RECORDING JOHNNY O’LEARY

LIKE Peter Browne is associated with Patrick O’Keeffe in the Sliabh Luachra scheme of things, Terry Moylan will always be associated with Johnny O’Leary. O’Keeffe and O’Leary, both hugely influential, Sliabh Luachra music exponents and guardians were brought out of themselves by Browne and Moylan respectively.

Would we have the knowledge and respect we have for the music of O’Keeffe and the phenominal repertoire of O’Leary but for the intervention of these two pioneers?

Peter Browne’s intervention in 1993 prevented Patrick O’Keeffe’s massive legecy from going over the cliff of silence – as Con Houlihan would say.

And would Johnny O’Leary have sat down and do with he did with Terry Moylan without understanding the levels of appreciation he felt from his interviewer.

Peter Browne has spoken of his voyage of rediscovery on O’Keeffe before in Scartaglin as part of the Handed Down series of lectures and concerts.

On Saturday night, March 24th it’s Terry Moylan’s turn to put the focus on his productive encounters with Johnny O’Leary. It’s sure to be a fascinating story.

Terry Moylan is a musician, archivist for Na Pibairi Uilleann and founder of the Folk Music Society of Ireland. He has published and lectured on music and dance throughout Ireland, Britain and the USA.

Recording Johnny O’Leary, Presented by Terry Moylan. Handed Down at the Heritage Centre, Scartaglin, this Saturday, March 24. at 8pm to 10.30pm

Special guests: Bryan O’Leary, Ellen Healy nee O’Leary, tin whistle. Guest musicians: John Brosnan, accordion; Cárthach Ó Faoileán and Cáilín Ní Shé. Songs with Terry Moylan. Young Musicians: Aoife and Meadhbh McCarthy, Aubane, Millstreet. John Power, Caroline Hurley and Seán Fitzgerald, Sliabh Mish CCE. Admission: Adults €8. Child U-12 €3.

Photo by John Reidy Well known musical partnership of Mikey Duggan (left) and Johnny O’Leary in Tom Fleming’s Bar in Scartaglin 1991.