Tony O Connell

The Sunny Hills of Beara (Jig) (John Dwyer) | Tunes From Doolin | Irish Traditional Music

Sunny Hills of Beara (The)

I learned “The Sunny Hills of Beara” in 2020, it is a wonderful jig composed by the late John Dwyer. I learned it from the playing of Tony O’Connell (concertina) and Brid Harper (fiddle), who recorded it on Tony’s solo album “‘Live And Well”.

Lord Leitrim (Barndance) | Tunes From Doolin | Irish Traditional Music

Lord Leitrim

Lord Leitrim is a barndance written by the great composer Charlie Lennon for his brother Ben Lennon, who sadly passed away in 2020. I learned this tune from Tony O’Connell at the Concertina Cruinniu in Miltown Malbay back in 2014. Tony recorded this barndance with Ben Lennon himself on their great album Rossinver Braes.

Larry's Favourite (Reel) | Tunes From Doolin | Irish Traditional Music

Larry’s Favourite

“Larry’s Favourite” is a composition of Paddy O’Brien from Tipperary. I learned this great reel from my friend Johannes Perritaz, a great flute player from Switzerland. I also associate this tune with Siobhan Peoples and Murty Ryan, who recorded it on their album “Time on our Hands”.

Kitty Hayes Hornpipe | Tunes From Doolin | Irish Traditional Music

Kitty Hayes’ Hornpipe

I learned Kitty Hayes’ Hornpipe from the great album “Rooska Hill” by Tony O’Connell and Éamonn O’Riordan. Kitty Hayes recorded this tune herself as Junior Crehan’s. I couldn’t find this hornpipe in the book of Junior Crehan’s compositions, There is howver a reel called Crehan’s Banbhs in the book which shares a lot of similarities with this tune.