were invited by the The American Embassy to make a special gift for the Obama Family – both parents and children Malia and Sasha, to mark their historic visit to Ireland.
Malachy with Patrick McDonagh & Frank Fahy TD
May 07
– At the the launch of the New FedEx DVD featuring Roundstone Music. Malachy with Patrick McDonagh
(the ‘star’ of the DVD)and Frank Fahy TD re-elected to the Dail May 07.
“The Late Late Show” Gay Byrne and his wife Kathleen Watkins.
June 07
– TV personality a long time host of “The Late Late Show” Gay Byrne and his wife Kathleen Watkins dropped into the workshop for a visit.
Malachy with the the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern TD.
June 03
– You never know who’ll turn up!
Malachy with the the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern TD.
Tainiste Mary Harney T.D
June 05
You never know who’ll turn up!
Tainiste Mary Harney T.D. & Malachy Kearns at Roundstone Music Craft and Fashion…..”maybe playing the Bodhran is good for your Health.!!!!”
Malachy’s old friends “The Chieftains”
September 06
– Malachy’s old friends “The Chieftains” turn up to play in Connemara Sept. 06
An excellent night for the Community
March 26th. 2002
Senator Hillary Clinton in Dublin.
Senator Hillary Clinton and former First Lady of the USA
paid a visit to Dublin recently. While shopping in the city she decided it was a “must” to have a Roundstone Bodhran !!
Visit her website here.
June 2003. A visit from Kevin Conneff
June 2003. A visit from Kevin Conneff, bodhran player with the “Chieftains” Seen here with Malachy choosing a new Bodhran in the workshop.
See them here: The Chieftains
Bodhrans at the Special Olympics Ireland – June 2003
The Special Olympians from Estonia paid a visit to Roundstone Music and got a bodhran each. They promised to play them at the opening parade in Dublin. Here you can see them preparing to march – to the beat of the Bodhran of course!! Our Bodhran’s also featured in the wonderful stage-show at the opening ceremony.
A European First
On Tuesday 22nd February ’00 Bodhran.com became the first website in Europe to carry the Chambers of Commerce ChamberSeal logo of Verification. The presentation took place in Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin. Present at the launch of the Seal were Government Minister for Public Enterprise Mary O’Rourke TD, Tom Clarke, President CCI, Simon Nugent, Chief Executive CCI , Paul Skehan, Deputy Secretary General, Eurochambers and, of course, Malachy Kearns, Managing Director of Roundstone Musical Instruments. The ChamberSeal verifies that this website is part of a properly constituted business engaged in e-commerce.
Article in Frommers 98
Milwaukee Festival August 98
Malachy Bodhran will be a guest at Milwaukee Festival 14th – 16th August 1998 and will have lots of bodhrans with him for you to choose from and will sign them along with his new book Wallup!.
Malachy
Wallup! receives reviews
By Des Kenny of Kenny’s Bookshop, Galway.
Balingrá the movie was filmed in Roundstonefilm.jpg (14101 bytes)
The entire movie, Thats our bodhrán in the photo
Roundstone Musical Instruments have just received the WORLD EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS to put the Riverdance Logo on bodhráns made by Roundstone Musical Instruments.
Johnny Ringo Mc Donagh
A new photo of “Johnny Ringo McDonagh” and “Malachy Bodhrán” (75Kb) taken after a recent visit to Malachy’s Bodhrans workshop. Ringo heads up the percussion with the Riverdance Troupe.
Milwaulkee Irish Festival
Roundstone Musical Instruments at the Milwaukee Irish Festival 15th-17th of August 1997 .Malachy Kearns will be appearing as a guest within the Cultural area of the Milwaulkee Folk Festival within the “Cultural area” – 15th -17th August 97. While there Malachy will sign copies of his new book “Wallup” – the Humour and Lore of Bodhrán Making. He is taking lots of Bodhráns and tuneable Bodhráns with him and will show the making and playing techniques . Eddie Cotter of Inisheer will also be assisting . Also see our hard plastic moulded Bodhrán case including delivery to the U.S.A.n_stamps.jpg (41682 bytes)
NEW Irish Stamp
Malachy Kearns is now a part of the aural and written tradition of Ireland. He was acknowledged by the Irish Govenment in 1997 with a postage stamp.
Roundstone Musical Instruments in Kenmare 16th of June 1997
Malachy Kearns will be at the Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare midday on June 16th showing some of his bodhráns, while the local area will be having an 18th century theme celibration involving vintage cars and much more…
“WALLUP!” Roundstone Musical Instrument launches a new book.
Roundstone Musical Instruments at the Eurovision
In 1997 RTE broad-cast the Eurovision Song Contest Saturday May 3 rd . Over three hundred million people in Europe Australia and the Middle East were watching on the night. Through out the programme there were video postcards intersperced between each song. The dominant themes these postcard were focused upon are The Islands”, “Music and Dance” and “Monuments in Time”. Shots of Dun Aengus, the Aran Islands and the Roundstone bodhrán maker Malachy Kearns were among some of the items features in the video clips. The Programme was the largest live television satellite transmission in the world and for the first time ever will be carried on the Internet.For details on how you can receive information about how the Eurovision Song contest went please visit their web site.
Ireland’s Master Bodhran Maker
Roundstone Musical Instruments is the studio and shop of renowned bodhrán maker Malachy Kearns, or Malachy Bodhrán as he is fondly know. The Bodhrán is one of the oldest Irish musical instruments, a one sided hand held drum that is made through traditional methods using treated goat’s skin stretched onto a Birch frame. Colourful designs are hand painted onto the bodhrán including by request family crests.
Malachy has handmade all of the bodhráns used in Riverdance over the past 25 years.
