Browse Content (297 total)
- Subject is exactly "Folk dance music--Ireland"
Ned and Dan O'Connor
Another tune from the playing of Máire O'Keeffe. Ned and Dan O'Connor, two musicians from the Scartaglen area of Sliabh Luachra, were often heard playing this slide.
My Meitheal Class
A week-long Irish music school known as Meitheal is held every year in Limerick. The five-day immersion in Irish music is directed by flute player Garry Shannon. As a teacher at the summer school, I had an assignment to work with a group of students…
Mug of Black Tea
Growing up in Ireland, and while practicing my fiddle in the home of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), I drank many's the mug of black tea. I remember her tea being very strong and having to drink it without milk. I questioned…
Mrs. Ryan's
Ciarán Mac Mathúna from Radio Éireann recorded this tune from concertina player Mrs. Ryan from Ballinaclough, Nenagh, County Tipperary. Although this tune is played as a slide, the area around North Tipperary and Limerick is…
Mrs. Galvin's Barndance
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…
Mr. and Mrs. Ted McGraw
I have known Ted and Bridget McGraw of Rochester, New York, since the 1980s. I have great memories of playing with Ted in The Village Coachhouse, in Brookline, Massachusetts, a veritable musical institution that was owned by the Varian family of…
Moyasta Polka
Another tune from the repertoire of Mrs. Ellen Galvin. It is played on this track for all of us to enjoy by one of my heroes, Josephine Keegan. Josephine again makes full use of modern recording technology in order to be recorded playing both fiddle…
Mountain Pathway, The
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…
Mordaunt's Fancy
This jig was played in my home in Killaloe, County Clare, when I was a young boy. It was not played by me, but by button accordionist Terry Lane on the turntable of our record player! Now, whenever I hear Mr. Lane's recordings, or 'Mordaunt's Fancy',…
Molly, Put the Kettle On
Joanie Madden gives us her interpretation of a tune I first learned from Larry Gavin. It also appears in O'Neill's 1001. I temporarily mislaid the recording Joanie made for me, so the tune almost didn't make it into this collection. I'm glad I found…
Moate Reel, The
The town of Moate is in County Westmeath. It has a strong musical tradition and at one time had a famous céilí band that made a number of 78 RPM recordings. The late accordionist Brendan McCann, who lived in Connecticut, grew up near…
Mist on the Ocean
This reel comes to us by kind permission of my good friend Richard 'Richie' Dwyer, its composer. It is taken from his CD In a Creative Mood, which he recorded in his native West Cork looking out to sea and the mist on the ocean. Richie is again…
Miss Cathy Chilcott's
The amazing and distinctive fiddle music of Liz Carroll from Chicago is featured on this track. Here, she performs one of her own compositions in the creative playing style which is very much her hallmark. I am honoured that this great player so…
Minnie's Favourite
Here, we hear one of Sean Nugent's many fine compositions, played by his son, Larry. Sean named it for his sister, Minnie.
Mike Duggan's Polka
On this track we once again hear Eamon Flynn on fiddle as he plays 'Mike Duggan's Polka'. Thanks to Brosna-born accordionist Michael Mulcahy for the tune title.
Michael Relihan's
A lovely tune that came from the playing of John Kelly, the fiddle and concertina master from west County Clare. John had a storehouse of unusual tunes and was ever so generous in handing them down to other interested musicians. Michael Relihan was a…
Message to Séamus
One of America's most distinguished master musicians, North Carolina banjo player, fiddle player, and composer Tony Ellis was out on his tractor one day when he began to hear this barndance in his head. Not knowing whether he'd heard the tune…
Men of Ulster, The
Seán Maguire recorded this tune and gave it the above title. It may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection in the key of G-major under the name 'Norfolk'. The beginning of the tune always brings to mind the hornpipe 'The Wily Bachelor'. Laurel…
Memories of East Clare
The tune on this track was composed by my nephew Damien Connolly. When I asked Damien what memories this tune's title referred to, he immediately said, 'Well, I grew up listening to a blend of Clare, Sligo, and Kerry fiddling. This is a tune that…
McGreevy's Tansey's
Johnny McGreevy from Chicago played this reel for me in 1972. I have given it this title because it reminds me of 'Tansey's Reel', a tune recorded by the Sligo fiddle player Paddy Killoran. My good friends Jimmy Noonan and Dan Gurney recorded this…