TradChattanooga’s Irish Sessions: Come As You Are, You’ll Belong

By Courtney Cochran

The first time I joined an Irish session, I was sure I could jump right in. I was a solid musician, comfortable improvising, and eager to play. But every time I started to catch a tune, it slipped into another. Then another. Before long, I was completely lost.

It felt like everyone else had a rulebook—or maybe a tunebook—that I didn’t.

What I didn’t understand then is something every Irish session quietly teaches: listening is part of playing.

What an Irish Session Is Really About

Irish sessions aren’t performances. They’re not auditions. They’re gatherings—musicians playing for themselves and for each other. Listening, learning, and simply being present are just as important as joining in.

At first, it can be frustrating not to know the tunes or keep up with the pace. That’s normal. Irish music is learned by ear, over time, through repetition and shared experience. Sessions are living traditions, shaped by the people who show up.

That’s what makes them special—and welcoming.

A Lifelong Pull Toward the Music

I’ve loved Irish music for as long as I can remember.

When I was five, my mother’s friend married a man from Derry. Their wedding took place in a small church in northeast Tennessee, and his family traveled from Ireland to attend. Afterward, they gathered at our home and danced late into the evening.

I remember lying on the floor, watching their feet pound against the dark wooden planks as the music vibrated through my chest. I didn’t know what the music was called, but it danced in my head and stayed with me.

Learning, One Tune at a Time

Years later, when I began learning Irish music in earnest, it took a patient mentor, Tom Morley—who had built a lifetime of work in music notation to slow things down, mark bowings, and break tunes apart. Even now, I’m still discovering new tunes and new details hidden inside familiar ones.

Irish music can be a hobby, a community, a creative outlet—or something deeper. For many of us, it’s also a connection to heritage. According to the U.S. Census, about 1 in 10 Americans claim Irish ancestry, and you can hear that shared pull every time a session starts up.

You Don’t Have to Know the Tunes to Belong

If you’ve ever been curious about Irish music but unsure whether you’d “fit in,” here’s the truth:

You already do.

Whether you play, listen, or are just starting out, TradChattanooga’s Irish Sessions are a place to learn, connect, and soak in the music—no rulebook required.

Join Us at TradChattanooga’s Irish Sessions

All instruments welcome
Listening is encouraged
Community comes first

Come sit in, stand back, or simply listen. The tunes will come—and so will the sense of belonging.

Join us at the next TradChattanooga Irish Session and see for yourself.

How Irish music became part of my life