Browse Content (119 total)
- Collection: Reels
Danny Meehan's
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…
Bobby Gardiner's (Number Two)
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…
Lisa and Patrick
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…
Chestnut Hill
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…
Ashcraft-Fraser House
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…
Bridge of Portumna, The
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…
Lord Gordon's Father
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…
Dan Gurney's
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,…
Sarah's Wedding
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…
Peggy Monaghan's
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!
Jimmy McHugh's
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…
Small Fox, Big Field
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…
Top of the Bow
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…
Roving Bachelor, The
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.
Maxwell's
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.
Letter from Home, A
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…
Ambrose Moloney's
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…
Reel Bus, The
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…
Savage Paddy
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…
Chabonelle
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…