The Kerry fiddle player Con Curtin (1926–2009) was a noted figure among the emigrant Irish traditional musicians of London in the 1960s, both as a performer and, after a period working in construction, as the landlord of the Balloon public house in Chelsea, London SW, which was one of the centres of Irish music in the city. He returned to his native Brosna in the 1970s where he set up again as a publican. In 2001, while he was still alive, a music festival in his honour was established in the village, with sessions, concerts and pub trails.

The videos presented here were recorded by Irish Traditional Music Archive staff in June 2014, at the 14th Con Curtin Festival. This year the festival was part of a new initiative, the Sliabh Luachra Music Trail, which links the various traditional music festivals of the region, and which was launched in March in Ballydesmond with ITMA participation at an event recorded here. The launch also formed the basis of an RTÉ Radio 1 ‘Rolling Wave’ programme which is archived on the RTÉ website here.

With thanks to the musicians who have given permission to publish, and for facilitation to Cian Heffernan of the Cork Co Council Arts Office and to Gerard Curtin & the Con Curtin Festival Committee of Brosna.

Nicholas Carolan & Treasa Harkin, 1 August 2014