By Rónán Galvin

The first playlist in this series featured Micho Russell and included the dance tune ‘Kitty Jones’ reel’, after which Cathal declared ‘I really like that type of music now, I really like that, though I like the other too’. This second playlist draws on both Cathal’s and his sister Maura McConnell’s audio collections to explore ‘that’ and ‘the other’.

It could be said that Peter (P) Flanagan, a flute, tin whistle, fiddle player and singer of Drumbargy, Co. Fermanagh, and renowned Belfast fiddle player Seán McGuire represent both sides of this musical coin.

The grassroots of traditional music is blessed with at least one Peter Flanagan in every parish in Ireland, men and women who are the foundation stone on which the tradition thrives. These musicians are rarely, if ever heard on national airwaves much less make a commercial recording. But for a young Cathal McConnell in the 1950s, Peter Flanagan was his earliest taste of local dance music and a well to which he returned on his trips home to Fermanagh until Peter’s passing in 1992. According to Cathal ‘Peter’s intense personal style was based on a rhythmic complexity that gets lost if you try to play too fast’ and ‘his intricate tempo marked P as unique and set him above others of his generation’.*

Twenty years Peter’s junior and with shared Cavan roots, Seán McGuire was gifted with astounding musical ability. Combining his creativity with formal tuition in violin, McGuire embraced the recording and performing opportunities presented in 1950s and 60s Ireland playing in hundreds of dance halls nationwide and on stages from New York to London. Arguably the most influential traditional fiddle player of his generation, he pioneered technical aspects including position playing, key changes and bowing technique and he lifted the bar for what is possible on four strings.

Cathal was inspired by the core dance music, swing and beat of Peter Flanagan (photograph below) but also greatly appreciated the technique and musical creativity in players like Seán McGuire and flautist Tom Ginley.

The playlist features music from Peter Flanagan, Cathal, Seán McGuire and Tom Ginley. It opens with a song ‘The White Cockade’, performed by the four McConnell brothers – Cathal, Mickey, Cormac and Seán (RIP) that was recorded in 1972 at a house party in Rathmines during the Dublin Fleadh Nua held over the June bank holiday that year. The playlist closes with another song recorded at the same party – ‘Kane’s shady glen’ by Len Graham.

*Glassie, Henry. The Stars of Ballymenone, p.161

This project is possible thanks to funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.