In celebration of World Fiddle Day on May 21, 2016, the Ward Irish Music Archives has digitized these five 78 rpm discs of Irish fiddle players from the 1920s through the 1940s. 

The list focuses heavily on reels, but features a rare recording of Tommy Potts, as well as tracks from Paddy Sweeney, Paddy Killoran, Chicago's Johnny McGreevy, and Patrick Gaffney.

Recordings were taken from the David Giovannoni and Michael and Mary Comer Collections at the Ward Irish Music Archives in Milwaukee, WI.

World Fiddle Day 2016: Irish Fiddle on 78 rpm discs

Paul Brady recorded live Chicago Nov 1st 2015

Chicago 1st Nov 15 Busted Loose

This was recorded as part of a documentary i made in 1994 about fiddle playing in Donegal.   Pat Mulhern learnt a lot of his music from his uncle James and also got lessons on how to read music from a man called Anderson who worked in the train station house in Ballymagan. Paddy Mc Donald was a travelling travelling fiddle player who made a huge impression at fair days throughout Inishowen. Paddy Mc Donald was also the noted fiddler that played at the quayside in Derry when people were leaving for America. 
Pat Mulhern was 94 years young when I recorded this interview. What an amazing man and full of wit. When I asked him how he learned the fiddle his answer was; ''I just catched it and rattled away til I hit something''.

Pat Mulhern (Donegal Fiddle Tradition)

One of the 78 rpm recordings on our 2016 World Fiddle Day Playlist.

We hope to provide more information about this disc soon, This appears to be a test or radio pressing found in the David Giovannoni of the Dublin fiddle player Tommy Potts for the Irish Recording Company (IRC). The IRC was founded by Bill Stapleton in the years following WWII.

Item DG 78 00-178 in the David Giovannoni Collection at the Ward Irish Music Archives, Milwaukee.

Tommy Potts: Pigeon on the Gate/The Tarbolton (reels)

Track 98: Paddy Sweeney: Concert Reel/Custom Jap (reels)

One of the 78 rpm recordings also included on our 2016 World Fiddle Day Playlist.

Recorded in 1937 for the Decca Label (12153), the second reel is more commonly known as the Custom Gap. Sweeney was a collaborator with Paddy Killoran.

From the Michael and Mary Comer Collection, item Comer 78 00-058.

Paddy Sweeney: Concert Reel/Custom Jap (reels)

One of the 78 rpm recordings on our 2016 World Fiddle Day Playlist.

This set of reels from fiddler Johnny McGreevy, flutist Pat McGovern, and pianist Elanor Kane was recorded in Chicago on November 15, 1935 for the Decca label.

From the Michael and Mary Comer Collection, item Comer 78 00-074.

Johnny McGreevy, Pat McGovern, Eleanor Kane: The Bank of Ireland/Cavan Lassies

One of the 78 rpm recordings on our 2016 World Fiddle Day Playlist.

This hornpipe was recorded by Gaffney for the Harmony label in 1924, but was issued under the name Michael Mahaffey.

From the David Giovannoni Collection, item DG 78 00-134.

Patrick Gaffney: The Southern Shore (hornpipe)

One of the 78 rpm recordings on our 2016 World Fiddle Day Playlist.

Although not in the best physical shape, this disc has some mighty playing from Paddy Killoran and Paddy Sweeney with Edmund Tucker on piano. Recorded in May of 1931, it was recorded on the Homestead label.

From the David Giovannoni Collection, item DG 78 00-153.

Paddy Killoran and Paddy Sweeney: Mullinger Races/The Boys on the Hilltop (reels)

Liddy Final 11-21 [80]

Just came across this recording from the solo show I did last year in Milwaukee. Great venue at Celtic MKE, and looking forward to a return visit this summer!

Paddy's Rambles Live In Milwaukee

A hornpipe in the key of G major written 3 years ago in October 2014. Influenced very much by piping music and has more of a feel of a set dance about it than a hornpipe really, aside from the fact that the second part is not lengthened in the fashion of a set dance, which is 12 bars. In particular, I wrote this tune imagining it being played in the style of the duet playing of Peter Carberry and Padraig Mc Govern.

C modal reel edit

In Good Tenor

This song always had a particular appeal to me as a fiddle player and a fan of John Doherty – his playing of the air is so beautiful. When I came across this version in Sam Henry’s Songs of the People collection I was immediately curious to compare the transcribed melody with that of the familiar air. I ended up liking the Sam Henry melody better even than the version I already knew. The setting of the narrative is Eastersnow, a townland in Co Roscommon.

Helen Diamond

Helen Diamond - 05 - Eastersnow

Trip To Birmingham (1)

composed by eamon o'leary and sam amádon

The Ballad Of Jimi

This is track one from our 2019 release, Some Assembly Required.  This track features Charlie Branch on guitar, Niamh Fahy and Chris Buckley on fiddle, and Rob Forkner on bodhran.

Album is available here: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/petestrickler

Some Assembly Required

Joe Derrane's / The Killavil / Willie Coleman's

Pete Strickler - Some Assembly Required - 01 - Joe Derrane's  The Killavil  Willie Coleman's (Jigs)

A rare session recording of the late County Clare concertina player Paddy Murphy (1913 - 1992), recorded by John Knight In Ennis, on the 4th October 1972 (recovered from Tape_035/036 in January/April 2020). John's records don't specify who the box player is, but credit to them too for the excellent playing!

Some info on Paddy:
Paddy Murphy (who is regarded as a founding father of modern Irish concertina music) was born in the rural community of Fiach Roe in the musically rich heartland of west County Clare (Ireland). His music developed during a time of unprecedented change in Irish society. Emigration from the Irish countryside was reaching critical mass, but Murphy chose to remain at home on a mountainy farm. During the next fifty years, he would become one of the most celebrated concertina players in Ireland, responsible for developing a unique fingering system and for passing on his skills to a new and eager generation of teachers and performers.

Further information may be found here - http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/music/heartland_clare_concertina/dialects_players.htm

Paddy Murphy et al - Recorded by John Knight in Ennis (October 1972)

Established in 1992, the Ward Irish Music Archives houses the largest public collection of Irish music in America. It is named after John J. Ward Jr., father of Irish Fest founder Ed Ward. The archive currently consists of more than 40,000 Irish music recordings and pieces of memorabilia ranging from rare 78 rpm's, LP's and sheet music to song books, instruments, and concert memorabilia. Many of the archives items are extremely difficult to find today, and our diverse collections focus on subjects such as Irish traditional music, Irish folk songs, Scottish music, and Irish contributions to American popular music.

Paddy Sweeney: Concert Reel/Custom Jap (reels)

Ward Irish Music Archives

Related tracks