The late Sliabh Luachra fiddle player, Paddy Cronin will get, probably, his finest tribute in the final Handed Down live show in Scartaglin on Saturday night at 8pm.
Nicky McAuliffe’s head and hands are the safest in the business when it comes to recalling and relating details on Irish Traditional Music, its players and its peddlers.
Included in Nicky’s archive on the night will be footage from Paddy Cronin’s time in America.
The series started out last September at the heritage centre in the village as a fund-raiser for the annual World Fiddle Day. That event will fall this year on Saturday, May 16th. It will be the third to be held in this area since PJ Teahan, Mick Culloty, Tom O’Connell and friends put a night together in May 2013 to honor the locally revered instrument.
Musicians on the occasion will include: Danny O’Mahony and Connie O’Connell along with Nicky and Anne – when the talking is over for the night.
The late Paddy Cronin got a fine Sliabh Luachra send off at Aghadoe Cemetery on March 19th 2014. Musicians travelled from all over the country to bid the iconic musician a final farewell. There was a dozen or so musicians in the funeral tribute band as they played at his graveside in the bright, cool, spring air.
Paddy was a great man to attend commemorations and such events himself. He was in great form less that a year before his passing when he travelled to Kilmurry in February 2013 to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of his teacher and friend, Patrick O’Keeffe.
A man once described as being incapable of telling a lie, Paddy’s honesty of opinion was legendary and solicited opinions didn’t always sit well with the solicitor.
You’ll find out a lot more at the Scartaglin Heritage Centre at 8pm on Saturday night at 8pm.
