Four Men & a Dog made a name for themselves with their eclectic and vivacious blend of traditional Irish music with a wide spectrum of other genres, including rap, Southern rock, jazz, blues, bluegrass, polka, country swing, and even salsa.

Four Men and a Dog made their debut performance as a band in 'Murphy's Bar', Dungiven, County Derry, in 1990 before going on to steal the show at the Belfast Folk Festival later that year, with a high-energy approach that combines furious traditional dance tunes with irreverant new music and inimitatible covers.

Barking Mad, their debut album from Cross Border Media, snagged an award for Album of the Year from Folk Roots magazine in 1991, marking the first time that an Irish group had ever won the prize. Four Men & a Dog's music is enthusiastic and infectious.

During live shows it is also spontaneous, since band members do not rehearse. The group emerged in 1990 with a high-energy performance during the Belfast Folk Festival. Its name stems from the nickname of its original vocalist, Mick "the Black Dog" Daly.

Other original members included percussionist Gino Lupari, accordionist Donal Murphy, mandolinist and banjoist Brian McGrath, and fiddler Cathal Hayden. Kevin Doherty later replaced Daly as lead singer.

Around the same time, the group added James Blennerhassit on bass and Rod McVeigh on piano. Early in 1992,Conor Keane took over for Murphy on the accordion. By the following year, Gerry O'Connor stepped in for McGrath on banjo.

A later lineup consisted of guitarist Arty McGlynn, Doherty, Lupari, Hayden, O'Connor, and Keane. McGlynn, who produced the group's first album, formerly played with Patrick Street, the Clancy Brothers, and Planxty. Kean hails from the group Arcady, while O'Connor previously played with Skylark.

In 1993, Shifting Gravel, the group's second album, was not greeted by critics as enthusiastically as the band's debut. Objections arose over the pop-rock undertones injected by singer/songwriter Doherty. He pulled back a bit for the following album, Doctor A's Secret Remedies from Castle Communications in 1995, and added more narrative structure to the songs rather than his previous stream-of-consciousness stylings.

Castle Communications issued the group's next album, Long Roads, in 1996. Aaron Hurwitz, producer for the Band, engineered the recording at a studio run by Levon Helm in Woodstock, NY. Featured on the release are the Band's Rick Danko?, Randy Ciarlante, Garth Hudson, and Richard Bell. - Linda Seida

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Cathal Hayden

Cathal Sean Hayden was born on 13 July 1963, in the village of the Rock, Co Tyrone outside Pomeroy, an area immersed in traditional music. The third in the family of eight, he was born into a deep musical background. His father played the banjo and fiddle, and his mother was a pianist, while both grandfathers were fiddle players. His first instrument was a tenor banjo before since progressed onto fiddle. There was always great encouragement to play an instrument in the Hayden household; Cathal’s brothers, Stephen is also an accomplished musician. The family were often joined by musicians, who came at the invitation of Cathal’s father John, from various parts of Ireland. This tradition of holding a family session has now been passed down, with Cathal’s brother, Stephen, organising regular sessions at the family pub, held on the last Saturday of each month. Musicians that turn up on any day of the week are never turned away! Regretfully, Cathal himself rarely gets to play at these events, as he is usually away touring with his band or rehearsing for upcoming events.

Cathal’s father was also a great follower of the All-Ireland Fleadh and during the mid 1970’s, he brought Cathal all around Ireland to play and learn from other musicians. Cathal competed at this annual event from the age 12, right up into his early twenties, winning the title in both banjo and fiddle many times. It was here that he learned many new tunes and began absorbing other styles.

Cathal recorded his first solo album, ‘Handed Down’ in 1980, with his close friend and mentor, Arty Mc Glynn accompanying him on guitar. The tunes present on the album were all music that was passed down to him from his father through the years. Mc Glynn went to produce Cathal’s second solo offering, the self titled ‘Cathal Hayden’ in the summer of 1999.

Cathal’s first step into stardom began in 1988, with his participation in the band ‘Arcady’, which was set up by Johnny ‘Ringo’ Mc Donagh, who was a previous member of Dé Danann and an accomplished bodhrán player. In 1991, after leaving ‘Arcady’, Cathal formed the group “Four Men and a Dog”, creating history as one of the most successful Irish Traditional groups of the decade. Their first album, ‘Barking Mad’ won critical acclaim from all circles and became one of the most successful Irish Traditional albums ever. It also went on to win the Folks Roots award for ‘Best Album’ in 1991, becoming the first ever Irish band to pick this accolade. It blended together an eclectic mix of various Irish tunes, reels, jigs, hornpipes and polkas.

During the late 1990’s, “Four Men and a Dog” were touring constantly for up to ten months of the year. In 1998 the band decided to take a break from touring. During his time away from “Four Men and a Dog”, Cathal kept himself busy by teaming up with other musicians to play at events all around the world. He remained in contact with Mc Glynn, whose music he felt a deep connection with and used his influence to incorporate rock and bluegrass into his new style. He formed numerous alliances with other musicians, including the renowned accordionist Mairtin O’Connor, Piano Accordion maestro Alan Kelly, Bothy band piper Paddy Keegan but to name a few. In more recent years the duet with Mairitn O’Connor has taken him to far flung places like Basil, playing for the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, Tours of Japan with the famous O’Domhnaill family from Donegal, Maighread, Triona & Micheal and places like China, Iceland & the Faroe Islands as guests of the Donal Lunny band. Between the travelling he was still very much in demand, even now as a solo artist.
With so may calls worldwide for ‘Four Men and a Dog’ to return, it was inevitable that Cathal and the boys would reunite. After four years out of the limelight, they released another album, “Maybe Tonight” in 2002, which re-established their position as a successful Irish band.

More recently, Cathal has been involved in the Marie Jones play, “The Blind Fiddler”. He has helped arrange a score with the musical partnership of Máirtín O’Connor and Cathal Synnott (Piano & Keyboards) and played live on stage at each performance. It has played to audiences in the Lyric Theatre, the Grand Opera House, Belfast and in the ‘Assembly Rooms’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has featured on numerous national televisions and radio broadcasts, both in a solo and group capacity. “Four Men and a Dog” helped publicise each album with appearances on UTV’s ‘The Kelly Show’, various RTE & TG4’s programmes, including ‘Geantraí’.

From he first picked up an instrument, Cathal’s only ambition was to be a professional traditional musician, and to make a career out of his dream. After almost 30 years of playing, he had certainly accomplished his desire. He has always striven to promote the music and pass on the musical gene, down through his family line, which is now apparent in the talented playing of his nephew Stephen, an accomplished accordion player. His musical talent is famous, not only in his home villages, but throughout Ireland and the entire world. When not performing to packed venues in America, China or Australia, Cathal is just as content playing to a few people in his quiet local pub.

As a musician who has been involved in the release of many albums; both as a solo artist and a member of “Four Men and a Dog”, as well as his contribution to other artists’ albums, he remains happy in the knowledge that he has helped bring Irish Traditional Music to a worldwide stage, making it more popular than ever before. Throughout his long association with the Irish Traditional Music, he has earned admiration from all sectors and created an excitement and vitality never seen before in our rich and ancient heritage. A quiet an unassuming character, Cathal Hayden should be immensely proud of his contribution to Irish music. Through his virtuoso playing he has become an ambassador for fiddle and banjo players for the country as a whole.

Cathal’s latest albums are available on www.fourmenandadog. These include:
- Fiddle and Banjo solo album ‘Cathal Hayden’ HOOK 001
- Four Men and a Dog ‘Maybe Tonight’ HOOK 002
- Music from the Blind Fiddler, a play by Marie Jones featuring Cathal Hayden, Mairtin O’Connor, Cathal Synnott, Seamus O’Dowd & PJ McDonald.

Gino Lupari

Gino Lupari from Magherafelt in County Derry has been described as the 'god of the bodhran', which he wields with keen dexterity, but he is best know as the comic front-man of the band. Gino also does a share of singing. Gino is the heart and soul of the of the band and has the dual distinction of being one of the finest and the largest bodhrán-player. He shines on all of the group's albums, and even managed a rap song (Wrap It Up) on their debut album "Barking Mad"; a song that may be the bodhrán-player's anthem: Without exaggeration, Gino Lupari is one of the finest bodhran players around and his style of playing has been a major influence on some of the great young players.

Gino is an experienced session musician. He works regularly with the top artists in the Irish music scene, sessioning with the likes of Sinead O’Connor, touring and recording with Beware of the Dog and The Liz Doherty Band, hosting regular gigs in London and still finding time to slot in the occasional TV appearance.

Kevin Doherty

Kevin Doherty, from Co. Donegal in Ireland's Northwest corner, first took up the guitar in his mid-teens. In the subsequent years Kevin, with a clutch of self penned songs, played with several local bands and on the periphery of the thriving Donegal traditional music scene. The undoubted highlight of Kevin's time with Four Men & A Dog was a chance meeting in Norway with Levon Helm; singer/drummer with legendary Dylan sidekicks and legends of American music, The Band. As a result of a late night laced with songs and stories an immediate friendship was struck up, and Four Men & A Dog were invited to Helm's recording studios in Woodstock. Both of Four Men & A Dog's last two albums, "Dr A's Secret Remedies" and "Long Roads" were recorded in Woodstock. Kevin's songwriting abilities meanwhile were not going unnoticed. Most notably, Mary Black recorded "Donegal Breeze" for her Circus album of 1996. In the later half of 1997 Kevin decided it was time to return to the life of a solo performer.

A couple of discreet Dublin performances followed and time was spent writing new material to bring to his own shows. On a trip to Woodstock in early spring, Doherty met up with old friends The Band once more, were he provided the song "Don't Wait" and some backing vocals for their album "Jubilation" which was released in September 1998.

The climax of 1998 was yet another Woodstock visit for the recording of the self-funded debut solo album "Strange Weather". With Aaron Hurwitz on production duties and special guests Levon Helm and Rick Danko, Strange Weather became a celebration of the rural traditions of both Ireland and America, set against Donegal's rugged and remote expanse. The album release drew the following comments: "Doherty has a finely attuned ear for the modern beat poetry of isolation: songs such as Embrace Me and Paradise highlight how good the Donegal man can be when he has the bit between his teeth" - The Sunday Times

Gerry O'Connor

Described by many as the best four-string banjoist in the history of Irish music, lets creativity take him where it wants to. He's been doing this for some time now, and in the process has collected a great army of admirers not only in Ireland but also around the world. Described by Irish Music Magazine as a "banjoist extraordinaire," O'Connor has developed a phenomenal technique on the tenor banjo, which sometimes gives the impression that there are perhaps three or four clones of the man all playing at the same time, as is apparent on "Cam a Lochaigh" on his latest CD, "Myriad." In the tradition of the O'Connor family, Gerry was presented with a fiddle even before he was old enough to hold it properly. His father and uncles were all fiddle players. "The fiddle I got was to big for me and I couldn't manage it at all," he says, "But there was more to it than that. I wanted to be a bit different, sure I loved the music but I wanted to make a sound that was different from the fiddle."

It was this desire that lead him to the banjo after hearing a player from Limerick play at the Barge Inn in Garry Kennedy. O'Connor instantly fell in love with the bright, rippling sound and had at last discovered the vehicle that would allow him to make an enormous contribution to the development of Irish music. Gerry "banjo" O'Connor played banjo and fiddle with the band Four Men and a Dog during the 1990.

O'Connor's music has been featured on the BBC Series Tacsi and he has appeared as a guest on over 12 albums by such artists as Gordon Duncan and Niamh Parsons. Is he satisfied? "Well, I suppose it is the curse and the joy of the musician and the artist in general. You're never quite satisfied. I suppose the day I'm satisfied is the day I'll lay down the banjo for good." Gerry "banjo" O'Connor has made several tuition videos for musicians who are learning how to play the banjo.

Maírtín O'Connor

Máirtín began playing the accordion at the age of nine, and his remarkable career has seen him as a member of many of traditional music's leading groups including, Midnight Well, De Dannan, The Boys of the Lough, and Skylark. His first solo album 'A Connachtman's Rambles' established him as a solo musician and proved a major critical success. Máirtín's second solo album 'Perpetual Motion', released in 1990 is one of the best accordion albums ever produced by an Irish artist and displays his astounding skill, dexterity and versatility to the full. The release in 1993 of his 'Chatterbox' album gave further evidence of his outstanding technique, imagination and compositional talent. Máirtín also played on the very prestigious Paris Mussette (vol 2) as series of records chronicling the history of the mussette, featuring top French accordion players which is included in the Phonographic History of French accordion Music.. As a soloist he has performed with the RTE Concert Orchestra on Bill Whelan's Seville Suite and in 1995 he played a major role in Bill's world renowned 'Riverdance' .

He has also worked on the music for Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' featuring Ben Kingsley and written by Shaun Davey, plus Bill Whelan's 'Some Mother's Son'.

Also in 1995 Máirtín became the first recipient of the Allied Irish Banks, Traditional Musician of the Year award at a ceremony in his home town of Galway. The award was to acknowledge the tremendous contribution made by Máirtín to traditional Irish Music and in particular accordion music.

The Road West' his fourth solo album features thirteen of his most recent compositions including the title track 'The Road West' Many of his compositions here draw from his traditional roots and he enlists the services of some of Irelands' finest and accomplished musicians, many of whom he has played with over the years and the result is one of his finest works to date.

Dónal Murphy

Dónal Murphy was born in Birmingham, England, and moved with his family to Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, Ireland, in 1975. He started playing music at the tender age of eight years, starting first on the tin whistle. But soon he realised that he was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, and so took up his first accordion. It was a ‘Hohner Black Dot’, and he says it was the best present that ‘Santa Claus’ ever brought! He progressed rapidly, and before long won several All-Ireland titles in Accordion, Melodeon and group Competitions. He has always felt a deep grá for the music and style of the locality in which he lives, and has kept his ‘musical ear’ firmly tuned to the two primary influences on his life of music – his chosen instrument, the accordion, and the musical heritage of ‘Sliabh Luachra’. Dónal is one of the foremost and most dazzling exponents of the great style of music from this region.

It wasn’t long before Dónal was in demand for concerts at home and abroad. He toured Ireland, England, America, Sardinia, Seville and Japan with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. On one of these trips, he became acquainted with Cathal Hayden (fiddle) and Brian McGrath (banjo) – together in August 1990, they formed the now renowned ‘Four Men & a Dog’. Their album, ‘Barking Mad’, which was released in 1990, was voted Best Folk Album of the year in Hot Press Magazine. Dónal left ‘the Dogs’ in1993 because of family and other commitments.

He remained very much involved in music locally, and soon teamed up with Matt Cranitch (fiddle) and Tommy O Sullivan (guitarist/vocalist). The trio gelled, and a new entity was born. They recorded ‘Sliabh Notes’ in 1995, and soon the album title became the band name. A defining feature of this band is their powerful playing of polkas and slides, a thing deeply rooted in musicians from southwest of Ireland. Sliabh Notes have played most of the biggest Irish festivals in the world, namely Milwaukee, North Texas Irish Festival, Copenhagen, Torino Italy, as well as many more around Ireland. The band went on to record two more albums; ‘Gleanntán (1999) and ‘Along Blackwaters Banks’ (2002).

One of the highlights of Dónal’s musical career came in the summer of 1998 when Michael Flatley invited him to play in the Premiere of “Feet of Flames” in Hyde Park, London.

Dónal kept in touch with his friends from ‘Four Men and a Dog’, and eventually through massive public demand, a new album was in the pipeline. In March 2003, the lads were back in the studio recording a new album, ‘Maybe Tonight’. Following the release of this album, the band toured Ireland and many of the major festivals in Europe and Canada, gaining massive interest on their quest to play music in every corner of the globe!

Dónal Murphy has rightly established himself as one of the foremost and exciting accordion players of this generation. His knowledge and experience of Irish traditional music is something that is special, and you are never to be disappointed when this guy is in full flight! Alhough very busy touring with his musical ensembles, he still longs for the more informal powerhouse sessions in Abbeyfeale, Milltown Malbay etc!

Arty McGlynn

Arty is without doubt the finest and most sought after guitars player in Ireland with a unique understanding of music he performs. Born in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, is family were steeped in traditional music, but when his mother bought him his first guitar at the age of eleven, it was the great jazz guitar masters that he studied, and by the age of fifteen, he was already playing professionally. The late sixties saw him move further afield, trips to UK and USA, moving from band to band and adding the pedal steel guitar to his musical arsenal along the way. But by the mid seventies the endless run of one nighters had begun to lose their appeal and Arty was beginning to look for something more real, something that would excite him again. Towards the end of the seventies, Arty revived his interest in Irish traditional music and his first solo album, "McGlynn's Fancy", was released in 1979 to great critical acclaim.

This is the first recording ever in which the guitar is played in an authentic traditional style, and as such has been hailed as a classic in the traditional music world. Arty subsequently became one of the most sought after musicians in the country, playing and recording with the likes of Christy Moore, Paul Brady and Liam O'Flynn. He played as a member of such prestigious groups as Planxty, Patrick Street, De Danann and The Van Morrison Band.

Arty is equally in demand as a live performer, recording artist and producer. The album "Barking Mad" by the group Four Men & A Dog, which Arty produced, was voted Folk Album of the year by Folk Roots Magazine. He produced Christy Hennessy's album, "The Rehearsal", which remained in the Irish charts continuously for eighteen months, he also collaborated with Frances Black on her first two solo albums, "Talk to Me" and "The Sky Road", both of which have topped the charts in Ireland and have been critically received in the UK and America.