Learning from the master - Nicholas McAuliffe

THE final Handed Down presentation of 2016 will be given by Dr Maire O’Keeffe on Nicholas ‘Nicky’ McAuliffe of Tullig, Castleisland.

Tralee native, Maire O’Keeffe is living in Kinvara in Co Galway and is regarded as one of Kerry’s finest fiddle players. A PhD from the University of Limerick was followed by a series of traditional music programmes for RTE Radio One. She has also and has recorded and guested on several CDs.

As a former student of Nicholas McAuliffe, Maire will reminisce about going for lessons and learning not only the tunes but the history and provenance and who first recorded them

As a widely regarded music historian, this is what Nichloas McAuliffe is renowned for. His knowledge of traditional music its tunes and players is legendary and he has always been the man to go to about the genre.

“Nicholas McAuliffe has been teaching music since 1970 and our guests on December 10th will include some of his former pupils like: Emma O’Leary, Scartaglin and Padraig Buckley of Killarney,” said Handed Down / World Fiddle Day founder member, PJ Teahan.

“We will also hear some tunes composed by Nicholas and we have his play- ing partner and wife Anne McAulliffe with friends Mary Crowley and John Connolly lined up to perform also.

“Our young musicians are from the Killarney School of Music and we’re delighted to welcome Scartaglin native, Eileen Sheehan from Killarney. An acclaimed poet, Eileen will recite some of her poems and this is a first for Handed Down. Eileen has a poem included in the newly released Best Loved Poems - Favourite Poems from the South of Ireland and we will have a raffle for a signed copy of the book on the night,” said PJ – who also asked that people be seated by 8pm.