Nicholas Carolan doing his bit to preserve the history of trad music

April 1994

A major national project to preserve traditional music in RTE’s archives has been launched by Drogheda man Nicholas Carolan.

Already a pioneer in the preservation of traditional music in Ireland, Mr. Carolan, originally from Platin Road in Drogheda, is _spearheading a new project which will make RTE’s folk archives accessible to the public.

A former teacher in St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Mr. Carolan has long been associated with traditional music and in 1987 he decided to set up the Traditional Music Archives in Dublin.

The project was a great success and was the first national ‘library’ for traditional music fans. He recently secured agreement with RTE which will allow him to record all the traditional and folk music collected by RTE over the years.

A studio was set up in the Traditional Music Archives in Dublin where recordings have now started. The project is expected to be completed in two years.

Although now living in Dublin, Mr. Carolan is still a member of the Feile Na Boinne committee in Drogheda. He welcomed the fact that the Feile has been revived this year, commenting on its success in previous years.

This year he will be acting in ‘an advisory capacity to the Feile Na Boinne committee because of his commitments as Director of the Traditional Music Archives.

Setting up the archives was not about a commercial project and more a labour of love, he admits. The archives now provide a unique service to traditional music fans, offering a listening service, books, manuscripts, film, videos, scripts etc.

Peter McBride is master on the organ

HOURS of practice on the organ in St. Peter’s Church in Drogheda paid off for a young musician last week after he took first prize in the senior category at Feis Ceoil in Dublin. Peter McBride (15) from Ashbourne was overjoyed when he scooped the Fitzgerald Woodworth perpetual trophy after competing for the first time since he started the organ two years ago.

Son of Peter and Ann McBride, originally from Castlebeilingnam and Drogheda, the second year pupil at St. Finian’s college in Mullingar practices on the organ in St. Peter’s Church in Drogheda during school holidays and weekends.

He began playing the organ when he started as a boarder at St. Finian’s College and his teacher Shane Brennan recommended that he go straight into the senior category.

And in his first attempt at competing, Peter took first prize after playing the two set p ieces for the judges in Cnrist Church Cathedral last week.

The 98th Feis Ceoil was held in Dublin and Peter was up against seven others tor the senior title.