Irish Minstrels and Musicians, by Capt Francis O’Neill (1913). A key work in the bibliography of Irish music.
Irish Folk Music – A Fascinating Hobby, by Capt Francis O’Neill (1910). Includes ‘Hints to Amateur Pipers’, by Patsey Touhey.
Pipemaker Bill Haneman from Skerries is to be congratulated for putting online these two very important books in the [...]

Song collector and folklorist Tom Munnelly was born in Rathmines in Dublin on May 25, 1944, and grew up in Crumlin. His parents, Tom Munnelly and Christina Gannon were Dubliners. From an early age, his love of singing was evident, whether in the midst of family gatherings or hostelling with An Óige.
His interest in collecting songs [...]

Mick Moloney was born November 15, 1944, in Limerick. He began playing tenor banjo at 16 years of age. As a teenager he listened to American folk singers, especially the music of the Weavers and Burl Ives. He remembers that there was not a lot of traditional instrumental music being played where [...]

Broadcaster Ciaran Mac Mathuna’s contribution to Irish music was invaluable.

Seamus Ennis used to say that it took all of 21 years to become a piper – seven years learning, seven years practising and seven years playing. He may be the exception that proves the rule, because by the age of 21, his playing as evidenced on recordings he made for Radio Eireann in 1940 [...]

The curious journey, detailed below, of Francis O’Neill from a West Cork farm to occupying the office of Chicago Chief of Police, is in itself the stuff books in the mould of Jack London are made of. But it was the tunes and songs picked up from his parents and visiting musicians at the family [...]