Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> McGreevy, Johnny]]> Lech, Tina (fiddle)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> O'Brien, Paddy 28799446]]> The Banks of the Shannon mini-LP that we made in the 1970s. I'm not exactly sure why we did not record it. Then, thirty years later, I had the distinct honour of recording a CD called The Boston Edge with another maestro of the accordion, Joe Derrane, with John McGann playing guitar. Joe, like Paddy O'Brien, came up with this very same reel, and also suggested that we record it for The Boston Edge. In the end, for whatever reason, the tune did not make it onto that record either.

Looking back now on both these situations, maybe the reason the tune was not recorded was because we never could find a name for it. One could say that that in itself is not a good reason, and so to redeem ourselves I asked our good friend Catherine McEvoy to do us the honour. In giving it a name for this collection, I had two good choices: 'The Banks of the Shannon', or 'The Boston Edge'. Both titles sound good to me; after all, both masters of the accordion clearly liked the tune. However, I have chosen to call it 'The Banks of the Shannon' because the version Catherine plays on this track comes from a recording of Paddy O'Brien. Unfortunately, I never did capture Joe Derrane playing it. Now it's Catherine's turn.]]>
McEvoy, Catherine (flute) 29160418]]> McEvoy, Paddy (piano)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Jigs]]> Accordion music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Boyle, Néillidh]]> Boyle, Kathleen (piano accordion) 254341404]]> Murphy, Gráinne (fiddle)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Jigs]]> Accordion music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Boyle, Néillidh]]> Collins, Elizabeth]]>
Preferring to end this collection with lively, happy music, I asked my young musical friends, Kathleen Boyle from Scotland and Gráinne Murphy from Massachusetts, to do me the honour of recording the above-named tunes for this last track. These same jigs were recorded in 1937 by Kathleen's grandfather, the famed fiddle maestro Néillidh Boyle from County Donegal. The young ladies are joined by Néillidh's son Hughie Boyle, who plays piano, and together, with pride, they give us that same lift and drive associated with the wonderful music that is peculiar to County Donegal. I was thrilled when Kathleen invited me to join herself, her dad, and Gráinne in remembering her grandfather, completing an extraordinary musical circle. The torch has indeed been passed.

It so happens that the last tune on the track, 'The Connaughtman's Rambles', is the first jig I ever learned, and I did so from the 78 RPM recording that Néillidh Boyle recorded seventy-eight years ago. In a way, then, this track is symbolic of how Irish traditional music keeps coming full circle, shared back and forth between musicians across the broad Atlantic and across generations.

And lest I forget about the not-often-heard tune dedicated to a certain Biddy (a nickname for 'Bridget') from Sligo, my mind goes back in time to my grandmother sitting by the fireside listening to me trying to learn and play this fine jig. And so, in remembrance of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), a wonderful lady of tunes, songs, and stories, I hereby offer an account of the lyrics she had for 'Biddy from Sligo':

'Oh mother dear, may I go for a swim?
Yes, my darling daughter!
Mind the boys don't see your shins,
Keep them well under the water!']]>
Boyle, Kathleen (piano accordion) 254341404]]> Murphy, Gráinne (fiddle)]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> Boyle, Hughie (piano) 254643013]]> Creative Commons License
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Boyle, Kathleen ]]> Murphy, Gráinne ]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> Connolly, Séamus]]> ]]> More info.]]>
Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Jigs]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> 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'. It can be found in Liz Carroll Collected, a beautifully produced book of her wonderful compositions. Gráinne Murphy plays her version of the tune on this track.]]> Murphy, Gráinne (fiddle)]]> Murray, Alan (guitar)]]> Carroll, LIz (composer) 60417993]]> Creative Commons License
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Murphy, Gráinne ]]> Murray, Alan]]> Carroll, LIz ]]> ]]> More info.]]>
Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> Watson, Dennis]]> The Blue Dress. She plays it again for this collection and dedicates it to Dennis Watson.]]> Heaton, Shannon (flute) (composer)]]> Heaton, Matt (bouzouki)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Strathspeys]]> Marches--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Polo, Cynthia Keane]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) (composer) 33682623]]> Polo, Cynthia Keane (composer)]]> Creative Commons License
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Connolly, Séamus]]> Polo, Cynthia Keane]]> ]]> More info.]]>
Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Moloney, Mick 13573190]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) (composer) 33682623]]> Creative Commons License
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Connolly, Séamus]]> ]]> More info.]]>
Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Gavin, Kathleen]]>
P.S. It has come to our attention that this tune is a composition of Leitrim fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist Joe Liddy. He titled the tune "The Sweat House."]]>
Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Accordion music--Ireland]]> Accordion and piano music]]> Flynn, Eamon]]> Down by the Glenside.]]> Flynn, Eamon (accordion) (composer)]]> Kisiel, Helen (piano) 76033885]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Set dances]]> Ó Muineacháin, Donncha]]> Redican, Larry]]> McGuire, Séamus (fiddle) 43512454]]> O'Briain, Garry (mandola) 58691214]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> Gavin, Larry]]> O'Neill's 1001 collection of tunes. It is played here for us by the great Catherine McEvoy with accompaniment by her nephew, Paddy McEvoy, on piano.]]> McEvoy, Catherine (flute) 29160418]]> McEvoy, Paddy (piano)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Maguire, Seán 30886107]]> Bulger, Brendan (fiddle)]]> Knox, Bill (guitar)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Jigs]]> Flute music--Ireland]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Curry, David 68699117]]> Rabata, Nicole (flute)]]> Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk music--Ireland]]> Folk songs, English--Ireland]]> Mackey, Michael 'Mick']]> Mac Gearailt, Críostóir]]>
In addition to Mick Mackey, the Limerick teams back in the 1930s and '40s that won All-Ireland championships had among them on the field men like Paddy Clohessy and the star goalkeeper Paddy Scanlon, who, as the song says, was 'defiant in the goal'. I got to know this great County Limerick goalkeeper and had the special honour of sitting beside him on a number of occasions when both of us travelled on the Killaloe-to-Limerick bus that wound its way through Castleconnell, where Mr. Scanlon would board. We talked at length about hurling and about other greats such as the mighty Christy Ring from Cloyne in County Cork. I have always had a fascination with the game's goalkeepers and, with my encouragement, Paddy would discuss the great ones. Doctor Tommy Daly from County Clare was many times mentioned in our discussion, as was the legendary Tony Reddin, who played in goal for counties Galway and Tipperary. I mentioned to Paddy Scanlon that I knew Tony Reddin: Tony lived in Banagher, County Offaly, and he often visited my sister's home, where I had the honour of chatting with him. Paddy Scanlon's praise for Tony Reddin was like that of many others, regarding him as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.

Today, May 24, 2015, it is by some strange coincidence that I write these few lines whilst listening via Internet radio to counties Limerick and Clare battling it out in Semple Stadium, Thurles, County Tipperary, in the first round of the Munster Hurling Championship. This stadium has over the years established itself as the leading venue for Munster hurling finals and a field where other Limerick teams of the past paraded with pride before capacity crowds. And so, you stalwart heroes of the 1930s and '40s, Mick Mackey, Paddy Scanlon, and Paddy Clohessy, I somehow know that your hearts would be filled with pride were you to watch the Limerick team of today running up and down the pitch in Thurles, as they hopefully make their way to Croke Park, the stadium in Dublin where the All-Ireland hurling finals are played each September, to reclaim the McCarthy Cup.

Ann Mulqueen sings with pride Críostóir Mac Gearailt's song about Ann's neighbour, the great Mick Mackey, and the giants of hurling of days now long gone. A lot of ramblings, one might say, but memories worth remembering! The ramblings themselves are part of an Irish tradition whenever our national game of hurling is discussed. And always looking for a win, the hurler on the ditch could be heard desperately shouting, 'Come on, let the game begin! Never mind the ball, play the man!'

Thank you, Críostóir, for your lovely song and for permission to use it here. Thank you Ann, and thank you Micheál Ó Conghaile and Cló Iar-Chonnachta for permission to use this recording, along with the two other songs that Ann beautifully sang for us in this collection. All of the songs were taken from her CD Mo Ghrása Thall na Déise.

P.S. I, too, played in Croke Park, but not with a hurley!]]>
Mulqueen, Ann (vocals) 21766115]]> Mac Gearailt, Críostóir (composer)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Connolly, Damien]]> Connolly, Damien (fiddle) (composer)]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Reels (Music)]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> McCann, Brendan]]> Keegan, Josephine (fiddle, piano) (composer) 72741909]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Jigs]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Reiner, David 23494779]]> Carroll, Liz (fiddle) 60417993]]> Reiner, David (composer) 23494779]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Hornpipes]]> Accordion music--Ireland]]> Dwyer, Finbarr 291261603]]> Forget Me Not, which Laurel Martin and I compiled for Mel Bay.]]> Dwyer, Finbarr (accordion) 291261603]]> Creative Commons License
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Folk dance music--Ireland]]> Schottisches]]> Fiddle tunes--Ireland]]> Connolly, Maureen Glynn 53804626]]>
The track heard here is taken from a cassette recording that I made years ago of myself playing the tune from that manuscript. If memory serves me well, I believe it was a handwritten transcription of a page from The Roche Collection, where this tune occurs in the key of G under the title above. I moved the tune to the key of A, in order to give it a more open, pipes-like sound on the fiddle. At the time of recording, some variations had come to mind and I did not want to forget them, so onto the tape they went. I forgot about the tune after that, but I recently found the tape in a drawer in my music room. I thought it would make a worthy addition to this collection. So here is Maureen Glynn's old brown manuscript. A tune not to be forgotten. Enjoy!]]>
Connolly, Séamus (fiddle) 33682623]]> Donohue, Gabriel (keyboards) 103020997]]> Creative Commons License
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Connolly, Séamus]]> Donohue, Gabriel]]> ]]> More info.]]>