Browse Content (338 total)

Flowery Hills of Scotland, The

01-22_The_Flowery_Hills_of_Scotland-Reel.pdf
According to Nicky McAuliffe, Michael Coleman and James 'Lad' O'Beirne, master fiddle players from County Sligo, recorded this reel on a 78 RPM recording machine in Mr. O'Beirne's home on November 5, 1941. I have not had the opportunity to hear that…

Part of:

Jack Coughlin's

01-23_Jack_Coughlins-Reel.pdf
I met Jack Coughlin only once, sometime in the early '60s. Jack was a lovely flute player in the lyrical and flowing style associated with East County Galway. He was living in London when I was introduced to him by my lifelong friend, master musician…

Part of:

Jimmy Neary's Polka

01-24_Jimmy_Nearys_Polka.pdf
Another tune from the repertoire of fiddle master Johnny McGreevy. It is played on this recording by the talented flute player Shannon Heaton, who at one time lived in Chicago but now resides in Boston. Thanks, Shannon, for taking the time to travel…

Part of:

Visit to Chicago, A

01-25_A_Visit_to_Chicago-Reel.pdf
Johnny McGreevy had an amazing repertoire of Irish music. He kept so many tunes circulating in his native city, and he was always generous in passing them along. The prolific composer, fiddle player, and pianist Josephine Keegan graciously recorded…

Part of:

Silver Slipper, The

01-26_The_Silver_Slipper-Hornpipe.pdf
Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band from Boston recorded this tune in 1929 on a 78 RPM record. I came to befriend the band's banjo player, Neil Nolan, back in the '70s, and we had many good times playing music. Neil played his instrument left-handed and was…

Part of:

Tart ar an Ól

01-27_Tart_ar_an_Ol-Jig.pdf
A version of this tune can be found in The Roche Collection, but I first heard it played by Eddie Moloney from Ballinakill, County Galway. Eddie, Tommy Mulhaire, and his son Brendan were among those who travelled on a number of occasions in the 1960s…

Part of:

Jenny Dang the Weaver

01-28_Jenny_Dang_the_Weaver-Reel.pdf
This tune is also known as 'Tom Fitzgerald's'. A version may also be found in O'Neill's Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody. Thanks to Johnny McGreevy, who introduced this tune to me, and thanks to one of America's wonderful young musicians, Tina Lech,…

Part of:

Mrs. Galvin's Barndance

01-29_Mrs_Galvins_Barndance.pdf
The fiddle playing of Mrs. Ellen Galvin, who was born in the 1880s, certainly did sound as though it were from an earlier time in history. I remember seeing her perform in a concert in West Clare in the late 1950s. I was enthralled with her music…

Part of:

Whistler and His Dog, The

01-30_The_Whistler_and_His_Dog-Reel.pdf
Rose Murphy, a sister of accordionist Peter 'P.J.' Conlon, recorded this reel for fiddle player Paddy Ryan from County Roscommon. Kevin Burke, my good friend and wonderful fiddle player, plays the tune on this recording with his lovely swing and…

Part of:

Dan Sullivan's

01-31_Dan_Sullivans-Jig.pdf
Another tune recorded by Dan Sullivan and his band, it is played on this recording by Billy McComiskey (accordion), Laura Byrne (flute), and Donna Long (piano). Their relaxed style brings out the beauty of the melody.

Part of:

Wee Folk, The

01-32_The_Wee_Folk-Hornpipe.pdf
David Curry was born in 1899 in Belfast, where he worked as a conductor, arranger, and broadcaster. He also played violin. I have always enjoyed listening to his music, which included his own arrangements of traditional melodies. I recorded some of…

Part of:

Polka for Matt, A

01-33_A_Polka_for_Matt-Polka.pdf
Matt Cranitch, the well-known fiddle player and scholar from County Cork, came to visit Sandy and me in Maine a few years ago. Matt loves to play polkas, so I composed this three-part tune for him. I play it here with my friends Kevin McElroy on…

Part of:

McElligott's

01-34_McElligotts-Hornpipe.pdf
Boston accordionist Billy Caples played this tune for me in the late 1970s. Billy was a well-known musician who played in the dance halls around Boston. When not performing, Billy spent his time teaching music. The tune is played on this recording by…

Part of:

Mountain Pathway, The

01-35_The_Mountain_Pathway-Polka.pdf
Kevin McElroy, Barbara MacDonald Magone, and I came together to record this tune, which we learned from the cassette tape of fiddle player Mrs. Ellen Galvin that was given to me by Tony MacMahon. A version of this tune was recorded by the great Sligo…

Part of:

Gentle Mother

02-01_Gentle_Mother-Song.pdf
During those trips Mulhaire's Céilí Band made to Lixnaw and other towns in County Kerry in the 1960s (see 'Tart ar an Ól'), ballad singer Josephine McNamara was another artist who made the long journey – in her case from…

Part of:

Tom Turkington's in C Major

02-02_Tom_Turkingtons_in_C_Major-Reel.pdf
I met Tom Turkington, a fiddle player from Cookstown, County Tyrone, only once. It was at the beginning of the 1960s at a County Clare Fleadh Cheoil, when he performed at a celebrity concert with his son David on the piano. Musicians love talking…

Part of:

Bobbie Lawrie's

02-03_Bobbie_Lawries-Jig.pdf
Roberta (Bobbie) Lawrie comes from the musical Lawrie family from Birmingham, England. On one occasion when I was visiting her home, Bobbie recorded some of her compositions for me. At that time, nobody in her household knew that she was composing…

Part of:

Kathleen Lawrie's

02-04_Kathleen_Lawries-Reel.pdf
Kathleen Lawrie, Bobbie's sister, recorded this reel for me when she visited me in Limerick in the early '70s. When Kathleen and her husband Tommy Boyle visited Sandy and me in Maine just a few years ago, I played the tune for her on the fiddle and…

Part of:

Magherafelt May Fair

02-05_Magherafelt_May_Fair-March.pdf
The Pride of Erin Céilí Band, led by All-Ireland fiddle champion Sean Nugent, was held in high esteem throughout Ireland. Sean, from Lack in County Fermanagh, was a vibrant, energetic, and fun-loving man who adored the music. On a…

Part of:

Fiddler Around the Faerie Tree, The

02-06_The_Fiddler_Around_the_Faerie_Tree-Set_Dance.pdf
On the aforementioned occasion some forty years ago, Kathleen Lawrie played 'The Fiddler Around the Faerie Tree' for me as a set dance. Kathleen had learned the tune from dancing master Brendan de Glin from Derry. A shorter version of this tune may…

Part of:

Output Formats

atom, csv, dc-rdf, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2