One of the pleasures of working on collections donated to ITMA is the opportunity to meet with relatives and friends of the musicians featured. Earlier this month, as part of the ITMA visit to the USA to celebrate America250, we interviewed Felix Dolan’s son Brendan, Larry Redican’s grandson Larry Jr. and Brian Conway, a close family friend of the Dolans and admirer of Larry Redican. The interview gave us an invaluable insight into the Felix and Larry and their times ranging from the 1930s to 2000s. This interview will be available on ITMA.ie in the near future. 

This month’s selection once again focuses on the Felix Dolan collection. Felix, as ever, is joined by close friends, mostly fiddle players. A private recording at the Dolan home (a focus for great musical gatherings) has Felix and fiddle players Brian Conway, Andy McGann and the Sligo legend Martin Wynne chatting about Michael Coleman and playing tunes. Then, in 1988 at the Eagle Tavern in NYC run by Don Meade, the longstanding stalwart of Irish music in New York, Felix is joined again for great tunes by Andy and Brian. 

In 1979, Felix travelled to Washington DC to play with Andy McGann and another renowned New York fiddle player Paddy Reynolds, originally from Co. Longford. The same trio came together later in 1992 at the Philadelphia Festival. 

Catherine (flute) and John McEvoy (fiddle), originally from Birmingham but living Ireland for many years, were old friends of Felix. In 1991, the three of them played a private informal concert in New York, luckily recorded. Felix later accompanied Catherine on her solo flute CD, a critical success some years later. 

Hope you enjoy this selection from the USA. 

Keep playing, 

Pádraic 

Photo: Unidentified man
McGann, Andy, USA, fiddle
O’Beirne, Lad, USA, fiddle
Unidentified man, banjo
Dougherty, Neil, USA, fiddle
Quinn, Louie, New York, fiddle
Reavy, Ed, Philadelphia, fiddle
Unidentified man, piano