The Monks of the Screw Two Liner Notes

Polkas: Patrick O’Connor’s
These are two tunes from the playing of Patrick O’Connor of Gneeves, Boherbue, who got them from one of Brendán Breathnach’s collections. Patrick learned the fiddle from Geaney Corbett of Kanturk. He played for years with the Duhallow Ceilidh Band and at the moment plays for set dancing at Michael Fleming’ Rambling House in Boherbue. (The late Brendán Breathnach was one of Ireland’s best known music collectors. He collected a lot of music in the Kishkeam-Ballydesmond area).

Jigs:
a: Saddle the Pony
We got this tune from fiddle player and composer John Walsh of Derrygallon, Kanturk. It was written out by Padraig Ó Chaoimh under the title ’jig’ for one of his pupils – Helen O’Leary of Ballinahulla, Ballydesmond.
b: The One After It
This tune is from Paddy Cronin, originally from Reabuí, Gneeveguilla. Paddy had fiddle lessons at the age of nine or ten from Padraig Ó Chaoimh and at the age of twenty-three Seamus Ennis recorded him in a place called the Plantation, Macroom. It is reputed to be some of the finest fiddle music ever recorded.

Reels:
a: Reavey’s
This tune is from the playing of Paddy Cronin and was composed by the late Ed Reavey of Philadelphia.
b: The Doon Reel
Also from Paddy Cronin, one of three Doon reels that Paddy got from Padraig Ó Chaoimh. Padraig called a lot of tunes after Doon, Kishkeam, the homeplace of his mother’s people, the O’Callaghan’s.

Slides: Bridgie Con Matt’s
From the playing of Mike and Sue Fahy of Ballinderrin, Co. Galway, who got them from Bridget Murphy of Lisheen, Gneeveguilla. Bridgie was the eldest of the famous musical family, the Weaver Murphy’s. She died in 1993 in the ninety-ninth year of her life.

Song: Máirín Geal Dubh
This song came from the singing of Pat McAulliffe of Boherbue who died in 1994. Pat played the tin whistle and the piccolo. Johnny O’Mahony of Tureendubh says “It was written by Con (Robin) Fitzgerald of Drumulton, Scartaglin. He was a school teacher and taught in Ballydesmond and Foyle schools in the pre-1920’s”.

Breton Selection (dedicate to Patrick Le Brum)
a: In May 1992, The Monks of the Screw visited Mauron, Brittany, a town twinned with Newmarket. There we met many local musicians and learned these two tunes from Jean Pierre Cadic (bombards) and Sebastian Guillard (accordion).
b: La Valse Escosse
In Brittany there is a special waltz danced to this melody. It is very similar to a Scottish three-part slow march called “Mrs. Elder’s Welcome”

Polkas:
a: Sonny Riordan’s
Sonny Riordan of Tureencahill, Gneeveguilla, plays these two polkas. He learned the first one from Padraig Ó Chaoimh who gave him lessons from 1931 to the mid 1940’s. Sonny and Mikey Cronin of Reabuí, played together for years as a fiddle and flute duet until Mikey’s untimely death in 1983.
b: Tom Billy’s
The late Pete Bradley of Knocknaboul said this tune was from Tom Billy Murphy of Glencollins, Ballydesmond. Tom Billy travelled the Cork-Kerry-Limerick border area teaching music, especially the fiddle. He learned how to play from Timmy Buckley (Tadhgy na nAsal) who lived for a while in Park, Knocknagree.

Slides:
a: Up in the Morning Early
There are many versions of this tune in the locality. This is a version that Jack O’Connell of Lighthouse played. Jack passed away in 1994.
a: Mick Lynch’s
Con Houlihan, box player and pipe major with the Cullen Pipe Band, learned this tune from Donal Lynch of Kippagh, Millstreet. Donal got it from his late father Mick Lynch who played melodeon. Mick often played for dance gatherings in the Ballinaduige area near Barraduff and sometimes played with Padraig Ó Chaoimh.
Reels:
a: Paddy Cronin’s
We learned these two tunes from Ballydesmond accordion player Dan Herlihy who got them from Paddy Cronin. Dan plays b/c style and first got lessons at the age of ten from Jack O’Connell of Lighthouse. Jack wrote out tunes for him in the Padraig Ó Chaoimh system for teaching accordion.
b: Pay the girl her Fourpence
Paddy Cronin got this one out of one of O’Neill’s collections. Paddy immigrated to America in 1949 where he met and played with all the great fiddle-players living there at that time.
(O’Neill Collections – the renowned collector of music, Francis O’Neill was born in August 28th, 1849, at Trailbane in West Cork. At the age of sixteen he ran away to sea and led an adventurous life, including a Robinson Crusoe-type existence, having been shipwrecked on Baker’s Island in the Pacific Ocean. He finished up in America where he became a policeman. He was appointed Chief of Police in Chicago in 1901).

Jig: The Old Walls of Liscarroll
Julia Clifford recorded this jig in 1982 on an album she made with her son Billy and Manus Lunny – ‘Ceol as Sliabh Luachra’ Gael Linn CEF 092.

Air: Lament for Eily Monica
Composed by the group’s flute player Paudy Scully in memory of Eily Monica Walsh (nee O’Connor) originally from Scarteen, Newmarket, who died in February 1993.

Barndances:
a: Thadelo’s
From Johnny O’Leary, the Rathmore box player who got it from Thadelo O’Sullivan of Annaghbeg, Gneeveguilla. Thadelo played ten key melodeon, concertina, whistle and fife.
b: Tom Billy’s
Mikey Duggan of Knockrour, Scartaglin, learned this tune from Tom Billy Murphy. Tom Billy died in 1944 and is buried in Ballydesmond churchyard.

Polkas:
a: Molly Morrissey’s
b: Roseanne’s Reel
These two tunes came from fiddle player Maurice O’Keeffe of Glounreagh, Kishkeam. Maurice learned the first one from his mother Molly Morrissey who played melodeon and concertina. The second one he got from his teacher Johnny Linehan also of Glounreagh. Johnny Linehan learned the fiddle from Corney Drew of Kishkeam. Corney Drew had among his pupils Cal and Margaret O’Callaghan of Doon. Margaret was the mother of Padraig Ó Caoimh.

Waltzes:
a: Denise’s Waltz
Composed by the group’s box player Timmy O’Connor. He named the waltz after Denise Dalton, a fiddle player, originally from Killarney.
B: The Blue Danube
Padraig Ó Chaoimh wrote out this tune for Jack O’Connell of Lighthouse. The Danube, like Dhá Ciach Dana, got its name from Dana the Celtic mother Goddess so much associated with Sliabh Luachra.

Producer - Johnny McCarthy
Recorded – digitally by Colum Cronin at Carrigdown Recording Studio.
Front cover print – Sweet Water from a Sour Well by Lil Sullivan.
Cover design – John Drew
Sleeve Notes – Paudy Scully
Photography – Eileen O’Keeffe and Con O’Connor
Sponsored by Michael Scully of Scully’s Bar, Newmarket
Padraig Ó Chaoimh manuscript courtesy of the family of Jack O’Connell, Lighthouse.
All arrangements by The Monks of the Screw

Musicians:
Timmy O’Connor accordeon
Paudy Scully flute
Tim Browne fiddle, bouzouki, mandolin
John Drew mandocello
Dan Curtin fiddle
Timmy O’Shea guitar, vocals

Total running time 43 minutes