Phil O'Flaherty

Phil O'Flaherty Bio:

Phil O'Flaherty experienced emigration from Ireland as an eight year old. 'My job was to carry a bag of shoes and an old mandolin. We literally carried our music with us and managed to stay in touch with the music scene in Ireland'.

Those were exciting days for Irish music. Bands like Planxty and the Bothy Band, and singers such as Paul Brady were creating arrangements of traditional songs, reels and jigs that were driven by guitar, bouzouki, and mandolin. 'My imagination was ignited and I knew it was something I had to try myself'.


It wasn't until the early 90's that Phil formed Scatter the Mud, one of Canada's most traditional, yet innovative Celtic bands. Before the band dissolved in 2001, they had recorded two CDs and toured Canada from coast to coast.

In 1998 Phil was awarded first place in the CBC Alberta song writing contest.


These days Phil is concentrating on song writing and a solo career. His first solo CD, Too Fond of Walking, is a seamless mix of traditional and original songs. 'Some of the traditional songs are only left with the original lyrics. The melodies to Wild Rover and Dowey Houms of Yarrow, for example, are my own creations but the words, of course, are the originals. Irish music, particularly the song tradition, informs everything I create, but so does pop, bluegrass and jazz although not in any obvious way. Any song I perform or record is carried in my own baggage.'