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Archiver > IRL-TIPPERARY > 2007-05 > 1179952880


From: Jim Mullany <>
Subject: Re: [IRL-TIP] old music (Michelle)
Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 13:41:20 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <mailman.51.1178348455.6348.irl-tipperary@rootsweb.com>


Michelle,

Sorry for the late response to this topic, but I
thought I'd put my two bits in anyway.

Last June, my family and I stayed in the
Cahir-Clogheen area. I was researching my Mullany -
O'Donnell ancestors and we all enjoyed this corner of
Ireland immensely.

As I'm a fiddler and very interested in Irish music, I
asked various people we encountered about the local
music scene. Sadly, there seemed to be little interest
anywhere in traditional Irish music and we could find
no sessions in the pubs or anything but loud pop
music. One pub had a poster proudly advertising an
ABBA tribute band's concert.

The Ballylooby pub did have a young "Rebel band" one
night touring through and they had the locals singing
along to the twentieth century fighting songs. The
young players handled their instruments well and it
was a fine time, but not traditional Irish music.

On one of my visits outside of Cahir to South Clonmore
townland - where my Mullany ancestors came from - I
met a fine old O'Donnell gentleman who was one of the
few locals with tales of Mullanys in that area. Mr.
O'Donnell took me to the former residence of blind
Little Ned Mullany who was famed locally as a box
accordion player.

As I rambled through the overgrown ruins of Little
Ned's cottage - now the edge of a corn field - I
wondered what great tunes had been played in the old
place, how many house dances there may have been
there, how many wakes and parties rang with the tunes
of Ned, family and friends. The ruin seemed an apt
metaphor for the condition of the local musical
traditions.

On the other hand, we also spent a week in Cos. Kerry
and Clare and heard some terrific tunes and great old
songs in the pubs. If it's old Irish music you want it
seems the further west (and to some extent north) you
go from Tipperary the more the old stuff is cherished
and played. South Tipperary may eventually rediscover
and revive its fine old musical roots but it presently
doesn't seem to have much to offer. I would be
thrilled to hear someone on this list with counter
examples.

We did not visit the Bru Boru Center, but during our
time in Cashel - and visits of course to a number of
pubs there - we didn't hear of any of the old stuff
there, either. I would hope that the Bru Boru presents
some decent traditional folk, but haven't heard much
about it.

Depending on where in America your musical ancestors
landed, there may be more American records - in
newspapers and such - of what the immigrants were
playing than over in Ireland. I have found some
tantalizing - though ultimately patronizing -
descriptions of Irish music being played in the
American Midwest in the nineteenth century.

As much as we moderns might revere Irish folk
musicians, one must remember that prior to the middle
of the 20th century traditional musicians were mostly
regarded as in the same league as thieves, vagabonds,
and ne'er-do-wells by the powers that be.

I hope this helps a bit.

Jim Mullany
Sandia Park, New Mexico

> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 16:44:07 -0400
> From: "Michelle" <>
> Subject: [IRL-TIP] old music
> To: <>
> Message-ID: <00f501c78e8c$f662e370$>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I thought I had read somewhere that there is a
> cultural center near the
> Tipperary Heritage center that is trying to
> preserve the old music. I
> would
> love to know what music was played in the 1790s and
> early 1800s.
>
> My great-great grandfather used to play the
> violin/fiddle at home and
> grange
> dances. We all think that he learned to play from
> his father - the
> immigrant from Ireland.
>
> Can anyone help me with the music request? Or
> suggest other places to look
> into this?
>
> Michelle



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