Kathleen Collins

Kathleen Collins, of New York, was the first American-born fiddle player to win an All-Ireland Fleadh championship, in 1966. In 1976, she released a seminal album of fiddle tunes in the Galway style entitled Traditional Music of Ireland on the Shanachie label, accompanied by James Mahon on piano. For the next several decades, she focused on teaching Irish set dancing In 2008 she released My Book of Songs, accompanied by Galway-born pianist and guitarist Gabe Donohue.