CD launch by Peter KellyThe Farnham Arms Hotel, Main Street, Cavan Town on Friday 28th June at 9.30pm.
On this new CD Peter Kelly plays traditional Irish music on a Red Paola Soprani Button Accordion in a nice, rolly chromatic style, and he is accompanied on keyboard by former Senior All-Ireland Piano Champion, Caitriona Cullivan, from Stradone, Co. Cavan.
Peter sings 2 very popular songs on the CD – “The Gallant John Joe”, a famous All-Ireland winning Cavan footballer – and “Lovely Leitrim” made famous by Larry Cunningham. These 2 songs and 2 well-known reels “Miss Monaghan” for Co. Monaghan and “The Boyne Hunt” for Co. Meath, all pay tribute to counties Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim and Meath. They are written in their county colours on the cover of the CD.
Proceeds from this Compact Disc are in aid of the Holy Family Special School in Cootehill, where children with special needs are taught. Peter’s son, Thomas, is a pupil at The Holy Family School and it caters for children with special needs in both Cavan and Monaghan.
Peter is living in Cavan Town and is a native of Cloone, Co. Leitrim. His late father, Tom Kelly, played the fiddle and on track 15 plays “The Humours of Ballyconnell” (originally recorded on audio cassette in 1991), a well-known Cavan reel.
Peter Kelly learned to play the accordion at 13 and was taught classical music on the piano at the Franciscan College, Gormanston, Co. Meath. His late grand-uncle, Fr. Peter Conefrey P.P Cloone, had the first céilí band on 2 RN Radio (the forerunner of Radio Éireann) on St. Patrick’s Day 1934. It was called the Cloone Céilí Band.
Among Peter’s favourite tunes on the CD are:
Reels – “Lad O’ Beirne’s” – attributed to James ‘Lad’ O’Beirne, a fiddler from the Killavil parish near Gurteen, Co. Sligo – and “The Controversial” composed by Billy Mc Comiskey, an accordion player from New York, USA.
Jigs – “Jerry Holland’s” attributed to the Cape Breton fiddler, Jerry Holland, who died in 2009 – and “Princess Nancy” composed by Liz Carroll, a fiddle player from Chicago, USA.
“Shoe the Donkey” is a mazurka and The Versuviana is danced to it as a 2-hand dance. Mazurkas originated in Poland. The album concludes with “Lord Inchiquin” (waltz) composed by Turlough O’ Carolan, the famous Irish harp player, born in Nobber, Co. Meath and spent much of his time in Mohill, Co. Leitrim.
On the CD, Peter plays jigs, reels, hornpipes, a slip jig, a waltz, a mazurka and a slow air. He is joined by guest artists made up of musical relations and friends – Caitríona Cullivan (keyboard accompaniment), James Quinn (keyboard), Mary Kelly (whistle), Tom Kelly R.I.P. (fiddle), Peter Francis Kelly (button accordion), Paddy Kelly (piano accordion), Paddy Galligan (flute), John Fox (whistle) and Adrian Kelly (whistle).
This was part funded with an arts award from Cavan County Council.
The launch of the CD will take place in The Farnham Arms Hotel, Main Street, Cavan Town on Friday 28th June at 9.30pm. All are welcome and admission is free. The CD is selling for €10.
