Another new 3CD set featuring 89 tracks with performances by, among others: Lucy Farr, Billy Clifford, Amby Whyms, Lamond Gillespie, Brian Rooney, Joe Whelan, Reg Hall, Karen Ryan and James Carty. Compiled and researched by Dr. Reg Hall, the acknowledged expert in this field, “It was great altogether!” is a superb addition to the widely acclaimed Voice of the People series.
Irish traditional music was well-established in pubs and dance halls and at Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann meetings in Greater London by the mid-1960s, the groundwork having been done by a generation of young musicians from rural Ireland, who came over in the 1950s to work in the building and construction trades. They set high standards of musicianship and subtle social values related to music-making, and their contribution to the music is presented in a companion 3-CD album, “It was mighty!” The Early Days of Irish Music in London (Topic TSCD679T). In an unbroken line of descent, the tradition continues and this later period of fifty years or so is portrayed in this follow-up collection of archive recordings on three CDs. Many of those early pioneers, great artists by any reckoning, are represented here at the height of their ability. Most surprising, perhaps, are the many grown children and grandchildren of that original 1950s generation, who retain the original reasons for playing and keep the old styles going, fully integrated into their daily lives.
Track list:
CD1
Johnny Duffy, fiddle; Tommy Healy, flute; Reg Hall, piano.
1. Reels: Tarbolton / The Longford Collector / The Sailor’s Bonnet
2. Reels: Martin Wynne’s No. 1 / Martin Wynne’s No. 2
Recorded by Tony Engle at Reg Hall’s house, Croydon, London, 15 February 1977.
Jimmy Power, fiddle; Reg Hall, piano.
3. Jigs: Whelan’s / The Lark in the Morning
Jimmy Power, fiddle; Reg Hall, piano; Gerry Wright, bodhran.
4. Reels: Jackie Coleman’s / The Castle
Recorded by Tony Engle at Tangent Studio, Shepherd’s Bush, London, 1 July 1976.
Danny Meehan, fiddle; Michael Hynes, flute; Dermot Kearney, piano.
5. Single Jig: The Flax-dresser / Highland: The Limerick Races
Michael Hynes, flute; Dermot Kearney, piano.
6. Reels: Billy Brocker’s / The Humours of Tulla
Recorded in the club room at the Empress of Russia, Islington, London, 25 April 1985.
Danny Meehan & Bobby Casey, fiddles; Reg Hall, piano; John McLaughlin, spoons.
7. Jig: Cherish the Ladies
Recorded by Bill Leader at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 12 February 1967.
Bobby Casey, fiddle; Andy Boyle, fiddle.
8. Reels: Lucy Campbell / The Bucks of Oranmore / Rakish Paddy
Recorded by Bill Leader & Reg Hall at Bill Leader’s flat, Camden Town, London, 19 April 1967.
Bobby Casey, fiddle; Tommy McCarthy, concertina.
9. Reels: Connemara Stockings / Ships Are Sailing
Recorded by Bill Leader at Leader Sound Studio, Cecil Sharp House, Camden Town, London, 1972.
Finbarr Dwyer, accordeon.
10. Hornpipes: The New Century / Caroline O’Neill’s
11. Reels: Kitty in the Lane / Maude Miller
Recorded in a private house in London, late 1960s.
Jimmy Power, Paul Gross & Lucy Farr, fiddles; Tommy Maguire, accordeon; Reg Hall, piano.
12. Jigs: The Mouse in the Cupboard / Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part
Recorded by Reg Hall at the Admiral Duncan, Deptford, London, 14 February 1965.
Maureen Minogue, fiddle; Tadgh Kearney, accordeon; Tom Cussen, banjo; Jimmy Hogan, piano.
13. Polkas: The Glenside No.1 / The Glenside No. 2
Recorded by Tom Cussens at Jimmy Hogan’s house, Finsbury Park, London, 1969.
Lucy Farr, fiddle; Tommy Healy, flute; Reg Hall, piano.
14. Reels: Eddie Maloney’s / Lady Gordon
15. Schottisches: Sweet Flowers of Milltown / The Boys of Knock
Recorded by Keith Summers in the club room at the Empress of Russia, Islington, London, 6 June 1985.
Jimmy Power, fiddle; Paddy Malynn, accordeon; Frank Blaney, banjo; Reg Hall, piano.
16. Jigs: The Knights of St. Patrick / Paddy in London
Recorded by Edward Tise at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 14 June 1979, on the occasion of the filming of The Bolden Lad (director: John Tchalenko; music advisor: Bob Davenport).
Joe Whelan, accordeon; Liam Farrell, banjo; Reg Hall, piano.
17. Hornpipes: The Humours of Tullycrinme / Mickie Callagher’s
18. March: The Siamsa
19. Jigs: The Fly in the Porter / Burning Brakes
Recorded by Paul Marsh in the bar of the Waterman’s Arts Centre, Brentford, London, 15 February 1998 (17/18) & 15 March 1998 (19).
Con Curtin & Edmond Murphy, fiddles; Reg Hall, piano.
20. Reels: The Pride of Rathmore / The Girls of Farranfore
21. Reels: The Derrycrag / Tie the Bonnet / The Abbey Reel
Recorded by Bill Leader at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 13 March 1968.
Tommy Maguire, accordeon; Father O’Keefe, mandolin; Reg Hall, piano.
22. Jigs: Strike the Gay Harp / Brendan Tonroe’s
23. Reels: The Stoney Steps / The Hare’s Paw
Recorded by Bill Leader at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 21 April 1968.
Martin Byrnes, fiddle; Reg Hall, piano.
24. Reel: The Carracastle Lasses
25. Jig: The Frieze Britches
Recorded by Bill Leader at Reg Hall’s house, Croydon, London, 23/24 June 1967.
Sean O’Shea, fiddle; Bobby Casey, fiddle; Reg Hall, piano.
26. Reel: The Heathery Breeze
Recorded by Bill Leader at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 5 March 1967.
Con Curtin, Denis McMahon & Julia Clifford, fiddles; Reg Hall, piano.
27. Reels: O’Callaghan’s / The Hare’s Foot
Recorded by Bill Leader at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 12 March 1967.
John Whelan, accordeon; Jimmy Power, fiddle; Tommy Healy, flute; Frank Blaney, banjo; Big John Gray, bodhran; Reg Hall, piano.
28. Reels: Cooley’s / O’Rourke’s / The Pigeon on the Gate
Recorded by Edward Tise at The Favourite, Holloway, London, 14 June 1979, on the occasion of the filming of The Bolden Lad (director: John Tchalenko; music advisor: Bob Davenport).
CD2
The Thatch Ceili Band: Bobby Casey, Brendan Mulkere & Adrian Bourke, fiddles; Roger Sherlock & Paul Gallagher, flutes; Tommy Keane, uilleann pipes; John Bowe, accordeon; Mick O’Connor, banjo; Kevin Taylor, piano; Mick Whelan, drums.
1. Jigs: The Rakes of Clonmel / The Humours of Drimnagh / Castleconnor
Recording studio, London, 1986.
Maureen Minogue, fiddle.
2. Reels: The Four Courts / The New Copperplate
3. Jig: The Knocknagow
Recorded by Tom Cussen at Maureen Minogue’s house, London, 1969.
Julia Clifford, fiddle; Billy Clifford, flute.
4. Hornpipe: The Harlequin
5. Jigs: John Mahinney’s No. 1 / Sligo Bay
Recorded by Hugh Miller & Alan Ward at Camus Cross, Co. Tipperary, 11 July 1976.
Jack Heffernan, accordeon; Mary Heffernan, bodhran.
6. Jig: Paddy in London
Recorded by Peter Graves & Billy Steven at the Victoria Tavern, Holloway Road, London, early 1988.
Danny Meehan, fiddle.
7. Jig: Australian Waters
Recorded by Reg Hall & Dermot Kearney at Reg Hall’s house, Croydon, London, 28 May 1987.
Marcus Hernon, flute; Martin McMahon, accordeon; Teresa McMahon, keyboard.
8. Reels: Farewell to Ireland / The Maid of Mount Cisco / Come West along the Road
Recorded by Austin Barrett at a party in Marcus Hernon’s house, Carna, Co. Galway, 2006.
Lucy Farr, fiddle.
9. Single Jigs: un-titled / Royal Charlie
10. Reel: Anderson’s
11. Single Jig: The Long Note
Recorded by Bill Leader & Reg Hall at Leader Sounds studio, Greetland, Yorkshire, 9 August 1976.
Gabe O’Sullivan, flute.
12. Reel: Jack Coughlin’s Favourite
13. Jig: The Green Blanket
Recorded by Nic Kinsey & supervised by Peter Bellamy at Livingstone Studios, Barnet, London, April 1979.
Brian Rooney, fiddle.
14. Reel: The Green Mountain
15. Reel: Rolling in the Barrel
Provenance not known, London, probably 1980s.
Tom O’Connell, accordeon; Mick O’Connor, banjo.
16 Jigs: McHugh’s / The American Jig
Recorded by Tony Engle & Reg Hall at Tom O’Connell’s house, Upper Holloway, London. 2 December 2014.
Jacqueline McCarthy, concertina; Tommy Keane, uilleann pipes.
17. Hornpipes: The Honeysuckle / The Frisco
Recorded by Tommy Keane in The Crane Bar, Galway, 2010.
Tommy McGowan, fiddle.
18. Jig: The Castlepollard Lass
19. Jig: Tommy McGowan’s
Recorded by PJ Hernon, Co. Sligo, 1994.
Eddie Corcoran, tin whistle; Seamus Tansey, tambourine.
20. Reel: The Maid behind the Bar
Recorded by Bill Leader at Reg Hall’s house, Croydon, London, 11 October 1967.
Henry Dwyer, fiddle.
21. Reel: Rakish Pat
Recorded by Reg Hall at Henry Dwyer’s house, Coolock, Drumfin, Riverstown, Co. Sligo, 3 December 1988.
Vince O’Halloran, accordeon; Reg Hall, piano.
22. Jigs: Pat Burke’s / Fraher’s
Recorded by Tony Engle & Tony Russell at the Tangent Studio, Shepherd’s Bush, London, 25 March 1976.
Jack Dolan, three-quarter flute.
23. Reels: Touch Me If You Dare / The Flowers of Redhill
Recorded by Lucy Farr in The Favourite, Holloway, London, early 1970s.
Maureen Minogue, fiddle; Tom Cussen, banjo.
24. Jigs: Nora Crionna / The Banks of Newfoundland
25. Reels: Scotch Mary / Ships Are Sailing
Recorded by Tom Cussen at Maureen Minogue’s house, London, 1969.
Selina Munnelly, accordeon.
26. Reels: The Thatched Cabin / The Skylark
Recorded by Andrew Bathe at Selina Munnelly’s flat, Finbury Park, London, 7 October 1984.
Bill Glasheen, fiddle; Selina Munnelly, accordeon; John Blout, banjo.
27. Reels: The Eel in the Sink / The Ivy Leaf
Recorded by Austin Barrett in The Blackstock, Finsbury Park, London, 1979.
Billy Clifford, flute.
28. Jig: The Humours of Lisheen
Julia Clifford, fiddle.
29. Slide: The Humours of Glenflesk
Recorded by Reg Hall at Lucy & Eric Farr’s house, Ladywell, London, 16 August 1964.
Amby Whyms, fiddle.
30. Reel: Sergeant Carey’s Dream
31. Reel: Paddy O’Brien’s
Amby Whyms, fiddle; Mary Bowe, concertina.
32. Reel: Maud Miller
Recorded by Tommy Maree at Amby Whyms’s house, London, 4 February 1998.
John Carty, banjo; Marcus Hernon, flute; unidentified, bodhran; Paddy Gallagher, bouzouki.
33. Jigs: Munster Buttermilk / Jim Ward’s / The Old Favourite
Recorded by Sean Dunn, Gunners Arms, Highbury, London, 1990. Larry Masterson Collection.
Bobby Casey & Andy Boyle, fiddles; Paddy Breen, flute.
34. Reels: The Jolly Tinker / The Pretty Girls of Mayo
Recorded by Bill Leader & Reg Hall at Bill Leader’s flat, Camden Town, London, 19 April 1967.
The Thatch Ceili Band: As track 1.
35. Reels: The Banks of the Ilen / Cronin’s
Recording studio, London, 1986.
CD3
Sinead Linane, fiddle; James Carty, flute; Reg Hall, keyboard.
1. Reels: Lad O’Beirne’s / Fionn O’Donal’s
Ceili House, RTE pre-recorded radio programme, The Auld Triangle, Finsbury Park, London, 17 April 2005.
Courtesy of RTE Archives.
The Auld Triangle Ceili Band: Teresa Heanue & Sinead Linane, fiddles; James Carty, Mick Mulvey & John Murphy, flutes, Gary Connolly & Maureen Linane, accordeons; Karen Ryan, banjo; Reg Hall, piano; Pat McNamee, drums.
2. Reels: The Concert Reel / The Corpus Reel
Recorded by Seamus Brogan at the All-Britain Fleadh Ceoil, Edgehill College, Ormskirk, Cheshire, 29 June 2003.
Lamond Gillespie, fiddle; John Blake, flute.
3. Jigs: Up Sligo / The Shoemaker’s Fancy
Recorded by Sean Keegan at the University of Limerick studio, 2007.
Lamond Gillespie, fiddle; John Blake, flute; Eamon Burke, flute; Tommy Maree, accordeon; Reg Hall, piano.
4. Reels: Lady Gordon / Johnny Henry’s
Recorded by Tommy Maree & John Blake at Our Lady of Grace RC School, Dollis Hill, London, 20 December 2008.
Sean Casey, fiddle; Bernadette McCarthy, fiddle; Dermot Kearney, banjo; Reg Hall, piano.
5. Reels: The Mullingar Races / Music in the Glen
Recorded by Peter Graves & Billy Steven at the Victoria Tavern, Holloway Road, London, early 1988.
Brian Rooney, fiddle; Mick Mulvey, flute; Reg Hall, keyboard.
6. Reels: The Primrose Lass / Cregg’s Pipes / Tom Ward’s Downfall
Recorded by Simon Wroe, City of London, 5 April 2003.
Dermot Burke, fiddle; Mick Mulvey, flute.
7. Jigs: The Mill Pond / Statia Donnelly’s
Recorded by Radio na Gaeltachta, at the Irish Centre, Camden Town, London, 27 May 2011.
Courtesy of Radio na Gaeltachta.
Brian Rooney, fiddle.
8. Reel: Grandpa Tommy’s Ceili Band
9. Jig: The Knocknagow
Provenance not known, London, 1980s?
Mick Linane & Sinead Linane, fiddles; James Carty, flute; Gary Connolly & Maureen Linane, accordeons; Reg Hall, keyboard.
10. Reels: Devaney’s Goat / The Dairymaid
Recorded by Chris Kreinczes in the Auld Triangle, Finsbury Park, London, 19 September 2010.
Brendan Mulkere, fiddle; Paul Gallagher, flute.
11. Reels: The Salmanca / The Crooked Road
Recorded by Robin Broadbank at a concert at University College, Cork, 26 February 1994.
Joe Whelan, accordeon; Liam Farrell, banjo.
12. Slow Air: Blackbirds and Thrushes
Joe Whelan, accordeon; Liam Farrell, banjo; Reg Hall, piano.
13. Reels: Collier’s / The Doone
Recorded by Simon Ritchie & John Howson at Reg Hall’s house, Croydon, London, 22 October 2001.
Austin Dawes, fiddle; Seanin McDonagh, accordeon; Bobby Ramsey, guitar.
14. Jigs: The Telegraph / Out on the Ocean
Ceili House, RTE pre-recorded radio programme, the Lord Napier, Thornton Heath, London, 27 April 1999.
Courtesy of RTE Archives.
Joe Cahill & Mary Bowe, fiddles; Reg Hall, piano.
15. Reel: The Morning Dew
Recorded by John Blake & Tommy Maree at Our Lady of Grace RC School, Dollis Hill, London, 15 August 2008.
Sheena Vallely, flute.
16. Jigs: Pat Mahon’s / The Fox and the Thatch
17. Reels: Dan Breen’s / The Road to Monalea
London, 20 June 2014.
Sean Casey, fiddle; Reg Hall, piano.
18. Reels: The Musical Priest / Jenny’s Chickens
Recorded by Peter Graves & Billy Steven at the Victoria Tavern, Holloway Road, London, early 1988.
Tom O’Connell, accordeon; Mick O’Connor, banjo.
19. Hornpipes: Cronin’s / The Western
Recorded by Tony Engle & Reg Hall at Tom O’Connell’s house, Upper Holloway, London. 2 December 2014.
Eamon Burke, flute; Reg Hall, piano.
20. Reel: Fred Finn’s
Recorded by John Blake & Tommy Maree at Our Lady of Grace RC School, Dollis Hill, London, 20 December 2008.
Rosie O’Leary, fiddle; Clare O’Leary, fiddle; Alan O’Leary, flute.
21. Slip-Jig: Marie Rua (Red Haired Mary) / Jig: The Visit to Ireland
The Traditional Music Hour, Resonance 104.4 FM radio programme pre-recorded by Paul Jackson, London,
23 November 2013.
Lamond Gillespie & Jimmy Murphy, fiddles; John Blake, James Carty, Eamon Burke & John MacLeod, flutes; Mick Leahy, bazouki; Reg Hall, piano.
22. Reels: The Boys of the Lough / The Devils of Dublin
The Traditional Music Hour, Resonance 104.4 FM live radio programme, London, 19 May 2011.
Karen Ryan, fiddle.
23. Reels: Farrell Gara / Christmas Eve / The Sligo Maid
Recorded by Simon Wroe, City of London, early 2001.
Mick Linane & Sinead Linane, fiddles; Gary Connolly & Maureen Linane, accordeons; Reg Hall, keyboard.
24. Jig: The Coolai
Recorded by Chris Kreinczes in the Auld Triangle, Finsbury Park, London, 19 September 2010.
John Blake, flute; Eamon Burke, flute; Tommy Maree, bodhran; Reg Hall, piano.
25. Reels: The Laurel Tree / King of the Clans
Recorded by John Blake & Tommy Maree at Our Lady of Grace RC School, Dollis Hill, London, , 20 December 2008.
Gary Connolly, accordeon; James Carty, flute; Reg Hall, keyboard; Francis Gaffney, guitar.
26. Reels: P Flanagan’s / The Corpus Reel
Recorded by James Clenaghan, St. Anne’s church hall, Salusbury Road, Kilburn, London, 21 July 2007.
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