Pádraig O’Keeffe was born in October 1887 in Glounthane, near Scartaglen and Castleisland, Co Kerry. His father, John, was a school principal and he was the eldest of nine children. His mother, Margaret O’Callaghan came from a musical family and his uncle, Cal O’Callaghan, was a well-known fiddler.
After training in Dublin he became a schoolmaster [...]

Julia Clifford was born on June 19, 1914, into a musical family at Lisheen, Gneevgullia in the Sliabh Luachra area north of Killarney, Co Kerry. The travelling fiddle teacher Padraig O’Keeffe tutored both Julia [...]

Denis Murphy was born on November 14, 1910, at Lisheen, Gneeveguilla Co. Kerry. His father Bill had a fife and drum band which performed at local events like Knocknagree races and he played flute, fife and fiddle. Bill married Mary (Mainie) Corbett, herself a fine singer, and they had eight children, of which Denis was [...]