<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?collection=10&page=3&output=rss2 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:54:43 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Danny Meehan's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/613

Story

Master fiddle player Danny Meehan from Donegal lived in London for many years. During his time there, Danny worked by day in the building trade. At night he would do what he liked best: he played his fiddle with his friends and colleagues, and in a group named Le Chéile. The group made two wonderful and exciting recordings. On their second CD, entitled Arís, Danny played this reel. It is masterfully played on this track by Liz Knowles, with that driving rhythmic style peculiar to County Donegal.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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04-33_Danny_Meehans-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Bobby Gardiner's (Number Two)]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/549

Story

The art form of lilting is demonstrated here by Bobby Gardiner. My grandmother Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), herself a very good lilter, told me that 'jiggers', as she called them, were commonly called upon whenever musicians were not available to play for dancers. Button accordionist Bobby Gardiner both lilts and plays with 'The Clare Swing'. Listen to him on these tracks lilting, then playing his very own tune. Barbara MacDonald Magone joins in on the piano.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-01_and_05-02_Bobby_Gardiners_Number_Two-Reel.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:16 -0800
<![CDATA[Lisa and Patrick]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/615

Story

I remember listening to Frank Claudy playing his whistle in the room next to mine at Gavin's Golden Hill Resort in East Durham in the Catskill Mountains of New York during a week of Irish music, song, and dance. The reel on this track, a composition of Frank's, caught my attention. Frank kindly recorded it for me for this collection. He named it for Patrick McComiskey (a son of Billy and Annie McComiskey) and his bride-to-be, Lisa Farrell.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-05_Lisa_and_Patrick-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Chestnut Hill]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/616

Story

This reel was composed by Séamus McGuire in honour of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, the location of Boston College. Séamus was invited to teach and perform at the Boston College Gaelic Roots Festival. He plays his tune here with his brother Manus McGuire on fiddle and Garry O'Briain on mandocello and piano. Séamus, Manus, and Garry were also part of the teaching staff at the University's Gaelic Roots Festival.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-06_Chestnut_Hill-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Ashcraft-Fraser House]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/617

Story

Barbara MacDonald Magone is the composer of this happy reel. She plays it for us in her own beautiful style. Barbara is admired by musicians for her solo piano playing and her sensitivity when performing with others. She composed 'Ashcraft-Fraser House' for Sally Ashcraft and Alasdair Fraser, the great ambassador of Scottish fiddle music, when they bought their first home in California.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-07_Ashcraft-Fraser_House-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Bridge of Portumna, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/618

Story

The town of Portumna in County Galway was a port of call for my father, Mick Connolly, when he worked on the River Shannon. During school holidays I often sailed with my Dad up and down the river and I always looked forward to docking in Portumna after the twenty-five mile trip on Lough Derg.

The bridge spanning the Shannon at Portumna always held a fascination for me, particularly when it was raised to let larger boats sail underneath. I loved to swim in the clear waters of the Shannon, and diving from the high bridge of Portumna was always a test of nerves and possibly a way of being a 'show off'. During one of my crazy show-off dives I twisted my back and though I lived to tell the tale, I carry a souvenir of that dive to this day!

I wonder if my good friend, accordionist and composer Martin Mulhaire, ever jumped or swam near the bridge. However, I do know that he composed this grand reel, which is masterfully played here by Liz Carroll on her fiddle.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-10_The_Bridge_of_Portumna-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Lord Gordon's Father]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/619

Story

The long version of the reel 'Lord Gordon', which the great Michael Coleman recorded in the 1930s, contains a number of parts which are attributed to that master County Sligo fiddle player. Another version, with two parts, was recorded on a 78 by musicians from the Ballinakill area of County Galway. Here, Monsignor Charlie Coen gives us still another two-part setting of the tune, which he has given the clever title 'Lord Gordon's Father', surmising that the origins of Michael Coleman's masterpiece lie in an older, simpler setting of the tune, perhaps somewhat like this one.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-11_Lord_Gordons_Father-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Dan Gurney's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/620

Story

The rock-solid accordion music of Dan Gurney is heard on this track. When I asked Dan if he composed any music he was very humble as he answered, 'I did but it's not much good'. I'm sure that those who listen to this track will love your tune, Dan, and sing your praises. It's a lovely composition and you play it beautifully. Thanks for being so gracious.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-13_Dan_Gurneys-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Sarah's Wedding]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/621

Story

Paddy O'Brien from County Offaly made this tune for Sarah Kelly, the daughter of his friend and musical cohort, fiddle player James Kelly. All who attended Sarah's wedding had a wonderful day. Paddy, in his own unique style, performs it on this track.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-15_Sarahs_Wedding-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Peggy Monaghan's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/622

Story

Peggy Monaghan was Sean Nugent's sister, and he honoured her with this fine reel. It is played here by his son Larry Nugent. Thanks, Larry, for the tunes!

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-17_Peggy_Monaghans-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Jimmy McHugh's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/623

Story

This tune is a composition of master fiddle player Jimmy McHugh, the 1957 Tyrone-born Senior All-Ireland fiddle champion. I remember well witnessing Jimmy's performance in the Senior Fiddle Competition in Dungarvan, County Waterford, and watching him holding the Michael Coleman Perpetual Cup when he was awarded first prize. It was the first All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil I ever attended. Jimmy's son Benny McHugh, a fiddle player who lives in Glasgow, graciously recorded a number of his father's compositions, including the one heard here. Not having a name for it, I decided on the above title, 'Jimmy McHugh's'. Sounds good to me.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-20_Jimmy_McHughs-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Small Fox, Big Field]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/624

Story

One of the young musicians featured in this collection and for whom I have much admiration is Eric Eid-Reiner. In his own words he tells us about his composition's title: 'This tune has nothing to do with hunting, despite what one might logically guess. I wrote this reel while waiting a long time for a taxi from a company with 'fox' and 'field' in its name. I observed several taxis from that company pass right by before mine finally arrived.' Since writing this tune in 2007, Eric has slightly revised the melody, which can be found in his book of original tunes and heard on a 2014 CD by The Moving Violations. The band members on that recording are Van Kaynor and Ron Grosslein on fiddles, Eric Eid-Reiner on piano, and Chuck Corman on bass.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-21_Small_Fox_Big_Field-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Top of the Bow]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/625

Story

Flute player Shannon Heaton wrote 'Top of the Bow' for her friends Emerald and Eden, two fiddle-playing sisters. They had their fiddles out in the car, learning a tune on the way to a gig. However, after realizing that their playing had left little marks in the car's ceiling, they decided that it's best to use just the very tip-top of the fiddle bow when playing in the car...

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-22_Top_of_the_Bow-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Roving Bachelor, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/626

Story

This tune was played for me by Johnny McGreevy in 1972 on my first visit to Chicago. It may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection and in O'Neill's Music of Ireland. My gratitude to Tina Lech for her interpretation of this fine old reel.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-25_The_Roving_Bachelor-Reel.pdf
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<![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[Letter from Home, A]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/628

Story

I first heard this tune played by fiddle legend Mr. Paddy Cronin from County Kerry. Paddy had a gift for breathing new life into lesser-known tunes. This reel is performed for us here by Liz and Yvonne Kane, two well-known musicians from County Galway. I love the fiddle music of Paddy Cronin, and in asking Liz and Yvonne to learn and record this reel I think I made the perfect choice.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-36_A_Letter_from_Home-Reel.pdf
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<![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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<![CDATA[Reel Bus, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/630

Story

On this track we hear a lovely reel performed by its composer, Barbara MacDonald Magone. Barbara tells us in her own words below how the tune came to be: 'In the spring of 2005, the San Francisco Fiddle Club (of which I am a member) took a tour of the Pacific Northwest. We traveled in two huge buses which were somewhat modified to accommodate the fiddle players (i.e., an area for sessions and refreshments). These buses were aptly named "Strathspey Bus" and "Reel Bus". I rode on the latter. Although I was a bit apprehensive at first about the trip, it turned out to be a wonderful experience. Bonnie Rutherford, a younger member of the SFFC, helped me to come up with the name of this tune.'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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06-07_The_Reel_Bus-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Savage Paddy]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/631

Story

My nephew Damien Connolly plays his own composition on this track. I asked Damien for information on the tune and its title. He writes: 'I composed this tune on an old fiddle I purchased at an auction. The fiddle itself wasn't great, but it had a really nice tone. One day while playing around with the overtones on the lower strings, this tune came out. I just loved how gutsy the tune sounded so I called it "Savage Paddy". Whenever I love anything I say that it's "savage".'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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06-09_Savage_Paddy-Reel.pdf
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<![CDATA[Chabonelle]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/632

Story

Another fine tune from fiddle player and composer Mrs. Matilda Murdoch from New Brunswick, Canada. Maeve Donnelly from Quin in the County of Clare delightfully performs it on this track with an Irish interpretation. This was exactly what I was hoping to hear, and it also pleased Mrs. Murdoch very much.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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06-13_Chabonelle-Reel.pdf
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