Celtic Note

One star for existing-​in the age of mega-​chains and one-​style fits all stores, it’s nice to see a thriving independant going.
One star for their vast array of Irish «paddywhackery”-sometimes a CD of pub ballads that doesn’t come from Carroll’s is a godsend
One star for having some decent sales-​several «buy 3 for 20Euro» deals on CDs and similar on DVDs
One star for going live and bringing acts to the daytime streets of Dublin
Minus one star for bringing acts to the daytime streets of Dublin and running out of their CDs
Neutral on the fact that one of those live acts was Crystal Swing… laugh or weep… still undecided…

There isn’t much that I can add on top of what the lads are saying. I wouldn’t buy a CD in here, and most of the DVD’s are a bit on the crap side. However, I did pick up the complete series of Black Adder for under € 30 two Christmas’ ago. One of the soundest investments ever made, and for that alone I find it hard to criticize Celtic Note.
Plus they’re independent, and I like that in a shop.

Expertly positioned on Nassau St to catch the tourists coming off the coaches, and named with a view to attaining maximum resonance with Americans who are under the illusion that they are Irish, Celtic Note is what it would be like if Carrolls bought over HMV.
No paddywhackery bullshit is spared. Celtic Note sell only Irish (and some World) music. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like the Dubliners, the Fureys, the Dublin City Ramblers, Paddy Arthur and the Wolfe Tones as much as the next man (AND I can do quite a nice rendition of «Spancil Hill», thank you very much). But Celtic note also pimp out the music of Foster and Allen, charlie Lansborough, and all manner of dewy-​eyed, warbling, cacophonic dross.
On the other hand, Celtic Note is handy in that it has a Ticketmaster outlet on the premises, so if you’re around Nassau St and don’t fancy trekking to HMV on Grafton St to buy your Electric Picnic tickets, Celtic Note is quite useful in that sense.
So if you do want to buy a Christy Moore album, better off heading to Tower or HMV, it’ll probably be cheaper and you won’t have to wade through nauseating Tommy Fleming and Jack L displays to get it.

Now I have an idea what your thinking; why oh why would I go down to this end of Nassau street, which is full of tourists and go to a skiddle-​de eye music shop.
Celtic Note is no road records or even HMV for that matter. Its a nice little independent music shop all the same. Specialising in mostly Irish artists as well as roots music. Yes theres novelty Bodhráns and tin whistler for the tourists as well.
They do great deals on DVD’s too, host live music sessions with well known Irish artists every so often as well.
If you must drive into Dublin city centre (not advisable) Setanta car-​park is right underneath the shop

Celtic Note would not be my favourite music store. Yes they have a good selection of Irish Trad and World Music but it mainly seems to be the popular trad compilations and it can be harder to find that elusive CD unlike Claddagh Records in Temple Bar.
They seem to me mainly geared toward selling merchandise to US and European visitors!
Anytime I have been looking for a certain CD, they never have it so off I have to trot to Claddagh where I usually find it!

While Tower on Wicklow street undoubtedly has a better overall selection of a general Irish music, it’s Celtic Note where you’ll find both the many gems from trad, folk & roots that the bigger store has missed, and more here of the specific fiddle, pipe, flute type of stuff. Very often it’s not as pricey here as Tower either. It’s a specialist music shop, & not just for Irish & Scottish interest either.
I get certain moods for Irish music, I’ve yet to have the Daniel O’Donnell or Fosters & Allen mood and God take me if I ever do! I love traditional stuff, and I’m always keen to hear new stuff too, particularly female vocalists, I’m easily won over with Celtic, particularly Irish women in music! I live in London and do buy online, but very often whats on ebay or amazon is like a best of compilation without more obscure tracks.
Take the 1950’s ‘Queen of the Gypsy’s’ Margaret Barry for instance, with her incredibly powerfully raw voice singing a heartfelt ballad in a strong Cork accent. I’d first heard her in the early 70’s as one of my aunties had a LP of hers. I really wanted to get a CD that had both of my favourite of her songs on it ‘My Lagan Love” and «Factory Girl». Online I’d seen them separately available on 2 different best-​ofs, but Celtic note had a 21 track CD I’d not heard of before, with both of these two on it, together with unfamiliar songs & different versions.
They’ve a mail order website too, but that doesn’t seem to reflect their range instore, and call me silly, but when I’m in Ireland I get inspired to hear & buy more!
They’ve a very good selection of Irish dvd’s here too. I bought the excellent film The Garage here last year € 8 cheaper than Tower! YES! Once I’ve bought something I’ve this awful habit of going into another shop to see if they’ve the same thing, not just to justify my impulsive spending spree, but also to make me glad I bought it when I saw it coz they don’t have it here! I’ve had that feeling many a time after buying from Celtic Note, and later browsing at Tower!
Worth noting that most Saturdays throughout the year at 1pm you can hear live music sessions here, in the past these sessions which are free have included visits from established trad acts like The Chieftains, De Dannan & Sharon Shannon.