Aggie Whyte

Archival recordings by the great East Galway fiddler Aggie Whyte, released by her grandson Michael Harrison. Can be purchased as CD or download from bandcamp. I think Custy’s also has it. Superb album.

Some tracks include other musicians, including Eddie Moloney, Séamus Connolly, Peadar Ó Lochlainn, Paddy Carty, Paddy Fahy, Elizabeth Crotty, Micho Russell, Father PJ Kelly, Joe Burke, and the Ballinakill Céilí Band.

I’ve corrected some of the tune names:
track 28 is incorrectly listed as the Old Copperplate;
McMahon’s hornpipe is listed as Sean Ryan’s (he being the composer);
O‘Dowd’s is listed as O’Dowds
Castle Kelly is listed as Castle Ceilis
Miss MacLeod’s is listed as Ms. McLeod’s

Composers that I know of (based on the track listing or what I already knew) are:
Rattigan’s - Larry Redican
Maudabawn Chapel - Ed Reavy
Dooney Rock - Sean Ryan
Ballyoran - Sean Ryan
Fiji - assuming it’s Father PJ Kelly, who worked in Fiji for much of his career
Derrycrag - PJ Kelly
Ben Hill - PJ Kelly
Rossmore Jetty - PJ Kelly
Nightingale - Sean Ryan
Twilight in Portroe - Sean Ryan
Christmas Eve - Tommy Coen

I haven’t checked the link yet, but the Blackbird is the set dance by that name.

Track 36: The First Day of Spring is a jig, but links to a reel composed by Tommy Peoples. I’m guessing the jig is a Father PJ Kelly composition, since he accompanies the track on piano. He probably also wrote the second jig in the set.

Track 6: Lough Derg is another Father Kelly composition.

Track 32: Sarsfield’s Retreat March is not the Sarsfield’s March that’s in the database.

Track 43: Guessing that Fleadh Cheoil Chill Ruis hornpipe was written by Father Kelly, since he plays piano accordion on the track.

Correction on track 36: Father Kelly is playing piano accordion, not piano.

Correction on track 46: listed as Castle Ceilis, I had changed it to Castle Kelly, but after listening, discovered it was the Doon.

Apparently The Grouse in the Bog, track 25, is an alternate title for The Merry Harriers, so I added it as such on the tune page. This is the title used when Alan Lomax recorded Aggie Whyte on this track in Galway in 1951.

I don’t generally buy CDs nowadays (or stream modern releases) but I was queuing up for this before it was released - I haven’t been disappointed! It’s a wonderful compilation of great historic interest. Many congratulations to Michael - go and buy, and you won’t be disappointed either!

The liner notes attribute Fisherman’s Island (#33) to Seán Ryan though it is more widely accepted that this is a composition by Ed Reavy.