Welcome to my August newsletter … I hope all is well with you.
This month started off with a bang for me as I moved the whole shop to Mullingar for the annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (or ‘the Fleadh’ for short – pronounced FLAH].
It was, as always, so gratifying to see the amount of young talent on display. I was run off my feet in the pop-up shop so I missed a lot of the competitions but the rest of the McNeela team were on hand for the music.
Scroll down for:
The Fun of the Fleadh
A World Famous Irish Luthier
A Rare Second Hand Flute
New Music Gear
Goodbye to Another Great
The Fun of the Fleadh
Here’s a video for you to give you a feel for the week that was:
Well done to all the organisers whose tireless work really paid off and congratulations to all the winners.
Taobh Na Mara from Waterford won the senior céilí band competition. Have a look at them in full flight. I think you’ll enjoy it, their enthusiasm is infectious!
A World Famous Irish Luthier
There are numerous talented luthiers working in Ireland and around the world these days but have you ever heard of Thomas Perry? He was an Irish luthier, world famous back in the 1700s, who crafted over 4,000 violins during his time as luthier in Dublin.
His craftsmanship was such that today his violins sell for tens of thousands of euro and are highly valued by collectors.
Why not take a trip through old Dublin of the 18th century and meet this maker and his peers. I recommend this blog post for all lovers of exceptional craftsmanship and, of course, the violin:
Rare Irish Flute Opportunity One of Ireland’s top flute makers, Hammy Hamilton, closed his books a few years back so the only way to get your hands on one of his exceptional flutes is through the second hand market.
To that end I’m delighted to tell you that I have a gorgeous Hammy Hamilton African Blackwood flute ready to ship. It’s in very good condition, very responsive and produces a beautiful rich tone.
Hurry, this flute won’t be around long!
New Music Gear
Are you in the market for a guitar amp? I’ve some new guitar amps in stock at the moment including this great amp for beginners:
It would also make a great gift for a child or teenager learning guitar. It’s simple to use and not too loud. They can also plug in headphones and practice in silence!
RIP Mick Moloney
We said goodbye to another bastion of traditional Irish music late last month, musician and academic Mick Moloney.
Moloney was a significant figure on the Irish-American music scene for decades and central to the renaissance of Irish traditional music in the States – he emigrated there in the 70s.
The Wall Street Journal called him a “pre-eminent authority on Irish music in America”.
He received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 1999, America’s highest honour in the traditional arts; the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad from President Michael D. Higgins in 2013; and the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Rannpháirtíocht de Scoth (outstanding contribution award) in 2014.
One of his better known albums is McNally’s Row of Flats released in 2006. The album was based on 19th-century songs co-written in the United States by an Irish immigrant, Ed Harrigan, and his Jewish immigrant friend David Braham.
The songs, originally performed on Broadway between 1878 and 1884, are the first example of what we know as musical comedy. Have a listen:
For more details of Dr Mick Moloney’s rich musical life have a read of this article and this one.
He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam – May he rest in peace
With that I’ll leave you. Despite the warm temperatures in Dublin I can feel autumn in the air which only means one thing – back to school and the rest!
