Spirited reels and jigs, and haunting ballads of days gone by, harmonious strains and exuberant rhythms of new music born of deep roots — such are the pleasures of The Thistle & Shamrock. Now in its 20th year of national distribution, the one-hour weekly Celtic music series embraces the spirit and character of America’s thriving cultural influences.

Hosted by Fiona Ritchie, one of the most engaging hosts on the radio, Thistle comes to listeners from Edinburgh, Scotland, via NPR member stations. Ritchie beckons listeners to her radio soundstage, in the rich warm accent of her homeland. There, for an hour each week, music, legend and the sturdy fiber of Celtic culture are woven into a richly embroidered tapestry. While The Thistle & Shamrock’s magical strands reach back thousands of years, they also reflect an integral part of contemporary life in the Celtic fringe of Europe.

Thistle’s copious assembly of recordings showcase artists of today and yesterday and performances captured on location. Ritchie also presents exclusive in-studio appearances by leading Celtic music performers from both sides of the Atlantic.

The object of considerable critical acclaim and admiration from folk music communities, Thistle was conceived by Ritchie as a way to share the vibrant, joyful and authentic sounds of Celtic music with pubic radio listeners. Ritchie selected the show’s title to evoke the cozy pubs and lounges in which Celtic tunes are heard most often.

About The Host

Fiona Ritchie has been host of The Thistle & Shamrock since she created the popular, weekly one-hour series on Celtic music early in the 1980s. The show is now one of National Public Radio's (NPR) most widely broadcast music series.

Born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1960, Ritchie spent her childhood in nearby Gourock, a small coastal town on the banks of the busy River Clyde in Western Scotland. In a household where the strains of the BBC's "Home Service" filled her days, Ritchie developed an appreciation for music and a love of radio. Her mother's passion for Scottish songs and Ritchie's participation in a prominent youth choir nurtured a particular interest in the music of the British Isles. In 1977, she entered Scotland's University of Stirling to study psychology, and English and Scottish literature.

Three years later, Ritchie accepted a six-month position in the United States as a teaching assistant in the psychology department of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She returned to the University of Stirling in 1981 to graduate with honors in psychology. That same year, Ritchie went back to Charlotte and joined NPR member station WFAE-FM as a volunteer.

Four months later, she debuted on the air with the earliest version of The Thistle & Shamrock, featuring music drawn from a small number of albums that reminded her of home. In 1982 Ritchie became WFAE's director of promotion and development. In 1983 The Thistle & Shamrock began national distribution; Ritchie became full-time producer and host of the show in 1986.

During her stay in North Carolina, Ritchie maintained a base in Scotland, and traveled throughout Britain to keep in touch with the music she featured in her programs. In 1989 and 1990, she visited 22 U.S. cities with The Thistle & Shamrock Concert Tour, a live showcase of singers and instrumentalists heard on the radio show.

In the summer of 1990, Ritchie moved program production to Edinburgh, Scotland, to facilitate taping interviews and live performances, and to develop further her working relationship with the BBC, for whom she hosts occasional live shows. Ritchie travels regularly to Dublin to record interviews with Irish musicians often featured on Thistle. On return trips to the United States, Ritchie has visited NPR member stations from Louisiana to Alaska.

Ritchie's awards include a 1993 International Radio Festival gold award for best narration, and a 1992 Flora MacDonald Award from St. Andrew's Presbyterian College, Laurinberg, N.C. The latter award honored her efforts to broaden awareness of Celtic traditions in the United States. The show was also named a finalist in the "Best Regularly Scheduled Music Program" category in the 1992 New York Festivals International Radio Competition.

Roughly 500 Thistle & Shamrock tapes, along with concert recordings, playlists, newsletters, and related material, are now part of a working archive in the Scottish Heritage Center at St. Andrews College. The archive is open to anyone interested in studying the rich heritage of Celtic music.