irishmusicinfo.com
THE COMPANION TO IRISH TRADITIONAL MUSIC
Editor and general contributor Fintan Vallely.
Published by Cork University Press, Crawford Industrial park, Crosses Green,
Cork.
478pp, hardback, 234 x 156 mm.
Price: IR £ 25.
ISBN 1 85918 148 1
Publishers preamble:
An A-Z encyclopaedia-style reference book drawing on the major commentators
and teachers within Traditional music in Ireland USA and elsewhere. It incorporates
theory, history, ideological and descriptive information, covers instruments
and tune-types, all forms of song and dance, history, regional styles, personalities,
present-day analysis, research and opinions. It introduces major features of
the related areas of Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man and Brittany, the major British
movements. It utilises new material, but also much already-researched material
under an editorship, so providing the widest variety of opinions. The book is
intended as an information-source, it supplements and points to already-available
publications, it brings together a body of presently-unavailable, specialised
information and bibliography, and also opens access to information contained
in no longer available works. In particular it has a comprehensive bibliography
of all material - historical to modern - relating to Traditional Irish music
and dance. It also has an extensive discography, and a chronology of events
in Traditional music and its revival. The book is without precedent and will
be a vital resource for all students of, and researchers and writers within
Irish music. All the writers are involved in Traditional music - players, researchers,
writers, teachers. Articles vary in length from 50 words to 4,500. There are
1,000 individual topics, these subdivided considerably; 400 of these are biographical.
The contributors These come mainly from within the Traditional music community, and all have been involved in research, writing, collecting and comment on various aspects of Traditional music, song and dance.
Ahern, Pat. Guitarist, a member of The Four Star Trio, and Traditional music columnist with The Examiner newspaper.
Bazin, Fenella. Performer and chronicler of Manx music at the Centre for Manx Studies.
Bennett, Margaret . Singer and Research Fellow at Glasgow University, from a long line of Skye singers and pipers.
Berry, Phil. Singer and songwriter, an authority on the songs of Wexford, an organiser of the annual Wexford Singers' festival.
Boydell, Barra. Lecturer in music at the NUI, Maynooth, he researches musical instruments and history of music in Ireland.
Bradshaw, Harry. Radio producer, researcher, record producer with RTÉ from 1968, his Viva Voce label markets re-mastered 78s.
Brennan, Helen. Dance researcher and teacher, her MA research was on the Sean nós dance style. Author of The Story of Irish Dance, Brandon Press, Kerry, 1999.
Browne, Peter. Uilleann piper and radio producer, NATIONAL RADIO, IRELAND.
Buckley, Ann. Writer and researcher on the history of music in Ireland, medieval studies, iconography and the anthropology of music
Burke, Angela. Lecturer in Irish at UCD, her song research has included work on Caoineadh na dTrí Mhuire.
Carroll, Barry. Hammer dulcimer player, from Lisburn, Co. Antrim, influenced by John Rea.
Cumiskey, Glen . From Co. Armagh, he is a piper, and archivist at the Irish Traditional Music Archive.
Cotter, Geraldine. Piano player and music teacher, from Ennis, Co. Clare, author of tutors on tin whistle and piano in Irish music (Ossian Press).
Cranford, Paul. Fiddler and publisher on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, he publishes local music through Cranford Publications.
Cranitch, Matt. Fiddler, teacher, and author of The Irish Fiddle Book, he is researching the Sliabh Luachra fiddle tradition.
Crowley, Jimmy. Singer, songwriter, bouzouki player, he is researching Cork urban song.
Cullinane, John. Dance researcher and archivist, he has published extensively on Irish step dancing.
Cummins, Verena is currently researching East Galway style at UL.
Cunningham, Eric. Flute and whistle player, from Headford, Co. Galway, he is researching the Bodhrán at UL.
Daly, Gregory. A flute player influenced by Packie Duignan and Jim Donoghue, he is an authority on players and music of South Sligo.
De Grae, Paul. Author of the first guitar tutor in Traditional music, he has recorded with Jackie Daly and Smoky Chimney.
Dillane, Aibhlín has been engaged in research into the piano in Irish Traditional music at UL.
Doherty, Liz. Fiddler, from Buncrana, she lectures in Traditional music at UCC, and is editor of the revised O'Neill collection.
Douglas, Sheila. From Perth, Scotland, a singer, storyteller and song editor (Greig Duncan 7), she teaches at the RSAMD in Glasgow.
Dowling, Martin. Fiddler, born in Chicago of Irish parents, he is the ACNI's Traditional Arts officer.
Dromey, Paul. Dromey, Paul. Columnist with the Cork Evening Echo since 1987, and writes or The Examiner and Irish Music.
Duffy, Paddy. From Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, he is Associate Professor of Geography, at NUI Maynooth.
Foley, Catherine. Dancer and musician, Irish step dance teacher, she is director of the Ethnochoreology programme at UL.
Garvin, Wilbert. Writer, Uilleann piper and bag piper, he is author of The Irish Bagpipe.
Gebruers, Maeve. A harp player, she is an archivist with the Irish Traditional Music Archive.
Graham, Len. Singer and song-collector, an authority on song of Ulster.
Gunn, Douglas. Recorder player, writer, broadcaster, teacher, composer and choral conductor; leader of the Douglas Gunn Ensemble.
Hamilton, Colin (Hammy). Flute-player and maker, Traditional music researcher and writer, author of The Irish Flute Book.
Hammond, David. Singer, raconteur, film producer, known widely for his BBC radio production As I Roved Out.
Hannan, Robbie. Uilleann piper, Director of the music section of the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum in Co. Down.
Harte, Frank. Singer, collector, broadcaster. Born in Dublin, he is an authority on the song tradition.
Hastings, Gary. Flute player, born in Belfast, living in Westport, he is an authority on Orange music, and Lambeg drum and fife.
Henigan, Julie. Singer and researcher, from Missouri, USA, specialist in traditional Irish song and southern American folk music.
Hessian, Carl. Pianist and keyboard player, he plays with many leading performers.
Heymann, Ann. Leading clairseach performer and recording artist, writer and researcher, she is author of Secrets of the Gaelic Harp.
Hitchner, Earle. Writer and radio broadcaster, he covers Irish and other musics for The Wall Street Journal and Irish Echo.
Keily, Brendan is a journalist and researcher.
Kinnaird, Alison. Harper, teacher and lecturer, writer, she has published extensively on the Scottish harp.
Kinney, Phyllis. From the US, she studied at the Juilliard School of Music in NY, and has published extensively in English and Welsh.
Kinsella, Mick is a leading harmonica player.
Ó Liatháin, Dónal. Singer and songwriter, he is an authority on the lore and music of West Cork.
Mac Con Iomaire Liam . Singer, journalist, and broadcaster, from Casla, Connamara Gaeltacht.
Mac, Aoidh, Caomhín. (1952 - ). Fiddler and founder member of Cairdeas na bhFhidléirí,, he specialises in Donegal fiddling.
MacGabhann, Antóin. Fiddler, music organiser, teacher, he specialises in Cavan music.
MacIsaac, Ellen. Born Ottawa, Canada, she is researching newly composed songs in the Anglo-Irish singing tradition.
Madden, Angela). From Toomebridge, Co. Antrim, she is an authority on lilting in Ireland.
Matthews, Ceri. A piper, he lives and works in Wales.
McBride, Jimmy. Singer, collector. From Buncrana, he formed the lnishowen Traditional Singers' Circle and annual Seminar.
McCann, Anthony. Writer, singer, bodhrán player. His Ph.D. research at UL is on copyright in traditional music.
McCarthy, Johnny. Flute and fiddle player, music teacher, he plays in the Four Star Trio, and is researching Sliabh Luachra music.
McCullagh, LE. Tin Whistle player, writer, researcher, he was born in Indianapolis, and is an authority on Irish music in Chicago.
McGettrick, Paul. Flute player and teacher. He was a key worker on the Fleischmann project and teaches music technology.
McNamara, Brian. Uilleann piper, flute player and specialist in the music of Leitrim.
Meade, Don. Harmonica player and fiddler, organiser of New York's Eagle Tavern gigs, he writes in The Irish Voice newspaper.
Meek, Bill. Singer, journalist. For many years a columnist in Traditional music.
Mercier, Mel. Bodhrán and bones player, he lectures in Irish music and Ethnomusicology at UCC.
Mitchell, Mary. Accordion, uilleann pipes. She is an archivist and music tutor at UCC and has researched repertoire and style.
Moloney, Colette. Lecturer in Irish Traditional Music at WIT, Waterford, her research on the Bunting Manuscripts is published by the ITMA.
Moloney, Mick. Singer, banjo and mandolin player. Born in Galway he lives in Philadelphia, his PhD research is on Irish music in the US.
Moulden, John. Singer, researcher, lecturer and writer. He publishes and distributes material relating to Ulster song.
Moylan, Terry, Uilleann piper, set dancer, writer, and a founder of Brook's (set dance) Academy.
Munnelly, Tommy. Singer, song collector. Born in Dublin, he is now based in Clare where he collects and researches for CBÉ.
Murphy, Pat . Set dancer and teacher, from Tipperary, he is based in Dublin.
Murphy, Sean. A researcher living in Dublin.
Ní Chathasaigh, Máire. Harp player, singer, born Bandon, Co. Cork she is an authority on harp, and its leading exponent.
Ní Chonaráin, Siobhán. A flute player, she is researching Sources of Irish Music, and collecting slow airs for the Munster Council of CCÉ.
Ní Shúilleabháin, Eilís. A singer, from Cúil Aodha, Co. Cork, she is researching songs and singers of Gaeltacht Mhúscraí.
Ó Bróithe, Éamonn. Uilleann pipes, singer. He is an authority on the songs and of the Déise area, and those of Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin.
Ó Dubhghaill, Aodán. Fiddler, Producer and Sound Engineer with RTÉ, he produced a discography of Irish traditional music in 1986.
Ó hAllmhuráin, Gearóid. Co. Clare concertina player, historian, lecturer, anthropologist and ethnomusicologist now living in California..
O'Boyle, Colm. From Armagh, his publishing is in the area of song, and he is currently Professor of Celtic at Aberdeen University.
O'Brien-Moran, Jimmy. Uilleann pipes, saxophone, teacher. From Tramore, teaches Traditional music at WIT
Ó Conluain, Proinnsias. Radio producer and scriptwriter, he produced many documentaries on figures in Traditional music.
O'Connor, Mick . Uilleann piper and Flute player, he was in the Castle Céilí band and has produced many books on traditional music for CCÉ.
O'Doherty, Eamonn. Flute player, architect and sculptor. From Derry, he is joint author of The Northern Fiddler.
O'Keeffe, Máire. Fiddle player, radio presenter. She is researching the accordion in Irish Traditional music at UL.
Ó Laoire, Lillis. Singer, collector and lecturer, he was raised in NW Donegal and his research has been in Irish-language song.
Ó Muirithe, Diarmuid has lectured in Irish at UCD, has published on dialectology, his major research being on the macaronic song.
O'Regan, John. Journalist specialising in Irish music, he contributes to many publications, including Irish Music magazine.
Ó Riada, Peadar. Concertina player, singer, composer. Living Cúil Aodha, Co. Cork, he has been the director of Cóir Chúil Aodha since 1971.
Olsen, Ian, A.. Singer and lecturer, editor of the Aberdeen University Review, he is an authority on Scottish music and song of the N. East.
Quinn, Bob. Writer, film-maker, photographer and member of Aosdána. He is a member of the RTÉ Authority.
Quinn, Sean. Accordion player, from Newcastle, Co. Down. A founder of The Antrim Glens Traditions Group, he has written extensively for Treoir.
Rees, Stephen is attached to the University of North Wales at Bangor.
Robb, Martha is a graduate of the NCAD .
Robinson, Andrew is former director of Maoin-Cheoil an Chláir.
Schiller, Rina. Born Berlin, her BA research at QUB was on gender and Traditional music; her MA studied Lambeg and bodhrán.
Sherlock, Tom. Production manager with Claddagh Records (1982-97), he was involved with The Tradition Club in the 1980s. currently manager of the group Altan.
Shields, Hugh. Singer, collector, researcher, his major works are Narrative Singing in Ireland and 'the Goodman collection'.
Small, Jackie. Uilleann piper and accordion player, broadcaster and archivist, he is editor of the CRÉ 4 collection.
Smith, Graeme. An accordion player and ethnomusicologist, he writes on Irish music for Academic publications in Australia.
Smith, Jimmy. From Co. Clare, he specialises in collection and research among sporting songs.
Sommers Smith, Sally. A fiddler, from Michigan, she is a student of the history and growth of Irish music.
Sproule, Dáithí. A singer, from Derry, he is one of Traditional music's leading guitarists.
Trew, Joanne. A fiddler, from Montreal, of Irish parents, she researches the music of the predominantly Irish-settled Ottawa Valley.
Tubridy, Michael.. Flute player and set dancer, he formerly played with The Chieftains, and in Ceoltóirí Chualann.
Ua Súilleabháin, Seán. Singer, lecturer. From Inniscarra, Co. Cork, he lectures at the Department of Modern Irish at UCC.
Uí Ógáin, Ríonach. Archivist/collector with the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin.
Vallely, Eithne. From Donegal, a fiddle player, she was a founder of Armagh Pipers' Club and joint author of its many instrument tutors.
Vallely, Fintan. From Co. Armagh, a flute player, writer on Traditional music and lecturer at NUI, Maynooth and St. Patrick's Teacher Training college.
Viitanen, K. Johanna. Traditional musician and journalist, writing on Irish music for Finnish music and other magazines.
Wilkinson, Desi . A flute and bagpipe player, he has researched flute styles, and is an authority on Breton music.
Yeats, Gráinne. Harpist, singer, researcher. She has written much on
wire-strung harp, and made several recordings on it.