The late Connie Doherty of Tiernasligo Clonmany
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Ceolan School of Music was set up in October 2010 by Clodagh Warnock and Roisin Mc Grory and is a community initative for teaching music to children aged 6-18years. Our main focus is traditional music, and classes are held weekly in Moville in a range of instruments. Tuition is available in fiddle/whistle/accordion/banjo/mandolin/concertina/harp/traditional singing/piano and guitar accompaniment. We have high quality tutors that provide excellent tuition and guidance for the young students. Our class sizes are small for optimal teaching, and all teaching material is co-ordinated so that all types of instruments can come together and play the same tunes
We emphasize that children are able to play their music together, and although Ceolan school is still in its infancy, our pupils are already enjoying performing with other children their own age. To date we have had several concerts and communal sessions and look forward to a regular session next term for all our pupils.
Due to demand we have just recently started our adult classes and these are extremely popular
Ceolan is a non-profit making organisation and any funds that are raised are re-invested for the purchase of new instruments. These instruments are then available to be used by our pupils.
Contact Clodagh 0861522322
The Buncrana Céilí Band
The Buncrana Ceili band was formed in the early 1950s and members included Joe Mc Laughlin(Dick) on accordion, Pat Mulhern, Dinny Mc Laughlin, and John Mc Cracken all played fiddles. Johnny Doherty played drums and Sadie Cutliffe played piano; later Rita Cutliffe joined the band on piano.
Crana Céilí band with Fr Mc Glinchey. From Left to right back row, Pat Mulhern, Rita Cutliffe, Frankie Doherty and Dinny Mc Laughlin. Seated at front left to right John Mc Cracken and Paddy Kelly.
Pat Mulhern
Pat Mulhern
Pat Mulhern’s earlist recallection of musicians was from his uncle James Mulhern who learnt the fiddle from a man called Neil Mc Kinney who lived in Owenboy. Pat Mulhern learnt a lot of his music from his uncle James and also got lessons on how to read music from a man called Anderson who worked in the train station house in Ballymagan. Pat Mc Donald was a travelling travelling fiddle player who made a huge impression at fair days throughout Inishowen. Pat Mc donald was also the noted fiddler that played at the quayside in Derry when people were leaving for America.
Jimmy Clingan
Carndonagh it’s Jimmy Clingan, a Carndonagh fiddler. James Kearney button accordion and his wife Nelly Kearney (nee O’Connor ) origionally from the Illies was a piano player. Two melodion players who performed at social events in the mid 1900s were Denis Doherty and Pat Mc Closkey. Victor Gillespe, Peter Clark were also noted musicians of their day.
Jimmy Clingan from Carndonagh
The Sweeney Family
The Sweeney family made an enormous contribution to music in the Clonmany area. Clement Mac Suibhne from Ardara south Donegal married Josie (Lavin) and began teaching music in the Malin school where he was principal and in Ballyliffen. Later Damhnait and Blaithin carried on this work through the 80s and 90s bringing through another generation of musicians. In west Inishowen a triving traditional music scene exists and familys such as the Mc Gonigles and Tolands have encouraged and ensured this tradition is alive. Currently the Inishowen Traditional singing circle is growing in popularity enjoying attention throughout countries with also a great culture of traditional singing, it has one of the biggest colections of english songs archived, visit the website inishowensinging.ie
Today the fruits of teaching by the Sweeney family can be heard in a younger group of musicians such as Mary Doherty, the Mc Daid, and Devlin families passing on the tradition.
Clonmany Céilí Band
The Clonmany Céilí Band was formed in 1956 by local curate Fr. Desmond Mullan to promote céilí dancing. The early members, along with Seamus were Jimmy and Ned Doherty (drums and double bass), his lifelong friend Maeliosa Doherty (button accordion), John McCarron (button accordion), Neil Mc Gonigle (fiddle) and Desmond Kavanagh (piano) and in later years Pat Hughes (piano). Dinny McLaughlin (fiddle) also joined them regularly for céilí dances and Feiseanna in the early days. Connie Doherty (piano accordion) carried on the great work of the ceili band with Seamus up until the late 70s.
Clonmany Ceili band Derry Feis
Neily McColgan
Another fiddler influential in the music of Clonmany was Neily McColgan, a blind fiddler from Ballyliffen. When not entertaining on pleasure boat trips on the Foyle or boat trips to Scotland, Neily was called upon to play for big events in the community. Travelling musicians by the name of McGinley and Gallagher were frequent visitors to the area as well as Pat McDonald and the famous Doherty brothers.
Other Southern Inishowen Musicians
Jimmy Mc Bride (singer) a native of Gaoth Dobhair moved to Buncrana in the 60s. Jimmy has made a major contribution to traditional singing in Inishowen setting up The Inishowen singer’s Circle in 1988.
Other musicians to note from Buncrana area are Michael Gallinagh, Michael and Paul Rodden, the late PV O Donnell and Oliver O’ Donnel Buncrana. Over the years Buncrana has seen many musicians move to live in the area among them are Tom Byrne, Jim Woods, and Keenan Barret.
The Gleneely Ceili Band
The Gleneely Ceili Band performed at local dances around the area playing music for céilí and popular songs of the day. Jim and Archie Warnock, James Bradley, Frank Griffin, Mickey Curley, John Mc Gonagle and on occasion Deirdre Mc Grory (nee Doherty) joined them on vocals. During the 1950s the O’Kane family band with members John, Tom, Patrick and Annie Kane, the Tremone dance band, George Mc Laughlin and his band played in O’Kane’s Hall, Lecamey, Bob Carey’s loft Carrowmena and dance halls popular at the time such as Bocan hall, the Wee Hall Culdaff , The Swansea- Drumaweir, Shroove Cafe and Moville.