A farewell to Johnny

Owing to the death of my mother on January 31, this column didn’t appear in the last issue of hotpress. Sincere apologies to anyone who sent news that’s now too far out of date to publish – please do keep the information coming.

I was very sorry to learn of the passing of the great Sliabh Luachra melodeon player Johnny O’Leary, who learned his craft from the legendary Kerry fiddle master Pádraig O’Keeffe. O’Leary died at age 80 on Monday, January 5, following an illness. His funeral in Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry, was attended by hundreds, including fiddle, flute and box players who gathered around his grave to play his beloved Sliabh Luachra slides and polkas. He will be much missed.
Congratulations to all those honoured at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, held in London on Monday, February 9. Tommy Sands received the Best Original Song award for his composition ‘County Down’. Fittingly, after Irish seven-piece Danú was awarded the trophy for Best Group (which they also won in 2001), they performed their version of the song, with new vocalist Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh doing the words full justice. Other award recipients included June Tabor (Folk Singer of the Year), John Spiers & Jon Boden (Best Duo), Jim Moray (Best Album, for Sweet England, and Horizon Award), June Tabor (Best Traditional Track, for ‘Hughie Graeme’), Martin Simpson (Musician of the Year), Dave Swarbrick (Lifetime Achievement Award), Steve Earle (Lifetime Achievement Award – Songwriting), Show of Hands (Best Live Act), Celtic Connections (Good Tradition Award) and the Rockingham Arms, Wentworth (Folk Club Award).
The government’s recently-established Special Committee on the Traditional Arts has requested submissions from the sector as part of its review of the “structures, supports and policy for the Traditional Arts”. The committee is to consider the role of the Arts Council in relation to framing a coherent policy for the traditional arts with regard to existing support systems, facilities and funding programmes; it is also to examine the “relevance of the terms ‘amateur’, ‘professional’ and ‘voluntary’ in contemporary practice”, as well as “proposals for an effective framework for assessing funding proposals”. Typed submissions, in English or Irish, must be received by 5.30pm on March 5, and can be either Emailed to [email protected] or posted to the Special Committee on the Traditional Arts, The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, 70 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
The Traditional section of the Musicians’ Union of Ireland (MUI) is having its Annual General Meeting on Monday, March 1, at 3pm in Liberty Hall. All are welcome – members and non-members alike.
The Kitchen Recordings, the new album from Seán O’Driscoll and Larry Egan, was launched a few weeks ago in The Corner House pub in Coburg Street, Cork. It was a great night, by all accounts: Pip Murphy, the renowned harmonica player from Carrick-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford, did the honours and launched the CD with a few words about the lads and the music. The place was full of musicians, and Seán and Larry were joined on stage by Mick ‘Black Dog’ Daly on guitar, Olga Barry on bodhrán and John Gallery on spoons. Other musicians present included Liz Cassidy and Séamus Creagh, as well as Larry’s brother, the concertina player Patrick Egan. Not surprisingly, the session following the launch went on into the early
hours ....
Also recently launched was Macalla na hÓige, the debut album from Clare-based brothers Hugh and Colm Healy, featuring 23-year-old Hugh on concertina, 21-year-old Colm on button accordion, Galwegian Feargal Scahill on guitar and bodhrán and Birmingham native Paul O’Driscoll on double bass. Also guesting on the album are Noel O’Donoghue from Clare band Moher on concert flute, Eric Healy (another brother of Hugh and Colm) on fiddle, Karol Lynch on banjo and Michael Ó Connell on pipes. Recorded, mixed and mastered by engineer Martin O’Malley at Malbay Studios in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, the CD got a good send-off at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis on February 7. Look out for a country-wide tour over the coming weeks.
Following on from all the scandal over their last album Redwood, Lúnasa are releasing their live CD The Kinnitty Sessions on the Nashville-based label Compass Records, founded by banjo player Alison Brown. Cut before a live audience at Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly, with no overdubs or studio trickery, the recording hits the shelves in the U.S. on March 2. I’m looking forward to hearing it.
Recently nominated for a Meteor Award in the ‘Best Irish Country/Roots Artist’ category, Finbar Furey has announced that he’ll be playing a cabaret-style show (four-course dinner included) in the plush surrounds of the newly refurbished ‘Green Room’ at the Holiday Inn, Dublin, on Friday March 26. He’ll be accompanied by Jimmy Faulkner on guitar and Garry Ó Briain on mandolin and mandocello. For bookings, ring (01) 670 3666. In 2003, Finbar made his debut screen appearance in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Gangs of New York’, and his music is also featured on the soundtrack album. In other Furey news, the Fureys & Davey Arthur are at Vicar Street on March 6; the band celebrated their 25th anniversary last year.
If you happen to be contemplating a trip to Turkey in the coming months, you might want to check out Strictly Mundial 2004, described as “one of the biggest events of world music, including fiesta, conference and trade fair”, to be held in Istanbul on April 21-24. Some 100 bands have been selected to appear at the event – 30 from Turkey, 20 from Asia, and the rest from all around the globe. For more information, visit , Email <[email protected]> or ring +90 212 662 3297.

Musicians and singers with news to share can e-mail Sarah on [email protected]