{"id":289,"date":"2012-12-01T02:45:47","date_gmt":"2012-12-01T02:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jaythefiddler.com\/?page_id=289"},"modified":"2026-03-14T14:57:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T18:57:09","slug":"jays-new-gigs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jaythefiddler.com\/index.php\/jays-new-gigs\/","title":{"rendered":"Jay’s Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jay the Knitter<\/h2>\n

A long, long time ago I used to design and knit various things: sweaters, mitts, socks. A friend of mine who I saw yesterday at a volunteer dinner we both help at showed me a picture of this sweater that I knit 40 some years ago! It\u2019s still in good nick and being enjoyed by young people. This makes me very proud. The yarn is Briggs and Little, which is a stellar product from eastern Canada. Just wondering what garment you might buy today that will be viable 40 years from now and become a family heirloom. \"\"<\/h5>\n

\nIreland 2025 <\/strong><\/h5>\n
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Entry 10 – Ireland land of nonagenarians<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
During my tour, I played with two 90 year-old musicians. In Ardara I played with Tony o\u2019Donnell, who was intent on moving back to Donegal after living most of his life in England. The main motivation was that his wife had passed away. Tony is an amazing musician who is equally adept at ITM,bluegrass and Django jazz. 5th position on the fiddle is nothing for him. IHere is a video of Tony. \u00a0I\u2019ve Got Rhythm Tony O\u2019Donnell<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

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At the Crane I played with 90 year old Justin Manning. Justin plays beautiful slow airs on his concertina. He is also a world traveller. His work brought him to Alberta and he was very aware of Edmonton and Fort MacMurray. He knew his namesake had been the premier of Alberta.\u00a0 And when someone plays a new tune he doesn\u2019t know he presses record on his phone.<\/h5>\n

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I also met Josie Campbell, 90 years old, the brother of legendary Donegal fiddlers Jimmy & Vincent Campbell. Although Josie does not play he has\u00a0 a great memory for tune titles. It was he who informed me the name of a tune I called “Untitled Highlands” in the Week D Booklet for Jay’s Irish Session. It is Called “Hughie Eoin’s” and is named for Hughie Eoin McBride who was one of the legendary Tunnel Tiger who blasted through rock in Perthshire Scotland.\u00a0 https:\/\/www.donegallive.ie\/news\/home\/490881\/death-of-gaoth-dobhair-man-who-is-one-of-the-last-remaining-tunnel-tigers.html<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Entry 9 – Fun at the Crane Bar. Here is Gr\u00e1inne<\/a> (Graw-nya) doing an Irish reel to The Sailor’s Bonnet. She also plays the box. \"\"<\/h5>\n

Watch here<\/a><\/p>\n

Entry 8 – Crusheen, Tubber & Gort Co. Clare Dave Harper is the man I\u2019ve known the longest in \u00c9ire. 29 years. I caught the bus in Galway (late) rang Dave when we got to Gord (Slater) brackets and then was dropped off in Crusheen (very late). \u00a010 minutes back to the farmhouse in the Burren, which is such a beautiful spot. Catching up and what\u2019s the news since last year? Dave made a lovely dinner of pasta and prawns. Then we drove to Gort to Johnny Walsh\u2019s pub where we met Moya Fitzgerald (fiddle) whom I\u2019ve known since forever.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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This is not an ITM session although there were plenty of jigs and reels and ballads. Moya says to me we love La Bottine Souriane and so we played quite a bit of French Canadian music. When people in Ireland know my original piece \u201cGeorgia\u2019s Canada Day Waltz\u201d<\/a> \u00a0they\u2019ll have me play it. And so I did. Dave & Moya also did an outstanding version of Ragtime Annie.<\/h5>\n
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Entry 7 – the session on Ennis. At Johns funeral Sean Murphy invited me to his session at Brian Kelly\u2019s on the market. Sean is a wonderful box player and singer. His rendition of Sunday morning coming down brought the house down. Also at the session with Sonya on Fiddle, Aidan and Harmonica, David on guitar, and tracy from Australia on guitar and vocals.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\"\" \"\"Ireland 2025<\/h5>\n
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Entry 6 – Farewell to John Culliney\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

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john was a dear friend of 25 years. He battled cancer for 10 years but finally succumbed on Sunday October 5, 2025. I had talked to him the day before. He was very weak and couldn\u2019t talk long. \u00a0I mentioned each of the Kuchinskys from Edmonton and told him we loved him.<\/h5>\n
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John spent 10 weeks with us in Edmonton in 2007<\/h5>\n

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Entry 5 – The Ardara afternoon session
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i\u2019m at the Johnny Doherty festival. Calling to Nancy\u2018s bar and get to sit with some of Ireland and Donegal\u2018s very best FIDDLERS. That would be Martin McGinley, Seamus Gibson and Matt McGranaghan. \"\"
\nThey are all recognized tune composers \u00a0some mighty tunes. I was much better prepared than a year ago and leaned heavily ion \u201cWeek D – The Music of DonegalWeek D – The Music of Donegal\u201d from <\/a>Jay\u2019s Irish Session<\/h5>\n
Entry 4 – An evening with Hugh.<\/h5>\n
I called into Monroe’s Legendary 4:30 Friday session. I was delighted when Hugh Healy arrived from Ennis with his concertina. I played often with Hugh in Ennis in the early 2000’s, even once tagging along with the lads to the gig at Gus O’Connor’s in Doolin. He plays a “Vince” from 1919. I most likely have that name wrong. And it is POWERFUL! “Where do you keep the stack of Marshall amps” I asked him. “It can get louder” says he. Also at the table were Francis pipes, Maureen Brown fiddle, brother Brendan Brown on box. Very inviting and fun session. They put out 3 lovely pizzas for the musicians at 7:00. \"\"<\/h5>\n
Session 2 also with Francis and Hugh was at Carroll’s and Session 3 also with Francis and Hugh was at Coili’s. That loud concertina and Hugh’s wonderful musicianship was quite necessary at Tigh Coili’s where the crowd was huge and loud.\u00a0 A full day of music!<\/h5>\n

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Entry 3 \u2013 The trip to Grian\u00e1n Ailigh<\/h5>\n

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Entry 2 – Never wetter! I walked into Galway at 6:00 and the heavens opened up. “Lashing rain” does not do it justice. When I started my climb at College Road water was pouring down the gutters like the Amazon River. My borrowed rain coat did absolutely nothing to help me. And windy! Wow! By the time I arrived at Coili’s I was lookig like I’d been hauled in from a capsize.<\/h5>\n

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Entry 1:<\/h5>\n
The first time I flew west to go east. The 8 hour flight from Vancouver to Dublin was very good. Koodos to Air Canada for great service and also not losing my luggage. Took the CityLink bus from the airport to Galway which took an hour more than promised. Blame it on roadworks in Dublin. Got reacquainted with Rob & Mary in Renmore. After a lovely chicken dinner Rob dropped me in the town where I arrive late to Tig Coili’s but had an hour of tunese witn Joseph Flanagan (box) and Declan Corey (mandolin).<\/h5>\n
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Jay the Knitter A long, long time ago I used to design and knit various things: sweaters, mitts, socks. A friend of mine who I saw yesterday at a volunteer dinner we both help at showed me a picture of this sweater that I knit 40 some years ago! It\u2019s still in good nick and…<\/p>\n

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