Hughie Gillespie was born on September 11, 1906, near Ballybofey, Co Donegal. Both his father and uncle were fiddlers, but Hughie regarded his uncle Johnny as the better musician and the one who had most influence on him.
He emigrated to New York in February, 1923, and found work with an electricity company. While staying with an uncle, he met Neal Smith who lived in the same building. Smith played percussion in Packie Dolan’s Melody Boys. Smith also knew Michael Coleman and the two fiddler players were introduced.
They became close friends, often playing together, arranged tunes and recorded and performed on radio together. Gillespie also played on occasion with Packie Dolan’s band.
Gillespie made his first recording on disc in May 1937. Four sides were recorded: Master Crowley’s Reels, The Irish Mazurka, The Mullingar Lee, The Star of Munster and McCormick’s Hornpipe.
The Fermanagh singer Paddy Tunney recalls a visit to the US in 1976. “Wherever we went and whenever we were introduced to connoisseurs of Irish traditional culture and music, the conversation invariably centred on the genius of Gillespie and Coleman. ‘Ah, professors Gillespie and Coleman!’ they would exclaim. ‘We shall never hear their likes again! Those men were inspired.’ ”
He played more in the Sligo style of Coleman than the Donegal style and he is particularly remembered for his playing of Master Crowley’s Reels and The Star of Munster. Unusual in those days of piano accompaniment, he preferred guitar accompaniment.
On his return from the US he built a house at Carrickmagrath near Ballybofey. His daughter Rosemary plays the fiddle as does his cousin Frank Kelly who won the All Ireland in 1979. Kelly recorded a collection entitled Memories of Hughie Gillespie.
He died at Hallowe’en in 1986.
* See also: Where Songs Do Thunder, by Paddy Tunney, Appletree Press, 1991.
Discography
Classic Recordings of Irish Traditional Fiddle, Hugh Gillespie (Green Linnet compilation 1937-39), 1982.