CelticMKE Milwaukee Irish Fest Irish Fest Scrapbook School of Music Summer School Ward Irish Music Archives
03/04/2026 by Jeff Ksiazek
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day season, we're going to listen to some examples of historic Irish music recordings on 78rpm disc, courtesy of the Ward Irish Music Archives!
Fiddler Hugh Gillespie recorded these reels in 1939 with guitar accompaniment by Jack McKenna. Gillespie was born in Co. Donegal and emigrated to the States in 1928. He performed in the dance halls and cabarets of New York, and was a member of various bands led by his cousin, Jim Gillespie, including the Star of Erin Orchestra and the Four Provinces Orchestra.
Brothers Joe (accordion) and Mike (banjo) Flanagan recorded this disc in 1926 for the Columbia label. Natives of County Waterford, the family emigrated to the USA in 1910. Mike and Joe were virtuoso musicians and made a living playing in the Irish American dance halls that proliferated in New York in the early decades of the century. They became famed for their hard driving exuberant music honed in the era before the invention of microphones. Occasionally joined by their brother Louis on guitar, they made over one hundred and sixty 78 rpm recordings of songs, tunes and skits for a variety of record companies and were regulars on radio which was beginning to sweep the country at that time. Learn more about the Flanagan Brothers at the Ward Irish Music Archives.
This disc, recorded in 1924, features a set of jigs on flute from John Griffin with piano accompaniment by Paddy Muldoon. Griffin was known as the Fifth Avenue Busman and was originally from Roscommon. The first tune is a version of Donnybrook Fair.
Recorded in 1929, this disc features the flute and fiddle duet of John McKenna and James Morrison on a set of polkas. The first tune is also known as the Spanish Lady. McKenna was born in Leitrim and immigrated to New York in 1909. He recorded between 1921 and 1937. Fiddler Morrison emigrated from Co. Sligo in 1915 and - besides performing and recording - was one of the primary Irish music teachers in New York in the 1930s and 1940s.
We close out this playlist with celebrated Sligo fiddle player Michael Coleman with tenor guitar accompaniment from Michael Andrews. The Bonnie Kate/Jenny's Chickens set is a classic set of reels still played today. This was recorded in 1934.
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