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Kevin and Ron speak with Caoimhín Mac
Aoidh and Glenn Hendrix, co‑authors of Islands of Fiddlers, a book documenting the musical and historical ties between Donegal and Beaver
Island. The conversation explores how the Donegal fiddle tradition crossed the Atlantic, how it endured through players like Patrick Bonner, and how two scholars — one from Ireland, one from Michigan — came together to preserve that story.

Throughout the episode, both guests share
tunes that illustrate the tradition they’ve spent years studying. The show
concludes with a short bonus segment following the credits.

Link for Book: donegalfiddlemusic.ie

Caoimhín Mac Aoidh is a fiddle player and uilleann piper with a strong focus on the Donegal fiddle tradition. He was fortunate enough to meet, play with and collect from many of the older generation of master Donegal fiddlers. He is a founding member of Cairdeas na bhFidléirí, the award winning organisation which has been promoting Donegal fiddle music for nearly half a century. Caoimhín has written eight books on Irish fiddle music, again mainly focussed on the Donegal tradition. He has toured, lectured, taught and broadcast widely. He was a regular columnist with Fiddler Magazine. In his studies of the Donegal fiddle tradition he came to be aware of the playing and history of Patrick Bonner of Beaver Island and Patrick's important Donegal connections. Arising from that he had the pleasure of working with Glenn Hendrix on publishing Islands of Fiddlers.

Glenn Hendrix is a fiddler interested in Michigan’s rich fiddle traditions. He has played for square and contra dances all over Michigan and for dances at Holy Cross Hall on Beaver Island. Glenn has collected many Michigan fiddle tunes and co-wrote Michigan Jamboree, a book of these tunes. He also wrote Songs of Beaver Island, an article with background stories and transcriptions of over twenty songs composed on or about Beaver Island.

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On a cold, wind-driven Saturday at Rannagh Park, it’s easy to mistake what’s happening on Arranmore for just another football match.

It isn’t.

In this episode of The Tides That Tie, we trace the story of Arranmore United—a club built not just to compete, but to help hold a community together.

From its beginnings in 1987—when three rival island teams set aside differences to form one side for one island—to the present day, where players travel hours and cross open water just to make kickoff, this is a story about commitment, identity, and belonging.

You’ll hear from past and present voices of the club, including:

• Founders who helped bring the team into existence
• Players from the 1989–90 era that set the standard early
• Current players navigating emigration, distance, and modern challenges
• Young voices hoping to carry the club forward

At the center of the episode is a powerful moment from 2019—a cup final that captures everything the club represents: pride, loss, community, and resilience.

This isn’t just about football.

It’s about what happens when a place decides it needs something to rally around—and refuses to let it disappear.

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In this episode of The Tides That Tie, Ron Gregg brings us into a time when life on Beaver Island was shaped entirely by Lake Michigan—its rhythms, its risks, and its rewards.

From the height of the 19th-century fishing era to the quiet work of winter, this story captures what it meant to live in constant relationship with the water. Guided by the distant lights of Whiskey Point and Skillagalee, we follow the early crossings between Beaver Island and the mainland—journeys made by sail, skill, and experience alone.

More than a story of travel, this is a portrait of island life—of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring connection between people and the water that defined their world.

Links:

Skillagalee Lighthouse and Chart: Skillagalee Island

Woods Hole Historical Museum: Tools for Harvesting the Ice

Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Trail: A Good Boat - The Mackinaw - Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Tr

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This bonus episode is an interview with Jerry Early and John Gallagher on their song, "I'll Go", which tells the story of the Arranmore RNLI rescue of the Dutch steamer Stolwijk. The interview discusses the songwriting process and the importance of keeping the story alive.

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The Tides That Tie – The Arranmore Lifeboat

For more than a century, the lifeboat crew on Arranmore have answered the call when someone is in danger at sea.

In this episode of The Tides That Tie, we hear from Nora Flanagan, Ciaran O’Donnell, and John McCafferty about the history and mission of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution station on Arranmore.

From early lifeboats powered by oars and sails to today’s modern rescue vessel, the story of the RNLI is one of volunteers, community support, and generations of islanders committed to saving lives along the rugged Donegal coast.

Their message is simple: when the pager goes off, they go.

Learn More or Support the RNLI

The RNLI is a charity that relies on public donations to operate its lifeboats and train its volunteer crews.

If you’d like to learn more or support their lifesaving work, visit:
https://rnli.org

Featured in This Episode

Nora Flanagan
Kieran O’Donnell
John McCafferty

To learn more about the Beaver Island Irish Heritage Group, visit:

https://www.biihg.com/

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In the heart of Lake Michigan lies Beaver Island, a place steeped in history and culture, closely linked to Arranmore County in Donegal, Ireland. This podcast episode of "The Tides That Tie" takes listeners on a journey through the significant role of the Beaver Island Historical Society in preserving the island’s rich heritage. With insights from original founders and local historians, the conversation highlights the dedication and passion that have kept the island’s history alive.

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Why has Ireland been so outspoken about Palestine?

In this episode of The Tides That Tie, guest host Micaela Cole of Beaver Island is joined by Brian Proctor and Fiona Ní Ghlóinn of Arranmore to explore why this issue resonates so deeply in Ireland.

Rather than advocating a position, this conversation focuses on context — how Irish history, colonial experience, displacement, and control of narrative continue to shape empathy and response today. Drawing on island life, generational memory, and lived experience, the episode offers American listeners insight into why many Irish people see familiar patterns when they look at Palestine.

This is a conversation about history, understanding, and how the past continues to inform how communities respond to the world around them.

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A Live presentation of the annual "Home for the Holidays" showcase on Beaver Island, recorded at the BIC Center on December 6, 2025. Featuring Holiday Carols and stories about Christmas past on the Island.

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