Three comments
Tommy McCarthy - Sporting Nell
There is a tendency for today’s CDs to have flashy arrangements, & a few new compositions thrown in for good measure. Well that’s not what you get here, for this is a collection of this man’s favourite tunes played with style & maturity on all his instruments, Concertina, Pipes & Whistle. Anyone who loves Clare music should not be without this recording, especialy if you are a fan of the Concertina.
Tommy was born in Shyan (home of the Fairies - not the red indians), near Kilmihil in West Clare. Learned the Concertina from a neighbour Mick ‘Stack’ Ryan, & recieved his first Piping lessons from Leo Rowsome.
In 1968 he attended the historic first meeting of Na Piobairi Uilleann in Ireland, & in 1980 he co-founded the London Pipers Club. In 1972 he performed throughout the U. S. A. on the first Comhaltas tour with the likes of Paddy Glackin, Seamus Connolly & Joe Burke.
Recording credits include contributions to albums by Kate Bush, John Anderson, Horslips & he also played Whistle on the No. 1 hit ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight ’ by Tight Fit. His family can also be heard dancing a Clare set live, on the Chieftains album ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat’.
He has passed on his music to his four children, Jacqueline (concertina), Marion (pipes), Bernadette & Tommy jnr. (fiddle) & he teaches each year at Milltown.
This is a lovely album. Just pure and nice, the way it should be. The McCarthy family album is also nice, they are all great muso’s.
Re: Sporting Nell
Maree Music; 1997
Tommy McCarthy - concertinas (C/G, & A/E), uilleann pipes, tin whistles (Bb, C and G).