Kitty Hayes

Born Kitty Smith during the earlier half of the last century in the townland of Fahanlunaghta between Miltown Malbay and Ennistymon in Co. Clare, Kitty grew up in a musical household. Her father Peter Smith played the concertina, together with their neighbour, flute player Gilbert (or 'Gillie') Clancy.

At a young age Kitty started picking out tunes on her father's concertina while he was out. Kitty received tunes and encouragement from several players in the area, notably a Mrs Garrihy who lived at Furglan crossroads, where Kitty stopped over when sent to Ennistymon for a bit of shopping. More encouragement followed from Jimmy Hogan and Pappy Looney who played at the housedances of the area. Kitty played with them for dances on a number of occasions.

By the end of the 1940s, however, the concertina, the old paper and cardboard 'German' type, broke down beyond repair. In 1948 Kitty married fluteplayer Josie Hayes. Packie Russell travelled from Doonagore to play in her father's house for the wedding. Raising a family of seven children and helping out on the farm, there was no time for playing and it would be nearly 45 years before Kitty was to return to the concertina.

After Josie's death in 1992, Kitty's son Joe, who was terminally ill with leukaemia, bought Kitty a two row 'Stagi' D/G concertina and encouraged her to play. Slowly Kitty retraced the tunes she had stored in her head and went back to the old style of playing she had learned in her youth. She has often said the concertina was her salvation.

In 2001 Eoin O Neill and John O'Connor of Clachan records recorded Kitty playing in her daughter Angela's kitchen. The reception of this recording boosted Kitty's confidence and since she has been playing 'out' more often, around Ennis in sessions, the occasional appearance with Eoin O'Neill or the Ceili Bandits, For the past six years or so, she has been playing regularly with piper Peter Laban.