Browse Content (338 total)
Cruca Glás na hÉireann
The music lives and breathes in the soul of Tara Lynch. Tara, daughter of Jerry Lynch (accordionist in the 1950s with the celebrated three-time All-Ireland champion Kilfenora Céilí Band), was born in New York. She learned her music from…
Crooked Hurricane, The
My good friend Cindy Polo made this tune and dedicated it to another friend, Randy Bridgman. I enjoyed playing this tune with Cindy and Gabriel Donohue. In Cindy's own words, she tells us about 'The Crooked Hurricane': 'What else to do while the…
Corney Drew's
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…
Cornboy, The
When we were traveling throughout America on the first Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann tour of champion musicians, singers, and dancers in 1972, I had the great pleasure of playing this reel with fiddle player Paddy Glackin. Paddy…
Connolly's Chair
Multi-instrumentalist Brian Hebert from the Boston area conferred on me special recognition by composing and playing this slip jig. The chair mentioned in the tune's title is my endowed position as Sullivan Artist in Residence at The Center for Irish…
Con's Return
This reel is another composition of the talented Eamon Flynn from County Limerick. Eamon's brother Con was not heard from for many years and when he suddenly returned home there was rejoicing all around the neighbourhood. Eamon celebrated his…
Con Cassidy's
This tune bears the name of noted fiddle player Con Cassidy, and it may well have been played as a single jig in his native County Donegal. There was no doubt about West Limerick accordion player Donie Nolan's interpretation of it as a slide. He…
Come to the Fair
'Come to the Fair' was a very popular waltz/song played by The Kilfenora Céilí Band in the 1960s. I have always enjoyed listening to the band's singer Mary Higgins performing the song on a recording made at a céilí in…
Cloonlish House
'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…
Clare Glens, The
If ever you get a chance to visit The Clare Glens you will not be disappointed. They are a beautiful wooded area, very picturesque, with walkways on both sides of the Clare River. The Glens are very close to Newport, County Tipperary, and are only…
Chúilfhionn, An
There are a number of versions of the ever-popular air 'The Coolin'. Two versions may be heard on this track, performed by harper/singer Pádraigín Caesar and her sister Siobhán on whistle. An English translation of the poem,…
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…
Check Your Balance
The wonderful young fiddle player Devin Shepherd, from Chicago, composed this tune and gave it to me for this collection. Lovely music, Devin. He gives us the tune's history: 'My idea with this tune was to compose something that sounded truly…
Charlie Mulvihill's Jig in A
Accordionist, concertina player, and composer Charlie Mulvihill from New York composed this tune. Charlie was very friendly with the great Paddy Killoran, master fiddle player from County Sligo. When Paddy Killoran died, his wife Betty gave Charlie…
Champaign Jig Goes to Columbia, The
During that musical evening at the Gavins' in Balbriggan so long ago, Jimmy Keane, the piano accordion player from Chicago, played this tune. He informed me that it is one of Liz Carroll's compositions, entitled 'The Champaign Jig Goes to Columbia'.…
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…
Celtic Lamb, The
This track comes from the CD To The Dance Floor, released in 2006 by a Rhode Island-based group called The Gnomes. Among its members is Phil Edmonds, the composer of this beautiful tune. Phil and I went to the same school in Killaloe, where we…
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…
Cathal's Reel
The revered traditional music group The Boys of the Lough performed in Boston in the late 1980s. At a house gathering that same evening, their flutist Cathal McConnell played this tune for me. The tune is performed for us on this track by Catherine…