<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?tags=Playlist+05&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&page=1&output=rss2 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:56:43 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[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

View all items by

05-07_Ashcraft-Fraser_House-Reel.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Blue-Eyed Rascal, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/697

Story

A tune not often heard is this set dance. I am grateful to Mr. Larry Redican Jr. for giving me permission to present his father's performance of it in this collection. I have fond memories of Larry Sr. playing it for me in my home when I lived in Ireland.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-32_The_Blue-Eyed_Rascal-Set_Dance.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:22 -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
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:16 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-10_The_Bridge_of_Portumna-Reel.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[Catherine's Classroom]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/488

Story

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 on my own one evening waiting for pupils to come, and playing a few tunes, and it just came to me. I called it "The Cabin Jig" just to give it a name when I wrote it down, hoping to come up with something better. Unfortunately, it's not a very exciting story, and I never did get round to re-naming it.'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-08_Catherines_Classroom-Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![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
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-13_Dan_Gurneys-Reel.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-26_Dan_Sullivans_Favourite-Hornpipe.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:11 -0800
<![CDATA[Drunken Ganger's, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/491

Story

This is another tune that was given to me by accordionist Larry Gavin, who lives in Tulla, in east County Clare. A version of this slip jig may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection. It is played here in fine style by the talented Gráinne Murphy.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-18_The_Drunken_Gangers-Slip_Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-33_The_Duet-Hornpipe.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:11 -0800
<![CDATA[Father Tom's Wager]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/489

Story

This grand old jig appears in O'Neill's 1001. I first heard the legendary Joe Burke play this tune with the lovely surprise variation in the second part. Thanks to Holland Raper for learning the tune and playing it on her fiddle. She is a former student of Mick Gavin of Meelick, County Clare, and Detroit, and, at the time of writing, a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-09_Father_Toms_Wager-Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:13 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-12_Flee_as_a_Bird-Hornpipe.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:11 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-27_Jabe_Meadow-Hornpipe.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:11 -0800
<![CDATA[Jim Corcoran's Polka]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/564

Story

Jim Corcoran is a wonderful friend who plays the fiddle and loves polkas. So does his teacher Laurel Martin, who composed this one for him. Here she plays it for all of us to hear and learn.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-03_Jim_Corcorans_Polka.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:17 -0800
<![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

View all items by

05-20_Jimmy_McHughs-Reel.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:19 -0800
<![CDATA[John Ryan's (Number One)]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/565

Story

Broadcaster and collector Ciarán Mac Mathúna recorded this tune from John Ryan, the concertina player from County Tipperary, who lived on Thomas Street in Dublin City, across the street from the headquarters of the old Pipers' Club. The tune is played here by my nephew Damien Connolly on melodeon.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-24_John_Ryans_Number_One-Polka.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:17 -0800
<![CDATA[Keith Corrigan's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/493

Story

Keith Corrigan played melodeon and had some grand old tunes including this jig. It is another of the tunes that he played for me at his home in Québec. It is played on this track by Damien, my nephew.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-28_Keith_Corrigans-Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:14 -0800
<![CDATA[Lame Crowley]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/495

Story

I knew that Billy McComiskey, Laura Byrne, and Donna Long, with their superlative musicianship, would be the right people to play this tune. I learned it many years ago from my long-time friend Mr. Larry Gavin. Billy was curious as to where the jig had come from, while saying in a few words that it sounded to him like a beautiful old melody. Glad you like it as much as I do, Billy.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-31_Lame_Crowley-Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:14 -0800
<![CDATA[Larry Redican's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/496

Story

Kevin Burke learned this tune from a tape of Larry Redican which I sent to him, one of a number of tapes given to me by dancing master Mr. Roger Casey. Kevin plays this jig in his own lonesome and swinging style.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

View all items by

05-34_Larry_Redicans-Jig.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:14 -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

View all items by

05-36_A_Letter_from_Home-Reel.pdf
]]>
Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:20 -0800