Decade of Centenaries Programme 2020-23
Born in 1909 in Drumshanbo North, between the parishes of Aughavas and Cloone, Nan Fitzpatrick was one of nine children born to James and Rosie Fitzpatrick. They lived on a small farm and she attended Cloonsarn School. She couldn’t miss having an interest in music and song as her family […]
“Reynolds, George Nugent (c.1767–1802), poet, wit, and head of the Reynolds family of Loughscur, was born at Letterfine, Co. Leitrim, son of George Reynolds (d. 1786), also called George Nugent Reynolds or ‘Squire’ Reynolds, and Jane Reynolds (née Connell) from Cranary, Co. Longford. He lived most of his life at Letterfine House, […]
Famous composer and harpist Turlough O’Carolan spent much of his life in Leitrim. In the 1680s, he moved to Carrick on Shannon with his family where his father was a blacksmith and farm hand on the St. George Estate. It was the McDermott Roe family in nearby Alderford that offered […]
Born in 1887 in Gowlaun, Killargue, Michael Gallagher was a multi-instrumentalist having taught himself the flute and pipes, he also played melodeon and tin-whistle. Here is a brief account of his early life and his musical accomplishments from Leitrim Guardian 2000 contributed by his namesake. For a more comprehensive overview, […]
One of Leitrim’s best-known musicians and composers of traditional tunes was fiddle player and composer Joe Liddy. Born in Killargue in the early 1900’s, Joe, known as “The Leitrim Fiddler” came from a musical family and played with many of the greatest players from Leitrim and further afield. Liddy’s Loft […]
Born in 1927 in Tullycooley, Dromahair, fiddle player Vincent was influenced in his youth by his mother, Mary, who sang and played the fiddle and by his mother’s brother, Hughie Travers, who was also a musician. Photo copyright Steven de Paoire, courtesy Irish Traditional Music Archive Hughie Travers Vincent’s uncle […]
Josephine McNamara was born and raised in Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, in a musical family. She has very fond memories of hearing her father sing around the fireside and as he was working, when she was a young girl. She, herself, developed the same practice of singing as she worked and […]
