The Skaggs connection - again

In addition to playing mandolin and guitar with Westport's Clew Bay Critters string band, Brian Lofthouse is a remarkable luthier, building high-quality carved- and flat-top guitars and instruments of the mandolin family (mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, and cittern).

A display of his instruments is part of each annual Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, and they are also available through Kieran Moloney's shop at 17 High St., Galway city - where one of Brian's octave mandolins was bought by Jake Workman of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. A brief video of Jake playing the instrument can be seen on the Critters' Facebook and also on YouTube.