Jay The Fiddler
For the Love of Fiddle.

Patrick O’Keeffe Music Festival

Back in Brosna

My favourite Monday night session in the village of Brosna Co. Kerry. Terrance McQuinn was there with sisters Nan & Maida who is from Chicago. Maida had actually been a student of Patrick O’Keeffe’s when she was a girl . She’s a fine fiddler now.

Dave Dooley on whistles, Katherine on piano and Mikie O’Connor on guitar and singing. And loads of singers standing at the bar with their eyes closed.

Noreen was behind the bar and Timmy O’Connor in front of it. Tom Brouder was there too singing ” Sunday Morning Coming Down”. The slides and polkas were flying!

Maida McQuinn, Chicago
“The Baron” Timmy O’Sullivan
Dave dooley

The tunes were nearly as good as the jokes

Of course the tunes were superb when I finally had the session with Jackie Daly, Paul de Grae & Suzie Cox. Jackie has a groaner after every set.

 

Jackie Daly received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” Saturday at the Patrick O’Keeffe Festival. And no better man. A legend on the C#/D box.

Missing Jackie Dan Jerry

I knew my return to Castleisland would be fraught with sadness. And it is. Jackie and I played music like we were together in the womb. His memory is in every seat of every pub in this town. And especially  in Flanagan’s in Brosna. Now we remember him in stories and anecdotes: and there are many! I visited  Annie O’Connor (his widow) and she is still, 2 years on, one thought away fro a teardrop. “I still expect to see him coming in from the field”. “I haven’t been back in the fields since he passed.” “I ploughed over his garden.” “He was an intelligent and generous man.” “That’s life.”

He once started playing the French waltz Bourasque and i joined in. “I’ve played that one for 50 years and you’re the first man who ever knew it.” I learned it form John Malone.

Be well Jackie. I’ll see you in my dreams.

 

Patrick O’Keeffe Festival 2019 – October 25-28

Great to be in Castleisland for the POK. All the familiar and friendly faces. This is my 18th attendance at the festival and 19th trip to Ireland. That adds up to 82 weeks of my life spent in Eire. Staying with good friend Tony Halsall 3 km above the town. I’m enjoying the walk into town and back as my recent hip replacement is fine and strong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft5tPEy7nlg Castleisland as seen from the Limerick Road

Georgia and I decide to have our first session in Kearney’s Bar with Con Moynihan and Dennis O’Connor: old friends and gracious musicians. Check out their album transcribed on The Session.The jigs and reels never stop and the slides and polkas are mighty.

Local legend Paddy Jones stops in after playing his own 2 hour gig. He plays some beautiful slow airs. We chat afterwards “I’ve beaten cancer twice”. Good man Paddy and many more years to you! Watch him on YouTube: “The Fiddle Bends the Note”.

Paddy Jones & myself

 

Ireland Bound!

I will arrive in Eire on October 12, 2019. A pint anyone? Georgia arrives a week later.

Deep Freeze Byzantine Festival!

It’s January Fun! Come see us play

http://www.deepfreezefest.ca/

2019 DEEP FREEZE: BYZANTINE WINTER FESTIVAL

Venue Address# 1: Hearth (9210 118 Ave)
Date of Performance: Saturday, January 12, 2019
Time of Performance:2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Venue Address#2: Pavilion (91 St & 118 Ave) — Kitchen Party
Date of Performance: Saturday, January 12, 2019
Time of Performance:3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Venue Address# 3: Igloo (92 St. & north of 118 Ave)
Date of Performance: Saturday, January 12, 2019
Time of Performance:5:00 PM – 5:45 PM

New Hip!

On November 29th 2018 Dr. Donald Glasgow replaced my right hip which had previously been shattered in 2013 in a bicycle collision with a van. It’s been 11 days and I am already enjoying the benefits!!

No Ireland This Year :(

Instead of my annual 4 week visit to Ireland to enjoy the wonderful people, music, Guinness & scenery I will be staying put in Edmonton and preparing for an upcoming hip replacement. Sad to break with tradition but my mobility is very limited (I use a cane all the time) and I am trying to get my blood glucose numbers down. I look forward to my next visit in good health when I will easily walk from Renmore to Eyre Square or up the Pound Road.

All Night at Coili’s

When I called into Tig Coili’s in the afternoon to enquire who the musicians would be that night the barman told me “Paul Bradley & Declan Corey”. “Paul is living in Wicklow now” I said, “oh, no he still comes in”. It wasn’t Paul unfortunately , who is one of my favourite musicians, but Declan with Joseph O’Flahery on accordion. A nice surpris was the arrival of Jon Brindley from Lancashire who played fiddle and sang beautifully. In fact when the first session broke up it was he and I who kept it lit til the 10:00 session started.

Also Gerry Mulholland would stand on the bench and sing or compose a recitation on the spot. He had the audience enthralled.

The 10:00 session featured Declan Corey and Ger Clancey on fiddle. Great tunes coming fast and furious with loads of modern compositions. Ithought the 7 hour sessions were done after the POK festival, but apparently not.

Galway is a port city of course so I am including a picture of the docks by night.

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