<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?collection=17&output=rss2 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:37:37 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Gearóid Ó Laidhigh's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/420

Story

Fiddle player Gearóid Ó Laidhigh and flute player John Darcy recorded this tune, a composition of Mr. Ó Laidhigh's, for Ciarán Mac Mathúna. Ciarán traveled throughout Ireland recording musicians and singers, and later presented them on his weekly radio programmes, Ceolta Tire and A Job of Journeywork. On this recording, the tune is played on fiddle by my dear friend, colleague, and musical collaborator Laurel Martin.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
01-12_Gearoid_OLaidhighs-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Corney Drew's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/421

Story

This hornpipe as played on this recording comes to us courtesy of fiddle player Liz Knowles. The original sources for the tune, Denis Murphy and Charlie Mulvihill (fiddle and accordion, respectively), recorded it for Ciarán Mac Mathúna's American Journeywork programme in 1963. I gave this recording to Liz and she graciously played Denis's and Charlie's version for this project. A different version may be found in Captain Francis O'Neill's 1001 Gems collection of music.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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01-14_Corney_Drews-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Lynches and Wards of Clogher, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/422

Story

Throughout its illustrious career, the celebrated Kilfenora Céilí Band from north County Clare has had various band members with the surnames Lynch and Ward, including P.J. Lynch, Tom Ward, and Jimmy Ward. This composition by the extraordinary Tommy Peoples – who was himself a member of that great band – gives well-deserved honour to the Lynch and Ward families for their great contributions to Irish music.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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01-20_The_Lynches_and_Wards_of_Clogher-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Silver Slipper, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/423

Story

Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band from Boston recorded this tune in 1929 on a 78 RPM record. I came to befriend the band's banjo player, Neil Nolan, back in the '70s, and we had many good times playing music. Neil played his instrument left-handed and was a very confident musician, as can be heard on some of the band’s recordings. Uilleann piper Jerry O'Sullivan recorded the hornpipe for this collection.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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01-26_The_Silver_Slipper-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Wee Folk, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/424

Story

David Curry was born in 1899 in Belfast, where he worked as a conductor, arranger, and broadcaster. He also played violin. I have always enjoyed listening to his music, which included his own arrangements of traditional melodies. I recorded some of these tunes from the radio when I was young, which allowed me an opportunity to learn them. One such tune is the hornpipe featured here, played and arranged in a two-part version for piano by the inimitable Barbara MacDonald Magone. By presenting tunes associated with Mr. Curry, I pay my sincere homage to him in the hope that his name and musical works are never forgotten.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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01-32_The_Wee_Folk-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[McElligott's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/425

Story

Boston accordionist Billy Caples played this tune for me in the late 1970s. Billy was a well-known musician who played in the dance halls around Boston. When not performing, Billy spent his time teaching music. The tune is played on this recording by my nephew Damien Connolly, who now lives in Connecticut.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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01-34_McElligotts-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Tom Turkington's in A Major]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/427

Story

Here is another tune from the playing of Tom Turkington of County Tyrone. I searched for its name, and I asked a number of reliable sources for a title, but I have come up empty-handed. So, what better name than 'Tom Turkington's in A Major'? Tom's playing that night, many years ago, has kept the tune alive, as does Kimberley Fraser's playing here, on fiddle and piano. Thanks, Tom and Kimberley.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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02-16_Tom_Turkingtons_in_A_Major-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Larry Lynch's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/428

Story

This next tune comes from the playing of another fiddle player from County Kerry, the great master Paddy Cronin. When Paddy lived in Boston he always had his fiddle on the dining room table next to one of O'Neill's collections of music. Most every time that he walked past the table he would play a tune or look through 'the bible', as he called it, for new tunes to play.

This tune can be found as 'Larry Lynch's' in O'Neill's Music of Ireland and 'Lincoln's' in Ryan's Mammoth Collection. The wonderful fiddle duet here by Liz and Yvonne Kane would very much please the ear of Paddy Cronin, and would most certainly bring a smile to his face.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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02-21_Larry_Lynchs-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Freddy Kimmel's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/429

Story

As the howling winds from the Atlantic Ocean blew into Kinvara Harbour, Máire O'Keeffe continued to play her fiddle into the night without interruption (see 'Maurice O'Keeffe's'). The tune that she plays here was learned from the playing of Julia Clifford and her husband John.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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02-25_Freddy_Kimmels-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Brendan McCann's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/430

Story

Accordion player Brendan McCann lived near Hartford in the state of Connecticut. He had many fine tunes in his repertoire, including this hornpipe which he first heard in his hometown of Moate, County Westmeath, many years ago. I was thrilled when Brendan sent it to me on a cassette tape. It is played here by Damien, my nephew, who also lives in Connecticut.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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02-31_Brendan_McCanns-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Cloonlish House]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/431

Story

'Cloonlish House' was played for me years ago by its composer, Eddie Kelly. This hornpipe is played creatively and wonderfully here by Liz Carroll. Liz's masterful interpretation seems to slowly open the doors of Cloonlish House, inviting all of us in.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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03-09_Cloonlish_House-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Hetty's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/432

Story

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.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
03-15_Hettys-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Fly by Night]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/433

Story

I first heard this hornpipe in the early 1960s, played by Mr. Kieran Kelly, a wonderful accordionist from near Athlone, County Westmeath. The tune has been recorded by a number of musicians and has been given different titles, including 'The Low Level' and 'Fly by Night'. Settings of this hornpipe in two different keys may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection, where one is named 'Best Shot'. As my friend Peter Catto of Brookline, Massachusetts, cleverly suggested, 'When you fly by night, your best shot is to not fly at a lower level!' The tune is played on this track by Boston's own fiddle player, Brendan Bulger. Brendan gives the hornpipe a bouncy lift, clearly imparting his own unique musical imprint.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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04-11_Fly_by_Night-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![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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<![CDATA[Grandfather's Thought]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/435

Story

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 Sliabh Luachra, Volume 2.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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04-28_Grandfathers_Thought-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Bonnie Lass of Headlake, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/436

Story

I first heard this tune played as a hornpipe by Paddy O'Brien with The Lough Gowna Céilí Band in the early 1960s. In fact, the tune was originally composed as a four-part march by Gordon MacQuarrie of Cape Breton. MacQuarrie, a noted fiddle player and composer, published the tune in 1940 in his book The Cape Breton Collection of Scottish Melodies.

It is fascinating to imagine the musical meetings that occurred when musicians from Ireland immigrated to America and encountered not only American-born players of Irish traditional music, but also players of Scottish music from Cape Breton. This tune is a great example of such musical cross-pollination. Perhaps Paddy O'Brien picked the tune up in America from a fiddle player, or from MacQuarrie's book, converted it to a hornpipe, and took it back to Ireland with him when he returned in the early 1960s. And now, 'The Bonnie Lass of Headlake' has travelled back and forth across the Atlantic many times; this time in fine style indeed, played by John Daly on the fiddle with Kevin Brehony at the piano.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
04-32_The_Bonnie_Lass_of_Headlake-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Flee as a Bird]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/437

Story

A two-part version of 'Flee as a Bird' is another tune which I recorded from Julia Clifford and her son Billy in the early 1960s. It can be heard elsewhere in the collection. Here, a longer setting of the tune, which can be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection, is performed by the wonderfully talented Kimberley Fraser from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Kimberley spent a few days with Sandy and me in our home in Maine, and we had lots of laughs and great music.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-12_Flee_as_a_Bird-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Dan Sullivan's Favourite]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/438

Story

Uilleann piper Jerry O'Sullivan recorded this hornpipe for the collection. Taking it from an old cassette tape of Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band which I gave him, Jerry reversed the order of the parts. I was never certain as to which was the first and which was the second part, as the recording on the tape I had began in the middle of the tune. At least now my mind is set at ease, thanks to Jerry. I never did have a name for the tune, hence 'Dan Sullivan's Favourite' became its title. Dan Sullivan was an amazing musician who did much for Irish music through the many 78 RPM recordings that he and his band made.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-26_Dan_Sullivans_Favourite-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Jabe Meadow]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/439

Story

A hornpipe in the key of B-flat beautifully played for us by Kimberley Fraser. It may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection. Somehow, the tune found its way to Ireland and into the hands of Seán McLaughlin, a fiddle player from County Antrim. Seán won the Senior All-Ireland fiddle championship in 1958 in Longford. He played many fine tunes when he broadcast on radio and television, including this hornpipe.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-27_Jabe_Meadow-Hornpipe.pdf
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<![CDATA[Duet, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/440

Story

A hornpipe played with great feeling and understanding by the great accordionist, the one and only James Keane from Dublin and New York. This tune first came to my attention a number of years ago when Larry Gavin performed it at Aonach Paddy O'Brien, in Nenagh, County Tipperary.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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05-33_The_Duet-Hornpipe.pdf
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