During those ten years, they have succeeded in asserting a sound, a style, and a name. With four studio albums and three live albums on the counter; travelling across stages, festivals, and continents, the seven Franco-Irish musicians continue to refine their elegant and daring re-reading of the Celtic music tradition, shaken with great blows of rock energy, pop melody and folk magic… Quite a journey for a band that was only to be a « one-shot » creation at the « Vieilles Charrues festival », in July 2014…

The energy, the desire and the freshness will therefore have been the strongest for this gathering of adventurers, rallied around the name « THE CELTIC SOCIAL CLUB » and a simple artistic program: propelling traditional Celtic music (Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Asturia) by mixing it with rock, pop, folk and groove. Organized like a stage commando, the «CELTIC » plays a lot in Europe, flies to Asia, and then the United States, (including an emblematic show in Central Park, New York). They then set out to conquer the United Kingdom, even though they knew that the English were not inclined to indulge in “French” groups, with their fourth album, DANCING OR DYING? (2021). Discovered by the emblematic Janice Long from BBC, the singles « Home » and « Over The Line » were then regularly played on BBC 2, the biggest radio station in Europe. The « CELTIC » obtained a fullpage interview in the culture section of THE TIMES newspaper, a rare event for a French group in England, and also appeared on the cover of ROLLING STONE magazine in France !

If The Pogues and The Clash have often been cited in an attempt to summarize this energetic and ambitious musical “mash-up”, the « CELTIC » has little by little found its marks and its stability, to the point of making references and comparisons obsolete today. The BAND continues the DANCING ON DYING TOUR, culminating in an appearance on the main stage of the « Vieilles Charrues festival » on July 14, 2023, and is preparing new material with its new singer from Dublin, the talented Taylor Byrne, who has already proven himself on several singles (The Auld Triangle, Far Away From Here, Suddenly…). Releases which prove that Manu Masko, Goulven Hamel, Pierre Stephan, Céline Rivaud, Mathieu Péqueriau and Richard Puaud have ambition to spare and a formidable stage commitment to assert their position as a challenger!

Whelan’s Main Venue • Wed 4th February 2026

€18 available online from Whelan’s – €1 per ticket service charge applies. Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Silent Disco from 10:30pm – 2 DJs, just pick the one you like best (€5 cover charge), plus Late Bar

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From Monday to Friday at 6:10 PM, tune in for a series of segments about upcoming projects, the band’s latest news, and their next live dates. The perfect way to get in the mood before the Breton concerts:

📍 February 13 — Brest: Cabaret Vauban
📍 February 14 — Penmarc’h: Salle Cap Caval

🎶 Stay tuned all week on Breizh Music Actu.

The post Manu Masko, Guest of the Week on Breizh Music Actu appeared first on The Celtic Social Club | UK.

In an interview published by The Irish Post, the best-selling Irish newspaper in Great Britain and worldwide, Taylor Byrne looks back on his unlikely journey — from busking on the streets of Dublin to becoming the lead singer of The Celtic Social Club. A story shaped by intuition, encounters, and a shared Celtic soul. When Taylor Byrne first received a message on Instagram from a French band he had never heard of, he thought it was a scam. He ignored it for two weeks. Not long after, he found himself standing on a festival stage in western France, singing in front of 2,000 people. At just 24 years old, Byrne is now the Irish lead singer of The Celtic Social Club, joining the band in 2022 and becoming its only non-French member. Formed in 2013 by drummer and founder Manu Masko, the group already had more than a decade of history and an impressive international touring résumé when Byrne stepped in. “I literally went from playing to no one on Grafton Street to playing festivals,” he says. “It all happened very fast.” Originally from Finglas, on Dublin’s north side, Byrne had only been busking for six months before music became his full-time profession. Once street performances paid the bills, he left his job at IKEA without hesitation. Busking, he says, was his real training ground. “People aren’t there to listen to you — you have to stop them, make them engage.”

“That’s the guy”

A first performance in Temple Bar marked a turning point. Guitar in hand, something clicked. The flow, the connection, the feeling — it was undeniable. One of those moments would soon change everything. Manu Masko had come across a YouTube video of Byrne performing Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out. At the time, The Celtic Social Club had just lost its previous singer and needed to move fast to honour upcoming tours. “Manu saw the video and immediately said, ‘That’s the guy,’” Byrne recalls. Trusting his instinct, Masko reached out. After finally replying, Byrne met him for coffee in Dublin. The connection was immediate. Two weeks later, he was in France for rehearsals. Soon after, he was on stage in Saint-Palais, near La Rochelle, for his first show with the band. The excitement, however, came with doubts. For a long time, Byrne struggled with imposter syndrome, joining a group with years of experience and tours across Europe, the US and China. “It took me time to understand what they saw in me.” Today, that doubt has faded. Byrne describes the experience as life-changing, crediting his bandmates for teaching him what it truly means to be a professional musician. Sharing the stage with them, he says, is “an immense privilege”. Though largely French, The Celtic Social Club has deep Celtic roots. Most members come from Brittany, a region that proudly embraces its Celtic identity. “There’s a romantic view of Ireland in France,” Byrne says, “but more than that, there’s real respect — for the culture, the music, the history.” Ironically, it was after moving to France that Byrne truly discovered traditional Irish music, having not grown up in a household where it was part of daily life.

“But I did — and I’m glad I did. Why not?”

His earliest musical influences came instead from across the Irish Sea. “The Beatles were my first love,” he remembers — a radio moment that led him to pick up a guitar and start writing songs of his own. Songwriting now takes centre stage on You Should Know, the band’s latest album, released in October. Byrne was deeply involved in the writing process, eager to prove himself creatively. “I wanted to show that I could bring something to the table.” Recorded collectively by all seven members in the bassist’s studio, the album captures that shared energy — friends making music together. Produced by Nick Davis (Genesis, The Pogues, XTC), You Should Know marks a new chapter for the band. As the tour continues across Ireland, England and France, Byrne looks back with perspective. “If I hadn’t been so young and naïve, I probably wouldn’t have said yes,” he reflects. “But I did — and I’m glad I did. Why not?”

Link : https://www.irishpost.com/entertainment/how-a-dublin-busker-became-the-voice-of-the-celtic-social-club-302485

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Hailing from Deux-Sèvres, Manu cut his teeth both in the studio and on stage, notably with Red Cardell, before firing up this collective project with its eyes and ears wide open to the world. His mission: make Celtic tradition collide with modern sounds by bringing together musicians from every corner and style.

Beyond pounding the drums, Manu is often the spark behind the band’s artistic choices and collaborations. He was the one who spotted Taylor Byrne in a busking video and invited him to join as lead singer—injecting fresh energy into the band. With his creative vision, stage experience, and love of musical crossovers, Manu stands as the beating heart of the project.

Part producer, part groove-master, part ringmaster, he has driven the band across Europe, producing several acclaimed albums—most recently Inventory, celebrating the group’s 10th anniversary with daring musical flair and explosive arrangements.

Sound craftsman, artistic engine, and restless explorer, Manu Masko embodies a modern Celtic identity—always moving, always reinventing, always bridging roots and rebellion.

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