THE fall music season is off to a great start already with many opportunities to take in some great live music and support those who make it. Coming up on Friday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. is a special opportunity to hear two lads who were weaned on traditional music back in the Banner County of Clare growing up, and have continued to make a living out of it though they have taken different paths in doing so.

When Martin Hayes joins his cousin Christy McNamara at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City to celebrate the New York launch of Christy's recording The House I Was Reared In it will offer an opportunity to experience the music as they may have heard it growing up from some of the finest exponents in the tradition from Clare and elsewhere.

Along with detailed liner notes, the CD booklet samples some of the dramatic black and white photography that McNamara is known for over the years, and given greater exposure in the book The Living Note he co-produced with writer Peter Woods.

Hayes who has had a banner year himself with many awards and praise following the release of his own CD Welcome Here Again with long-time musical partner Dennis Cahill, appears on the CD as well.

The New York Irish Center is at 10-40 Jackson Avenue and offers an intimate setting for this pair who will be accompanied by Eamon O'Leary. Reservations are encouraged at 718-482-0909 . . .

ON Sunday, October 19 at Rory Dolan's in Yonkers, Kitty Kelly launches her new CD Catskill Fever downstate at 8 p.m. The gregarious singer will be joined by special guests like Joanie Madden, Bernie Fee, John Nolan, Jerry O'Sullivan, Brendan Fahey, Eileen Fogarty, Mike McGovern, Frank McKenna and Peter McKiernan . . .

ON Saturday, October 25 in the New Haven area of Connecticut, the Irish American Community Center (9 Venice Place, East Haven) presents the Next Generation as fiddler Katie Linnane, box player Sean McComiskey and pianist Matt Mulqueen perform there. Linnane, a native of Pearl River attends Quinnipiac College nearby and teaches at the Center and McComiskey (son of Billy), while Mulqueen are mainstays of the thriving Baltimore music scene. Call John O'Donovan at 203-281-3563.