I learned the first tune from the playing of Mick O'Brien and Caoimhín O'Raghallaigh. The second comes from the famous first recording of Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn.

02 The Dublin Lasses/The Reel with the Beryl

This  song air  describes The River Sullane (Irish: An Sulán)  which runs from the mountains between County Cork and County Kerry in southern Ireland, near the village of Cúil Aodha.  I first heard the air played by my box hero Jackie Daly from Kanturk in Co. Cork. Jackie now lives in Miltown Malbay in Co. Clare and I am honoured to call him a friend.

07 The Banks of Sullane (Air)

The first tune is one I learned many years ago. it is also the tune of the  folk song Hot Asphalt and many others.The second I learned from the great Scottish band The Battlefield Band.

03 Bonaparte crossing the Rhine/Miss Thompsons (Hornpipes)

The Nightingale was one of the first jigs I learned as a child- it was a favourite of my father, who used to lilt tunes to me when I started to play the box. The second is a version of the Irish tune which I learned from the playing of Emilia Bartellas and Aaron Collis from Newfoundland.

04 The Nightingale/Tatter Jack Walsh (jigs)

The Roseland Barndance was composed by the legendary American box player Joe Derrane. It is followed by a reel recorded by Frankie Gavin and De Dannan amongst others.

05 The Roseland Barndance/ Miss Langford's (Barndance/Reel)

The first tune here comes from the playing of flute player Patsy Hanly. It is also known as The New Road to Loughaun. The second tune I learned from a recording of fiddle player Gerry O'Connor and box player extraordinaire Mairtín O'Connor around 20 years ago.

06 Patsy Hanlys/O'Connors (Reels)

The first jig comes from the playing of father and son fiddle players Dermy and Danny Diamond. Dermy was one of a number of musicians who inspired me greatly back in the early 1980s and we still get tunes today from time to time. The second jig os a composition of the great Paddy Fahy from East Galway.

08 The Humours of Ayle House/ Paddy Fahys (Jigs)

The first waltz comes from the playing of sisters Liz and Yvonne Kane from Letterfrack in Co. Galway. The second is a gorgeous tune I learned from the playing of Seamus and Manus Maguire.

11 Liz Kane's/Waltz from Orsa (Waltzes)

Three reels from Donegal. The first is The Rat in the Thatch or the Maids of Tullyknockbrine, the second is the Donegal version of the Maids of Castlebar, and the third is Tripping up the Stairs. This is normally played in the key of D, but here I play it in G, so that I could use my G melodeon as well.

01 Tripping up the Stairs Set (Donegal Reels)

Two great session tunes, played in the relaxed fashion they deserve. I picked these up at sessions down through the years.

01 Travers/Rolling on the Ryegrass (reels)

Hop jigs- great tunes, rarely heard today.  Sadly I have no names for any of these, but the second is from the playing of the great fiddle player James Kelly, who lives at present in Miami in Florida.

02 The Hop Jigs

Two great Donegal reels learned from the playing of fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan. Here I play an old Hohner 10 key melodeon in the key of G which turned up at my house some years ago in a plastic bag...

03 The Flood on the Holm/The Heathery Cruach  ( G Melodeon Reels)

Three great tunes. The first one I heard on one of the seminal recordings of the Bothy Band in the late 1970s. The tow which follow I picked up at sessions down the years.

15 The Maids of Mitchelstown/Dunmore Lasses/Maud Millar (Reels)

The first two tunes were played as a set by fiddle player Mick Hoy from Derrygonnelly in Co Fermanagh. The second is  a version of the Glass of Beer, played in G and E minor. The third tune I learned from Donegal fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.

01  The Boys of 25/Chase her through the garden/The Knackers of Narin (Reels)

Two distinctive reels which seem to have vanished from the session repertoire in recent years. They deserve to come back.......

15  Imelda Rolands/The High Reel (Reels)

The Blackbird and the Hen is a harp tune I learned from the playing of my great Fermanagh friends Ciaran Curran and Fintan McManus back in the late 1970s. The three reels which follow are The Morning Star, The Ravelled Hank of Yarn and Arklow Mountain.

14 The Blackbird and the Hen set

I learned the first tune from the playing of  Kerry box player Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich. It was composed by Frankie Lane as far as I know. I have no name for the reel which follows- I have only heard it played by fellow Fermanagh musician Fr. Seamus Quinn.

13 An Droichead Bheag/Seamus Quinns (Hornpipe/Reel)

The first tune I learned from flute player Eddie Duffy. The second hornpipe is also the song  air of the song Colcannon. I think they make a great set.

12 Eddie Duffys/ The First of May (Hornpipes)

11 The Princess Royal  (Set Dance)

These two tunes were composed by mandolin player Ian Stephenson. Ian lived in Derry during my University years, though he now lives in Brittany. The story goes that he composed the first tune one day when he was down on his luck- and the second the following day when his financial situation improved!

10 The Destitution/ Rags to Riches (Reels)

Three great tunes from the piping repertoire- no other explanation required.

16 The Hag at the Churn/The Pipe on the Hob/The Humours of Whiskey

Jerry Holland, Paul McDonald and friends from Cape Breton played a gig in Brysons in Magherafelt, Co. Derry on March 16th 1990. This is a digital recording from the original analogue recording I made on the night.

Ciaran Kelly

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