Two comments
First Irish concertina player on record
This CD was published by Viva Voce & The Irish Traditional Music Archive in 2011. It’s presented in a DVD style case along with a 60 page booklet detailing the life and recordings of William Mullaly, the first Irish concertina player on record.
William Mullaly was born in 1884 near Rathconrath outside Mullingar in Co.Westmeath. His parents weren’t musicians but several of the eleven children learnt to play from neighbours and played in local house dances etc. William learnt carpentry from his father and emigrated to Liverpool at the age of 23. After a few years there, he went onto New York. He came to the notice of Columbia and recorded, accompanied on piano by Ed Geoghegan. He also recorded on the Victor label with Ed Lee on piano. The recording with The Green Groves Of Erin & The Ivy Leaf was his most successful hit. Mullaly played an Anglo type concertina, probably a two row but he seems to have played along one row in the main. Some notes with altern names of tunes
Jackson’s Thought - jig, Cherish the Ladies
Lady Carbury/The Races Of Athlone - reels, Mason’s Apron & London Lasses
The Green Groves Of Erin/The Ivy Leaf - reels
Drumraney Lass/Jug Of Brown Ale - jigs
Within A Mile Of Dublin/The Westmeath Hunt - reels, New Mown Meadows & Dublin Reel
The Humours Of Mullingar/Jackson’s Wife To The Road - jigs, Lark in the Morning & Maid in the Meadow
Little House Under The Hill -jig, Gillan’s Apples
Tory Island - reel, Murphy’s Greyhound
Miss Monroe’s - jig, Pay the Reckoning
Salamanca/Peter Street
First Irish concertina player to be recorded
Clarification: first Irish concertina player whose playing was recorded 🙂