Track 2 : Reels

The Concert Reel, The Hare's Paw, Garret Barry's Reel

I learned The Concert Reel many years ago from the whistle playing of Bríd O'Donohue. Bríd now as it recorded on her wonderful CD 'Tobar an Dúchais'. When I played it, Kitty recognised it as 'one of the old tunes' her husband Josie used to play on the flute and learned it on the spot. Some years ago, US piper and whistle player Bill Ochs sent me a tape of the flute and whistle playing of Jimmy Hogan. Jimmy is originally from Moy near Lahinch and is one of the flute players Kitty was always telling me about. In the company of Pappy Looney, Jimmy would play in her father's house for dances. Jimmy emigrated to the States during he late 1940s and Kitty was delighted to hear his music again, more than fifty years on.

The Hare's Paw was one of the tunes the tape brought back, 'one of the old ones they used to play for the sets'. Jimmy has his own CD now, too. Kitty has vivid recollections of her father, Peter Smith, playing the concertina, often in duet with his neighbour, flute player Gilbert Clancy.

It was Gilbert, who memorised the final reel from Garret's playing and passed it on to his son Willie, naming it after Garret. Kitty often refers to the tune as 'Garret Barry's version of Miss McLeod's Reel'.