Browse Content (64 total)
- Subject contains "Flute music--Ireland"
Shandon Bells
Having lived in the beautiful and historic city of Cork in the 1960s, I often think back to the happy times I had while beginning to find my feet in the big world of city life. The clock tower of St. Anne's Church has special meaning for me because…
Old as the Hills
Jack Coen gave me the name for this jig, which can be found as a two-part tune in A major in the O'Neill's 1001 collection. I first heard the tune played by 'The Man of Many Tunes', Larry Gavin. I also heard a version of it performed by Mr. David…
Lame Crowley
I knew that Billy McComiskey, Laura Byrne, and Donna Long, with their superlative musicianship, would be the right people to play this tune. I learned it many years ago from my long-time friend Mr. Larry Gavin. Billy was curious as to where the jig…
Whelan's Auld Sow
The leader of the band Cherish the Ladies is Joanie Madden, who plays this tune for us on the flute. I first heard Eddie Moloney play it. Eddie came from Ballinakill in County Galway and may have named the tune. Tommy Whelan was a member of the…
Catherine's Classroom
Catherine McEvoy composed this jig. I named it 'Catherine's Classroom' after reading her story of how the tune came about. In her own words: 'I have a wooden cabin at the back of the house that I use for teaching in, and for musical purposes. I was…
Limerick Jig, The
Back in the early 1960s, I was very friendly with Mrs. Taylor, the concertina player from West Limerick who lived in London. We exchanged many letters over the years in which music was always a topic. The well-known flute player Paddy Taylor learned…
First Slip, The
On that night in Ennis in the home of my brother Martin and his wife Pauline (see ‘John Egan’s’), I thought I had captured Kevin Crawford playing a slip jig called 'What Care I For The Minister?' However, in the confusion,…
Humours of Ballyhaunis
The 'goings on' or happy and fun times in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, give this slip jig its name. I first heard the tune played by the talented musical Quinn family from New York. A version of the tune may be found in O'Neill's great collection of…
Jim Conroy's
Jack Coen had a storehouse of older tunes from his native East Galway. Jack learned this tune from the playing of Jim Conroy, a flute player from his part of the country who was a great musical influence. It is played here for us by the one and only…
Pride of Erin
Sean Nugent and his Pride of Erin Céilí Band from County Fermanagh loved to play this jig. So too did Johnny McGreevy from Chicago, who played it for me in 1972 with piano player Eleanor Kane Neary. Jimmy Noonan on flute and Dan Gurney…
Fleadh at Tulla, The
At a county Fleadh Cheoil in Tulla, County Clare, in the late 1950s, I recorded fiddle player Paddy Canny and accordionist Mattie Ryan playing this tune in a duet competition. Here, Kevin Crawford joins me in playing this single jig.
Bobbie Lawrie's
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…
Dan Sullivan's
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.
Tart ar an Ól
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…
Jimmy Neary's
Jimmy Neary was a fiddle player from County Mayo who lived in Chicago. Johnny McGreevy, another fiddle player from Chicago and a hero of mine, gave me this tune in 1972 when I was on my first visit to that city, on the first ever Comhaltas…
Flee as a Bird
And here is Julia and Billy Clifford's version of 'Flee as a Bird', which they recorded for me that night so long ago in Tralee, County Kerry. (Kimberley Fraser's version of this tune is here.)
Queen of May, The
Leo Rowsome recorded this intricate hornpipe many years ago on a 78 RPM record. I recorded it with master piper Liam O'Flynn in 1988 on my record Notes From My Mind. On this track flute player Kevin Crawford joins me in keeping the tune alive.
Grandfather's Thought
This hornpipe from Julia, John, and Billy Clifford is played here for us by Shannon Heaton on flute. The tune may be found on an LP that the Cliffords recorded during their years in London, England, entitled The Star of Munster Trio, Music from…
Hetty's
This is another of master composer Bob McQuillen's tunes. It may be found in his seventh book of compositions. It was composed for Miss Hetty Thomae from Vermont. On this track I had the honour of playing it with Bob and his band, Old New England.
Harvest Field, The
I had a scratchy old 78 RPM recording of a band from Boston and could barely identify the tune they were playing. I believe the person playing the accordion on the track was Billy Caples, a well-known Boston accordion player and teacher. I sent it to…