<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Murphy%2C+Gr%C3%A1inne+%28fiddle%29&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&output=rss2 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 06:56:47 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Ambrose Moloney's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/629

Story

Joe Burke, my lifelong friend, was leader of The Leitrim Céilí Band, named not for the county of Leitrim, but for a townland in east County Galway. I was honoured to have been a member of that musical group when we won the Senior Céilí Band competition in 1962. Ambrose Moloney was one of the flute players in the band and during a tour of England he gave me this tune. I had the honour of recording this reel in the early 1970s with the legendary Tipperary accordionist Paddy O'Brien, with Charlie Lennon at the piano.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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06-06_Ambrose_Moloneys-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:20 -0800
<![CDATA[Biddy from Sligo]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/537

Story

The fiddle master Néillidh Boyle recorded this tune as part of a two-jig set in Dublin in 1937. That recording happened to be the very first record of Irish fiddle music that I had when I was growing up. It is performed on this track by Néillidh's grandaughter Kathleen on piano accordion and Gráinne Murphy on fiddle. They both did me the honour of recording the track in Donegal, home to Kathleen's parents and grandfather.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
10-23_Biddy_from_Sligo-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:15 -0800
<![CDATA[Biddy from Sligo / The Connaughtman's Rambles]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/540

Story

And as we present this last selection, we come to the end of a long musical journey. It is my hope that whoever reads my stories, anecdotes, and ramblings will get some insight into the tunes' histories, and some new information about them.

Preferring to end this collection with lively, happy music, I asked my young musical friends, Kathleen Boyle from Scotland and Gráinne Murphy from Massachusetts, to do me the honour of recording the above-named tunes for this last track. These same jigs were recorded in 1937 by Kathleen's grandfather, the famed fiddle maestro Néillidh Boyle from County Donegal. The young ladies are joined by Néillidh's son Hughie Boyle, who plays piano, and together, with pride, they give us that same lift and drive associated with the wonderful music that is peculiar to County Donegal. I was thrilled when Kathleen invited me to join herself, her dad, and Gráinne in remembering her grandfather, completing an extraordinary musical circle. The torch has indeed been passed.

It so happens that the last tune on the track, 'The Connaughtman's Rambles', is the first jig I ever learned, and I did so from the 78 RPM recording that Néillidh Boyle recorded seventy-eight years ago. In a way, then, this track is symbolic of how Irish traditional music keeps coming full circle, shared back and forth between musicians across the broad Atlantic and across generations.

And lest I forget about the not-often-heard tune dedicated to a certain Biddy (a nickname for 'Bridget') from Sligo, my mind goes back in time to my grandmother sitting by the fireside listening to me trying to learn and play this fine jig. And so, in remembrance of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), a wonderful lady of tunes, songs, and stories, I hereby offer an account of the lyrics she had for 'Biddy from Sligo':

'Oh mother dear, may I go for a swim?
Yes, my darling daughter!
Mind the boys don't see your shins,
Keep them well under the water!'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
10-29_The_Connaughtmans_Rambles-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:16 -0800
<![CDATA[Brian O'Kane's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/434

Story

I have a tape of a wonderful evening of music in the home of the Gavin family of Balbriggan, County Dublin, which includes this hornpipe played by Jimmy Keane from Chicago. I wanted to include the tune in this collection, so I phoned Jimmy to ask about its origins. He said the tune wasn't his composition, so after some thought I phoned Brian O'Kane (a member of the All-Ireland Champion Siamsa Céilí Band in the 1960s) in Dublin to ask if he knew anything about the tune. He informed me that he indeed had written it himself, but had no name for it. Looking back now, it seems that I had made an association between the names Keane and O'Kane, and their styles of playing, which happily led me to the identity of the actual composer of this fine hornpipe. Thanks for the tune, Brian, and thanks to Gráinne Murphy for learning and playing it here for us.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
04-13_Brian_OKanes-Hornpipe.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:11 -0800
<![CDATA[Champaign Jig Goes to Columbia, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/535

Story

During that musical evening at the Gavins' in Balbriggan so long ago, Jimmy Keane, the piano accordion player from Chicago, played this tune. He informed me that it is one of Liz Carroll's compositions, entitled 'The Champaign Jig Goes to Columbia'. It can be found in Liz Carroll Collected, a beautifully produced book of her wonderful compositions. Gráinne Murphy plays her version of the tune on this track.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
10-10_The_Champaign_Jig_Goes_to_Columbia-Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:15 -0800
<![CDATA[Dominick McCarthy's Irish Barndance]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/408

Story

The name Shand is synonymous with the traditional music of Scotland. The rock-solid rhythm and strict tempo of master accordionist and composer Sir Jimmy Shand are forever embedded in my mind. Joyous memories of Mr. Shand's music have remained with me all my life. They take me back to my youth in Killaloe, as we tuned our crackly radio to the Scottish airwaves to listen to the star of radio and television playing with his band.

Moving further along in years, my wife Sandy and I visited Sir Jimmy's hometown of Auchtermuchty, Scotland in the hope of meeting the maestro. Deciding that an unannounced visit might be intrusive, we continued on our journey.

This introduction to Dominick McCarthy's Irish Barndance may seem unusual; nevertheless, it seems appropriate to write about Sir Jimmy in order to write about his equally talented son Jimmy Shand Jr., accordionist, composer, and accordion tuner. On a recent visit to Auchtermuchty with my friends Drs. Jim and Cindy Polo, we were welcomed into the beautiful home of Jimmy Shand Jr. and his lovely wife Margaret. Jimmy had invited us, and on that trip I did not hesitate to knock on the door of the Shand residence. The kind warm hospitality that we received from Mr. and Mrs. Shand will now also be embedded in my mind. Music, stories, photographs, and holding Sir Jimmy's accordion were special treats on that occasion. 

And then our conversation turned to Jimmy Jr.'s music compositions. I told Jimmy that Dominick McCarthy from Clara in County Offaly had played the barndance for me over thirty years ago. Mr. Shand told me that he did not have any recollection of the tune. Upon giving Jimmy Jr. the sheet music, he began to whistle, and with a twinkle in his eye he smiled as the tune instantly came back to him. He was delighted to be reminded of this tune while saying it would be a welcome addition to his forthcoming book, Jimmy Shand, Jr. Music Compositions.

Unforgettable memories all around. Thank you, sir, for your composition and for the welcome that you and Margaret gave to Cindy, Jim, and myself. Jimmy, I hope you never stop playing and composing!


Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
03-25_Dominick_McCarthys_Irish_Barndance.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:10 -0800
<![CDATA[Drunken Ganger's, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/491

Story

This is another tune that was given to me by accordionist Larry Gavin, who lives in Tulla, in east County Clare. A version of this slip jig may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection. It is played here in fine style by the talented Gráinne Murphy.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-18_The_Drunken_Gangers-Slip_Jig.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![CDATA[Maxwell's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/627

Story

The inimitable fiddle master Seán Maguire recorded this tune, with Josephine Keegan at the piano, on one of their records. Here we hear Gráinne Murphy giving us her special rendition of Maxwell's Reel.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-29_Maxwells-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:20 -0800
<![CDATA[Scully Casey's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/610

Story

John 'Scully' Casey, father to the great County Clare fiddle player Bobby Casey, was a well-known and respected fiddle player in his day. Bobby, in his generosity, recorded this reel for me years ago. It is played on this recording by Gráinne Murphy.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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04-29_Scully_Caseys-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800