The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Going to the well for water with Máire O’Keeffe
ON the coming Saturday night, November 9, musician, music historian and former RTÉ Radio One presenter, Máire O’Keeffe will return to the stage of the Scartaglin Heritage Centre for programme two, series six of Handed Down.
“Going to the Well for Water is the first tune Máire ever learned and she will share her own story with us on the night,” said PJ Teahan – a founding member of the evolving Handed Down.
“One of Co. Kerry’s finest fiddle players with a wealth of memories of the county to share on the night,” PJ continued.
“Included will be the story of the finding of a long lost cassette of a night playing in New York in1995 with Johnny O’Leary and a flute playing nephew of Denis Murphy called Andy Horan.
“Expect more rare treasures from Máire’s collection on the night including the famous Cibeal Festival held in Kenmare during the eighties,” said PJ.
Special guests on the night are: A group of young musicians from Kilcummin and Scartaglin; a group from Kileedy/ Ashford / Castlemahon in Co Limerick; Kealan O’Connor from Beaufort; Singer Bríd O’Shea from Currow accompanied by her brother and double All-Ireland winner, Micheál; Currow’s Mick Culloty and Rhona O’Driscoll from Kenmare and Con Herbert, Kileedy.
In explaining the esscence of the Handed Down concept PJ keeps it short and simple.
“We’re mixing the old and the new, the young and the bold and that’s the secret of Handed Down. “For an experiment that was supposed to last a year or so and we’re now into our sixth season and it would be criminal of us to stop now as we have great support and loyalty from our ever increasing audiences.
“That’s very special to us and we’d like to think that we know what our audiences appreciate by now.
“Our trip and tunes up the village with our guests after each performance at the centre is our way of throwing a few coins in the hat of rural Ireland.
“And, thanks again to our friends here at home and all over the world, we can now add the name of Corneilus O’Sullivan to the lore of Kerry’s great musicians when the history of Sliabh Luachra music is updated.
PJ and his team invited Bryan O’Leary to deliver a humorous and detailed presentation of this fine fiddle player at the opening night of this season on Saturday night, October 19th..
“The generous donation of an old shoebox of old tapes from the attic in Lisheen has given the Sliabh Luachra music lovers some great treasures which will be shared between now and April in Scartaglin.
“One of the regular highlights of Handed Down is the easy and relaxed atmosphere where young and old mix and play both during and after the presentation.
“Scartaglin enjoyed some great music on that Saturday night and all the work is jus tified when you hear the audience laughing, crying and reacting to what’s on offer on any given night.
“A particular highlight on that Saturday night was a slow air tribute to the late Anne Keane by Bryan and a polka from his own gift titled: ‘Dance your way to Heaven.’