If the music sounds like it was all recorded yesterday, in a sense it was, for great music both reflects its time and breaks free of it…The Irish music heard on this recording relies on heart, respect, memory, talent, tradition, friendship, family, home town and regional pride, and the sheer, unalloyed joy of playing. What this album does is rare: putting the listener not just within a mile of Kilty, but right beside the chairs of the musicians themselves.
Earle Hitchner
Is sráidbhaile beag é Coillte Clochair i dtuaisceart Liatroma, ar theorainn Liatroma/Fhear Manach. Tá daonra de thart ar 150 duine ina gcónaí sa sráidbhaile beag seo, ach ina ainneoin sin tháinig lán glaice d’fhidléirí tallannacha as an áit le 80 bliain anuas. Bailiúchán atá ar an albam seo, Within a Mile of Kilty, de cheol ó chuid de na fidléirí sin, a taifeadadh thar thréimhse 40 bliain, agus a chuir David Lennon i dtoll a chéile.
Seisear ceoltóirí eisceachtúla iad siúd atá le cluinstin ar an albam seo, ina measc triúr de mhuintir cháiliúil Lennon: Ben, Charlie agus Maurice. Is deartháireacha iad Ben agus Charlie a rugadh agus a tógadh i gCoillte Clochair, agus tá cáil orthu go fairsing i measc lucht an cheoil. Tá albaim taifeadta ag an mbeirt acu, agus tá ardmholadh faighte ag Charlie as a chuid cumadóireachta chomh maith. Is mac le Ben é Maurice, duine de bhunaitheoirí an ghrúpa Stockton’s Wing, a bunaíodh i 1977. Is as Doire Uí gConaíle do Shéamus Quinn, agus ba as Coillte Clochair dá athair agus dá sheanathair. Bhí clú ar a sheanathair mar an fidléir ab fhearr sa cheantar lena linn. Rugadh Brian Rooney i ngar do Choillte Clochair, agus ba cheoltóir é a athair freisin – ar an bhfidil agus ar an bhfliúit. Chuaigh sé ar imirce go Londain sna 1940í, mar a mbíodh sé ag seinm ceol Gaelach go díograiseach; is i Londain a thosaigh sé ag seinm leis an ngrúpa Sliabh Luachra. Ba as Caiseal i gCo. Fhear Manach do John Gordon. Bhí aithne go forleathan air mar cheoltóir, agus bhíodh sé le cluinstin go rialta ar an raidió, ar BBC agus ar RTÉ. Ar an drochuair, tá John ar shlí na fírinne ó 2002.
Tá tionlacan ar an albam ó Chiarán Curran ó Altan ar an siotaran, ó Noel O’Grady ó Beginish ar an mbasúcaí, ó Frank Kilkelly ar an ngiotár agus ó Gabriel McArdle ar an gconsairtín.
Léigh Léirmheas / Read a Review:
The Irish Echo – No. 1 Album 2005
Kiltyclogher is a small village that lies on the Leitrim/Fermanagh border, with a population of about 150 people. From this area a unique cluster of traditional Irish fiddle players has emerged over the last 80 years. Within a Mile of Kilty is a collection of recordings by these musicians from the past 40 years, collected by David Lennon.
The musicians on this album are six exceptionally talented fiddle players, and include three members of the well-known Lennon family, Ben, Charlie and Maurice. Ben and Charlie, brothers, were brought up in Kiltyclogher, and their names are known far and wide in traditional music circles. They have both recorded several albums, and in addition Charlie has received widespread critical acclaim as a composer. Maurice is Ben’s son, and he was a founder member of Stockton’s Wing in 1977. Séamus Quinn is from Derrygonnelly, in Co. Fermanagh, and both his father and grandfather came from Kiltyclogher. Séamus’ grandfather was a well-known fiddler and was regarded by many as the most outstanding of his time. Brian Rooney was born near Kiltyclogher, and his father played fiddle and flute. He emigrated to London in the 1940s, where he became deeply involved in the traditional Irish music scene, playing with the group Sliabh Luachra. John Gordon was from Cashel, Co. Fermanagh. He was a very well-known musician, and featured in broadcasts on both BBC and RTÉ Radio. Sadly, John passed away in 2002.
There is accompaniment on the album from Altan’s Ciarán Curran on cittern, Beginish’s Noel O’ Grady on bouzouki, Frank Kilkelly on guitar and Gabriel McArdle on concertina.
