This playlist features a selection of recordings from the Marcas Ó Murchú Collection, a vast collection of audio recordings, including field recordings and archived radio programmes, which document a wide variety of music from all over Ireland, and in particular Ulster, Connaught and Clare from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s. 

Recorded in a variety of settings including concert performances, pub sessions, domestic social gatherings and one-on-one interviews with musicians, the collection features a large body of unique material. Of particular importance are field recordings of a number of Ulster musicians such as Tom Ginley, Andy Dickson and Davy Rice, great musicians who, for many years, were less well known outside of their immediate localities than some of their contemporaries.

Born in 1961, Marcas Ó Murchú grew up on Sevastopol Street, in the Clonard ward of West Belfast. From a young age traditional music and culture played an important role in Marcas’ experience in the city. His father, Alf Ó Murchú, won the gold medal for sean-nós singing at the Oireachtas in Dublin, 1961, the same year Marcas was born. Marcas’ mother, Norá McDermott-Roe, who also sang, was originally from Co. Roscommon. Through his mother’s family, Marcas had a familial link with the renowned musician and composer Josie McDermott who was to prove an important early influence and connection to the music of Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon.

In Marcas’ early years learning music in Belfast, there weren’t any music teachers in his area, nor were there many people in his age bracket to learn with. Recordings by groups such as Planxty, The Bothy Band and Skara Brae played a significant role in Marcas’ early learning as did radio broadcasts of Irish traditional music. Marcas cites the early encouragement and influence of people such as Leslie Bingham, Tara Diamond, Davey Maguire, Gerry McKee and also the flute maker Sam Murray, who supplied Marcas with his first flute, a Simpson, made in 1864. Marcas also cites the encouragement of Desi Wilkinson and Gerry O’Donnell, who provided tips on technique and invited him to what became his first all-night session at an apartment on Cooke Street, Belfast, back on May Day, 1977.

Marcas went on to release two albums of traditional music, Ó Bhéal go Béal (1997) and Turas Ceoil (2006), which showcased his depth of knowledge of the music of Ulster and North Connaught. A longtime tutor at Irish music festivals and events such as Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Marcas also made a significant contribution as a broadcaster, bringing Irish music and culture to audiences through radio programmes such as An Ceithre hAirde, Turas Ceoil and Siamsa Samhraidh on RTÉ Radio na Gaeltachta and BBC Radio Ulster.

A lifelong advocate of the Irish language, Marcas worked as a lecturer of Irish language and literature in Magee College, Derry. He also worked as lecturer of music at Ulster University and Limerick University. In 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Ard-Ollamh (Music Laureate) honour by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Irish traditional music and culture.

This first playlist of recordings from the Marcas Ó Murchú Collection highlights a selection of recordings made in Marcas’ native Co. Antrim. From 1983, we hear the duet playing of two Belfast natives, the famous fiddler Seán Maguire playing with Tom Ginley, a Boehm-system flute player, one of the lesser documented players who features in Marcas’ Collection. Also from 1983, recordings from a concert in Leighinmohr House, Ballymena captured Len Graham in song, accompanied by Ciarán Curran and Fintan McManus and a recording of the song An Spealadóir, sung by Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh who, like Marcas, was attending university in Coleraine at the time. Also featured on the playlist is Davy Rice, a fiddler from Co. Antrim, with a great interest in the music of Hughie Gillespie. Again, these field recordings of Davy represent rare recordings of a musician less well known outside of his own locality, thus highlighting the magnificent work done by Marcas Ó Murchú in preserving and promoting the music of Ulster.