I learned “Miss Galvin’s Hornpipe” through various sessions, it is usually played after “Poll Ha’Penny” around Doolin, as Mary Bergin recorded them on her legendary album “Feadóga Stáin”. “Miss Galvin’s” is associated with Ellen Galvin, a fiddle and concertina player from West Clare.
“Stone of Destiny” is a beautiful reel composed by fiddle player Maurice Lennon (son of the great Ben Lennon from Leitrim, and nephew of the famous composer Charlie Lennon). I learned this tune from my friend JB, a great fiddle player from Britanny. Liam O’Brien, a wonderful concertina player from Miltown Malbay, recorded this tune on his album “The Lane”.
“The Horsehoe” is a jig I learned from my friend JB Samzun (fiddle). JB learned it from John Joe Tuttle who told him it came from the playing of Patsy Geary, who had no name for it. He taught the tune to John Kelly Senior, who called it after his shop on Capel Street in Dublin, and the name stuck ever since.
“The Laccaroe” is a tune a learned from my friend JB Samzun, who plays fiddle. He got this lovely reel from the playing of Pat O’Connor and it is also know as “The Old Ashplant” or “Eonach Mhic Coilín”.
I love this reel, “The Boys on the Hilltop”. I think I first learned it from Gavin Whelan. It is played quite regularly in Doolin, I particularly enjoy playing it my friend JB Samzun on fiddle.
