Burning Bridget Cleary

Burning Bridget Cleary are a Celtic trad band from SE Pennsylvania. They have been playing professionally and recording since 2006. They are known for their tightly woven fiddle and vocal harmonies, backed by driving guitar and djembe rhythms.

Their material is traditional – spiced up with distinctive interludes and some original tunes. They list Liz Carroll, John Doyle and Steeleye Span as influences on their music.

The band consists of Rose Baldino (fiddle/vocals), new member Deirdre Lockman (vocals/fiddle), Lou Baldino (guitar/vocals), and Peter Trezzi (djembe).

Three albums to date

They have independently produced three full-length CD’s: Catharsis (2006), Everything is Alright (2008) and Totes for Goats (2011). Everything is Alright was awarded “Album of the Year 2009” by CelticRadio.net in Boston.

They released their first single, Store Mo Chroi in May 2012. The title ‘Store Mo Chroi’ translates to ‘Darling of My Heart’ and is a fairytale fantasy of young love. It has been described as charming and beautiful by fans and music industry professionals. You can view the video of the song below.

Visiting the real Bridget Cleary’s home

The band have done numerous tours along the East Coast of the US but they visited Ireland in 2011. They played at seven venues from Dublin to Galway. While they were in Ireland they paid a visit to the home of the band’s namesake, Bridget Cleary, the last witch burned in Ireland.

In 2007, during a prior trip to Ireland, the band members had dropped their first CD with a note behind a boarded up window of the cottage, which was up for sale. Months later, when the new owners of the property discovered the little package, they contacted the band with an invitation to visit if they ever came back.