Browse Content (38 total)
Road to Athens, The
The wise man of traditional Irish music, Paddy O'Brien from County Offaly, composed this tune and graciously recorded it for me for inclusion in this collection. The Athens mentioned in the title is in southeastern Ohio, along the Hocking River.…
Paddy the Piper
Brendan Bulger plays a lovely version of 'Paddy the Piper' on this track. Another version may be found in Ryan's Mammoth Collection. I first heard the tune played by Paddy Cronin, who loved playing tunes from that wonderful nineteenth century…
Go Easy, Young Hag
The fiddle playing of Devin Shepherd from Chicago is heard once again on this track, playing one of his own compositions. He is joined by Marta Cook, who plays the harp. A lovely tune, Devin, thanks for sending it along. Thank you too, Marta, for…
Willie Week
The memory of legendary piper Willie Clancy from County Clare continues to be immortalised with this fine hornpipe. A composition of County Tyrone's All-Ireland champion fiddle player Jimmy McHugh, the tune is played here for us by Jimmy's son Benny.…
Frank Neylon's
Flute player Frank Neylon lived in Boston when I arrived there in 1977. I loved listening to his beautiful, distinctive North Clare style of playing, and to the unusual tunes that he had brought with him to America. This is another of the tunes that…
Kilfenora Barndance, The
This tune was one of the ones that I did not know on that tape sent to me over fifty years ago by Kitty Linnane, then leader of the famous Kilfenora Céilí Band (see 'Come to the Fair'). Indeed, many of the tunes on that tape were new to…
Queen of the Faeries
I learned this set dance from the playing of Larry Redican. Its first few measures seem to be related to the melody of an old tune – also a set dance – called 'The King of the Fairies'. And so, 'here's me' (an old Irish expression)…
Just Because It's You
My dear friend Cindy Polo wrote this lovely tune in memory of her Dad. In her own words she tells us how it came to be: 'My first attempt at Irish fiddle playing was at a music camp in 2008, a violin novice, where I had the opportunity to learn from…
Barney's Jig
This track comes to us courtesy of Kathleen Boyle from Glasgow. Kathleen recorded it in Donegal in 2011 in the county where her grandfather, the great Néillidh Boyle, lived. Kathleen carries on her grandfather's tradition of composing as she…
Bottle of Cop-On, A
An expression in Ireland when I was growing up was, 'Ah, cop-on', which means something like 'get with it'. Damien Connolly, my nephew, remembers the saying too, and he suggested the above title as a name for the composition which he plays on this…
Old Wheels of the World (Johnny McGreevy's version)
Some of the lovely variations in Shannon Heaton's playing of this reel came from Johnny McGreevy, the Chicago fiddle master. They were given to Shannon by the one and only Liz Carroll, who also comes from that City by the Lake.
Vermont Jig, The
Another composition from the multi-instrumentalist Eamon Flynn from Mountcollins in County Limerick. Eamon moved from Boston to The Green Mountain State, Vermont, in 1987. His memories of the hills and fishing brooks of this beautiful state in New…
Johnson State Jig, The
Another tune that Eric Eid-Reiner played for me during that early morning recording session in Gasson Hall on the Boston College campus. Eric told me that he wrote the jig after listening to a lively session at Johnson State College in Vermont. The…
Don't Get Me Anything
My friends from Winnipeg, Canada, Alice Bérubé and her sister Jeannine, visited with Sandy and me a few years ago. Both of them play fiddles and they enjoy getting together to talk, laugh, and play music. They meet once a year, as Alice lives on…
Ballina Lassies, The
I can picture Jimmy Noonan with his eyes closed and his shoulder going up and down as he plays this tune with accordionist Dan Gurney. When Jimmy moves like this playing his flute, it is a visible sign that he is 'in the groove', giving the music the…
Tureencahill Polka
Another track from fiddle player Máire O'Keeffe. Her title for this tune refers to an area near Rathmore, County Kerry, famous for its music. Máire learned this polka from Sonny Riordan.
West End, The
I recorded Mrs. Galvin playing this hornpipe at a concert over fifty years ago in County Clare. Jerry O'Sullivan plays it on this track with a slightly different arrangement. This tune is sometimes attributed to the nineteenth-century Newcastle…
Raven's Wing
This track comes to us through the generosity of its composers, fiddle player Donna Hébert and guitarist Max Cohen. It is track number two on their CD In Full Bloom. Donna writes: 'My father passed away in early March 2008 while our band was…
Henry Savage's Favourite
I first heard this tune on a long-playing record titled Music from the Glens, featuring the musical Quinn family from New York. Mr. Louis Quinn, father of this talented family, was a fiddle player who came to America from South Armagh. Mr. Quinn…
Terry's Jig
Here we have another melody composed by the Grand Lady of New Brunswick fiddle music, Mrs. Matilda Murdoch. Its performer on this track, who once again gives Matilda's music a genuine Irish flavour, is none other than Maeve Donnelly.