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from Carmel Gunning Compositions
Related to me through marriage, the famed Fred Finn was a virtuoso fiddle player from Killavil Co. Sligo who sadly passed away in 1986.
In his honour, I initiated the formation of a junior branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann in Sligo Town which I named after Fred.
Fred was the musical partner of the late great flute player Peter Horan also from Killavil. They are regarded as the perfect example of duet playing in Irish traditional music.
This air was the first lament I composed.
Amid the tears, it is good to remember the laughter as Fred was a very witty man!
When leaving a local pub after a long evening session with morning light breaking, Fred, putting on his jacket on the empty open street winked and drolly quipped “There’s a great stretch in the evening”!
