Description

This remarkable collection of previously unreleased recordings made in the early 1970s includes 20 tracks of some of finest traditional musicians to be recorded in the West of Ireland: Willie Clancy (Co.Clare), Vincent Griffin (Co.Clare), Chris Droney (Co.Clare), Jim & Seamus Donoghue (Co.Sligo), Gabe O’Sullivan (Co.Galway), Festy Conlan (Co.Galway), Paddy Bán Ó Brion (Dublin) with Frankie Gavin (Co.Galway), Dan O’Dowd (Dublin) and Rita & Sarah Keane (Co.Galway).

Here we have a kaleidoscope of airs, jigs, hornpipes, set-dances and reels played on iconic traditional instruments including, ulleann pipes, fiddle, flute, concertina, accordion, tin whistle and tambourine (before it became re-branded as the Bodhran!)

The recordings were made by Terry Yarnell, a Londoner, who in the 1960s was a member of the Critics study group and the London Singer’s Club, both led by Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger. It was McColl who inspired Terry’s first field trip to Galway, when he recorded a number of fine Sean-nós singers. A selection of these recordings can be heard on the Veteran album VT162CD ‘Tabhair mo ghrá go Conamara’ – ‘Bring my love to Connemara’.

Terry continued to record in the West of Ireland, particularly searching out musicians in their homes and local pubs, including some just visiting for the summer. He created a remarkable body of recorded performances which are now safely deposited in the British Library Sound Archive in London.

As one Irish commentator has recently commented, “Like the previous recordings I think these capture (and evoke) a time and a place and all the authenticity of field recordings.”

Tracks
1. Air:My true love he dwells on the mountain(An Buachaillín Donn) – Willie Clancy (uilleann pipes)
2. Reels: Sligo Reel (The Killavil Fancy) /The Sligo Maid – Vincent Griffin (fiddle)
3. Jigs: Jimmy Hill’s (Katie’s Fancy) /Paddy O’Brien’s (Boys of the Town) – Chris Droney (concertina)
4. Reel: The Maid Behind the Bar – Jim & Seamus Donoghue (Clarke’s tin whistle & tambourine)
5. Reel: Lucy Campbell – Gabe O’Sullivan (fiddle)
6. Air: Dónal Óg – Festy Conlon (tin whistle)
7. Jigs: The Humours of Castlelyons – Gabe O’Sullivan (flute)
8. Hornpipes: Slievenamon (Sliabh Na mBan) /The Cuckoo – Chris Droney (concertina)
9. Reels: The Glass of Beer /Richard Dwyer’s – Paddy Bán Ó Broin with Frankie Gavin (stepdance & tin whistle)
10. Reels:Paddy Fahey’s Reels 1 & 2– Vincent Griffin (fiddle)
11. Air: Táimse im’ Chodladh – Dan O’Dowd (uilleann pipes)
12. Reels: Killoran’s /The Providence – Chris Droney (concertina)
13. Hornpipes: Bantry Bay /The Stack of Wheat – Gabe O’Sullivan (fiddle)
14. Reels: Unidentified – Jim & Seamus Donoghue (Clarke’s tin whistle & tambourine)
15. Jigs: Garrett Barry’s /Old Tipperary – Willie Clancy (uilleann pipes)
16. Air: An Mullach Mór – Festy Conlon (tin whistle)
17. Reels: The Duke of Leinster /The Copperplate – Gabe O’Sullivan (flute)
18. Set-dance: Bonaparte’s Retreat – Chris Droney (concertina)
19. Reel s: Paddy Finlay’s (The Turnpike Gate /The Galway Rambler) – Vincent Griffin (fiddle)
20. Reels: The Maid of Mount Cisco /The Bag of Potatoes  – Rita & Sarah Keane and family (accordion, fiddle, flute and percussion)