World Fiddle Day Scartaglin 2022 – It’s Good to be Back

Matt Cranitch, Cork pictured with Colleen Freeman and her mom, Maureen Peschl, Washington State at the World Fiddle Day Scartaglen celebrations on Saturday afternoon. Photo by John Reidy

It was that kind of day: Mairéad Clancy , Banteer, Co. Cork playing a tune with her grand-dad, Martin O’Connor, Cordal with granny Nora O’Connor, PJ Teahan, Castleisland with visitors, Martin van Hensbergen and Emma Dykstra, Holland and Jackie Daly, Kanturk. Photo by John Reidy

Pipers, Pádraig MacMathúna (left) and Peter Browne pictured in Kilmurry during the World Fiddle Day bus tour stop at Patrick O’Keeffe’s burial place on Saturday afternoon.Photo by John Reidy

Waiting for the World Fiddle Day bus tour to arrive at Patrick O’Keeffe’s burial place in Kilmurry on Saturday afternoon were from left: Dan Casey, Scartaglin; Aeneas Lane, Rockchapel; Raymond O’Sullivan and Timmy O’Connor, Newmarket and Jimmy Cullinane, Cordal. Photo by John Reidy

Local men arriving for World Fiddle Day in Scartaglen on Saturday afternoon: Ger O’Connell (left) and Brendan Fleming. Photo by John Reidy

Rory and Mag McGrath, Castleisland and Dublin pictured, with their family members: Luke, Adam and Ellie, in Scartaglen for World Fiddle Day celebrations on Saturday afternoon. Photo by John Reidy

World Fiddle Day Scartaglen guests: Mick O’Connor and his son Liam, Dublin with Kerry County Council Arts Officer, Kate Kennelly and event organiser, PJ Teahan in Scartaglen on Friday evening. Photo by John Reidy

Just in Case: An instrument case repurposed for the World Fiddle Day bus tour of Sliabh Luachra on Saturday afternoon. Photo by John Reidy

The traditional photo and tune session at the Patrick O’Keeffe monument kicking off the World Fiddle Day Scartaglen celebrations on Saturday afternoon. Photo by John Reidy

On the door for the launch of the Handed Down Archive on the eve of World Fiddle Day Scartaglen were, Brendan Watson, Castleisland (left) and Mick Culloty, Currow. Photo by John Reidy

Paul and Emily Devlin and their little girl, Wren and her Teddy were all in Scartaglen for Saturday’s World Fiddle Day celebrations. Photo by John Reidy

Singer / songwriter Dave Buckley (left) and Jack Culloty pictured in Scartaglen for the launch of the Handed Down Archive on Friday evening. Photo by John Reidy

Out on the road: Jack Culloty, Currow (left) chatting to Steve Larkin and Aoife Nic Cormaic, Dublin before World Fiddle Day celebrations got under way in Scartaglen on Saturday afternoon. Photo by John Reidy

Where fiddlers go: Fiddle players beginning to gather at the Patrick O’Keeffe monument in Scartaglen on Saturday afternoon as World Fiddle Day got under way. Photo by John Reidy

World Fiddle Day Scartaglen organiser, PJ Teahan, seated left with guests: Aidan Connolly (front) and Liam O’Connor, Dublin and Kerry County Council Arts Officer Kate Kennelly at the launch of the Handed Down Archive in Scartaglen on Friday evening. Photo by John Reidy

Event organiser, PJ Teahan pictured with World Fiddle Day Scartaglen visitors from South Korea from left: Boram Kim, Lixnaw; Eungyeong Choe and Seulki Ko at the launch of the Handed Down Archive on Friday evening. Photo by John Reidy

In Scartaglen for the launch of the Handed Down Archive on the eve of World Fiddle Day were: Colleen Freeman, Washington State; Catherine Millard, Cork City; Maureen Peschl, Washington State and event organiser, PJ Teahan, Castleisland. Photo by John Reidy

In Scartaglen for the launch of the Handed Down Archive on the eve of World Fiddle Day were: Aileen Roantree with event organiser, PJ Teahan and RTÉ presenter, Aoife Nic Chormaic, Steve Larkin and Cllr. Charlie Farrelly. Photo by John Reidy

There was an almost overwhelming feeling of joy and relief at last weekend’s World Fiddle Day Scartaglen.

Joy and relief at the fact that people were able to gather in the one place, shake hands, hug and tell each other face-to-face how good it was to be able to do so.

That the weather facilitated a largely outdoor holding of the goings on was another blessing that didn’t go amiss as people were mixing and traipsing around the village at will.

Handed Down Archive Launch

Friday evening’s gathering was all about the launch of the Handed Down Sliabh Luachra Archive – another of the emerging ventures which benefitted greatly from the periods of lock-down.

Event organiser, P.J. Teahan declared himself delighted with how this year’s festival went.

“I was a proud man to see the Handed Down Sliabh Luachra Archive launched and to get such a huge, enthusiastic audience,” said PJ after the required period of reflection.

“RTÉ’ s Aoife Nic Chormaic recorded some great music over the weekend and also played along with husband Steve Larkin in some great sessions.

Loads of Fiddle Players

“Irish Traditional Music Archive Director, Liam O’Connor launched and also donated music to our archives as did Esther Douglas and Carmel Gleeson whose dad John Murphy is from Currow.

Among the guests were Mr. O’Connor’s father Mick – a noted collector of music and interviews of musicians from around the country who were living in Dublin along with Kerry County Council Arts Officer Kate Kennelly. 

Visitors from the USA and South Korea

They, and the locals from a wide hinterland, were joined by quite an international audience with visitors from the USA and South Korea taking part in the great reawakening of culture and heritage in the building dedicated to those very ideals.

Saturday was action packed and brought loads of fiddle players to the village for the 3pm tunes and photographs at the monument.

And though PJ’s adamant, bold and even blunt announcement, that there was to be ‘no gossiping’ after the photos and tunes session and that everyone was to head to the hall for another fiddle recital, a general air of conviviality just reigned on.    

“A special moment for me personally was to see Glountane people waiting for us at Pádraig O’Keeffe’s house as our bus tour stopped there,” said PJ,

Examples of Native Hospitality

“I wondered were my own relatives from there along with O’Keeffe’s looking down from above wondering what was going on.

“A special thanks to Lyons’ Bar, Tom McCarthy’s Bar and Fagin’s Bar whom I saw welcoming our international visitors and treating them to a welcoming beverage on the house.

“This example of native hospitality underlined the spirit and goodwill which lasted throughout the weekend.

Treated Like Kings

“Also at our stop in Gneeveguilla Community Centre a crowd of 80 of us were treated like kings with food and refreshments.

“A great weekend for Sliabh Luachra and now it’s time to plan Handed Down for the winter months.

“It’s good to be back,” said a delighted and greatly relieved P.J.

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