Nice interview with Daoiri Farrell with a quick intro to Irish Bouzouki for all those folks who ask me, “what is that?”. If you listen long enough (around 9:15) he sings Pat Rainey, a lovely song written by his friend Fergus Russell.
And, in case you haven’t heard it before, his version of Craggan White Hare. Great stuff! Enjoy!
P.S. My friend Stewart Deck just alerted me to this article on Daoiri as well:
A few weeks back at the Paddy Keenan show, my friends Kevin Donleavy and Alex Davis were invited up on the stage to play a few tunes and they introduced the audience to a tune that Kevin wrote in honor of his friend, Jerry Crilly, whom Paddy also knew. Since Paddy has asked Kevin to send him a recording of the tune, it seemed like an interesting idea for a blog post, so I asked Kevin to provide a little background on Jerry and the tune. Here’s what he had to say:
“In the early 1970s, among the best-known ballad singers in Dublin town were Lenny Duff, Eric Fleming, and Jerry Crilly. They often performed together in venues like Slattery’s or Toner’s or the Labour Club. They hooked me on the poignancy and power of Irish trad music, both the songs and the tunes.
Among the songs that I learned from Jerry were such fine ballads as “Where Is Our James Connolly,” “The Streets of Derry,” “Avondale,” “Bridget O’Reilly,” “No-Man’s Land,” “Admiral Nelson” (written by fellow Dub, Joe Dolan), ” and “Only Our Rivers Run Free.” Jerry’s first wife Betty sang along as these fellas gave forth, and she was one to prod me whenever I missed a line or two; her favorites were “Avondale” and “Where is Our James Connolly.”
I wrote this jig in the early 2000s as a way to honor Jerry for his commitment to the music and for his kindnesses to me. Paddy Keenan and Jerry have known each other in Dublin from the 1970s. With luck, Paddy and others in Ireland and the States can help popularize this wee jig in honor Jerry Crilly.”
A little more background on Jerry w/picture
Jerry singing the ballad, “Blood Upon the Grass”
Kevin (on right with whistle) and Alex (fiddle) playing Kevin’s tune, Jerry Crilly’s Jig with Paddy Keenan
Came across this nice resource of traditional songs from Minnesota and the Great Lakes region. Here’s a brief description from Brian:
“Northwoods Songs features a new song each month pulled from my research. As a Minnesotan, I am particularly drawn to material connected to my home state. I am also interested in the Irish influence evident in the repertoires of lumbermen and Great Lakes sailors across the northwoods region (which I think of as the historic white pine belt from New Brunswick to Minnesota). Most of the songs here show that influence one way or another.”