Handed Down news from its Scartaglen base includes that of the relatives of the famous Murphy clan from Lisheen who are making their way from all over the world, with their fiddles and pipes.
“They’re coming back to their Sliabh Luachra roots and we’re looking forward to welcoming them,” said Handed Down founder member, P.J. Teahan.
After a winter of planning and preparation, on May 11th, Handed Down will start a week long celebration of the legendary Kerry fiddler Denis ‘The Waiver’ Murphy finishing on May 18th.
Denis passed away suddenly 50 years ago on April 10th. 1974 leaving a huge void in traditional music.
Bryan O’Leary Presenting
“No better man than Bryan O’Leary to present rare stories, recordings and photos on the friendship between his grandfather Johnny O’Leary and Denis Murphy.
“Bryan’s passionate deliveries at Handed Down over the previous 10 years have always received a huge response from the Scartaglen audiences and this promises to be a great night,” P.J.said.
“We’re urging people to be seated by 7.50pm to welcome the young fiddle and accordion players from the Oidreacht Music School who are going to play a special tribute to both Denis Murphy and Johnny O’Leary.
“Our special guest musicians are Nickie and Anne McAuliffe, Michelle O’Sullivan and Conall Mac Thréinfhir.
Spending the Week
“We’ll welcome relatives of Denis’s arriving from the USA to spend the week in Castleisland and more arriving from Cork, Tipperary and London and we hope they enjoy the hospitality of the area,”
And, as part of the week long celebrations leading into World Fiddle Day Scartaglen 2024, the Handed Down crew members are delighted to showcase a special online video on Wednesday, May 15th at 8pm on YouTube and Facebook.
The video has been produced for the Handed Down Sliabh Luachra Archives with contributions from places as diverse as: Peru, Pittsburgh and Ireland.
Fiddle Performances and Interviews
It includes fiddle performances and interviews and it will also unveil a pupil of Pádraig O’Keeffe’s who lives in the US and got a lesson and manuscript from O’Keeffe in Lyon’s Bar Scartaglin in the early 1960s possibly 1961.
The organisers are giving special mention and thanks to Bruce Molyneaux in Pittsburgh, Ronan Redican in Tralee for putting the film together, to Con Moynihan for the interviews and to all the fiddlers who took part.
The film was co-ordinated and produced by PJ Teahan and it’s one not to be missed.
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