Meanwhile, in Scartaglin tonight, 2014 TG4 Young Musician of the Year, Bryan O’Leary will put his vast knowledge of the music of Sliabh Luachra at the disposal of the Handed Down series organisers.
Bryan will talk about the musicians of his own area in a programme he titles: Sliabh Luachra Icons – Remembering Gneeveguilla’s Musicians.
Before he ever won an award, Bryan O’Leary had earned a profound respect from his peers and indeed from his elders.
When it was announced that Bryan was to receive the TG4 award in the spring of 2014 it was big news in Sliabh Luachra circles.
An Assessment
I asked Nicky McAuliffe for an assessment of Bryan as a musician and of where exactly he stood in the order which this long-standing, mind-set or reality automatically imposes – kind of like the way milk produces cream.
“Oh he’s much more than a musician.
“He’s a serious music historian as well. He has a great head for the history of a tune and he’s studying his grandfather’s huge repertoire of tunes and that’s invaluable in itself.
“You won’t find too many young lads with that kind of interest. They’ll all be great players and that kind of thing but this young man is in a different league altogether,” said Nicky.
And that’s from one of Ireland’s leading musicians and music historian – with whom ‘the establishment’ consults on matters of importance in the genre.
Providing the Music
Providing the music with Bryan tonight will be: Colm Guilfoyle; Ciarán O’Sullivan; Connie O’Connell; Eibhlín de Paor; Joe O’Sullivan; Con Moynihan; Denis O’Connor; Vinny and Suzanne Cronin; Students of Killarney School of Music and there will be songs by Michelle and Aoife O’Sullivan. Admission: Adults €7 and children U-12 at €3. and You’re requested to be seated by 8pm sharp.
Sé Mo Laoch on Jackie Daly
There was also some serious, day-long, musical action in Scartaglin on Monday as the Sé Mo Laoch / Sibéal Teo TV crew from TG4 visited to shoot a special on the outstanding and gentlemanly, Jackie Daly. Jackie was accompanied by Matt Cranitch – to whom the same attributes apply. They filmed in Lyons’ Bar for the first half of the day and spent the rest in the kitchen of the heritage centre.
Lyons’ Bar was ideal and produced “a serious session” according to Handed Down co-founder, PJ Teahan – who ‘schemed’ off work for the day to be there.
The programme has to cross many bridges before its screening which is likely to be approaching winter or in deep autumn at least. We’ll keep you posted.
