Billy McComiskey

Billy, an accordion player, has been living in Baltimore for many years now, but he’ll always be a Brooklyn boy at heart and still makes frequent visits back to New York City and the Catskills. Seán McGlynn from Tynagh in east Galway mentored Billy’s musical development and Billy’s most cherished possession is the vintage black Paolo Soprani accordion he inherited from McGlynn. In addition to an All-Ireland championship, Billy has won a National Heritage award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S.A.’s highest award for a traditional musician. Billy has issued two solo recordings and has appeared on many others with Liz Carroll, Brendan Mulvihill Mick Moloney and “The Pride of New York” band.

Scatter the mud, jig ; The Nova Scotia jig / Jack Coen, flute ; Billy McComiskey, concertina. Recorded by Terry Rafferty at the Glen Echo Festival, Maryland, United States of America, 27 May 1990

Untitled, polka ; The Cobbler, polkas / Chris Norman, flute ; Billy McComiskey, accordion. Recorded by Terry Rafferty at the Eagle Tavern, New York, 30 April 1988

Farewell to Erin, reel / Jack Coen, flute ; Mike Rafferty, flute ; Paddy Reynolds, fiddle ; Billy McComiskey, accordion. Recorded at the Snug Harbour Festival, Staten Island, New York, 21 July 1989

Gerry Commane's reel ; Paddy Taylor's reel / Mike Rafferty, flute ; Willie Kelly, fiddle ; Billy McComiskey, accordion. Recorded by Terry Rafferty in Mike Rafferty's basement, New York 1991

The duke of Leinster, reel / Jack Coen, flute ; Mike Rafferty, flute ; Billy McComiskey, accordion. Recorded by Terry Rafferty at the Snug Harbour Festival, Staten Island, New York 1989

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Pride of New York / Unidentified photographer

ITMA Reference	NYC-277078/2/023
Creator	Unidentified photographer
Date	2009
Location	New York
Type	Image
Collection	New York Collection
Subject	United States of America: Instrumental Music
Copyright	Publicity photograph
Source	Joanie Madden
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