2026 Lectures ~ Daily at 2.30 pm in St. Brigid’s Hall

Monday, 13th July: ‘‘Remembering the ‘Mighty’ Connie Ryan; life, laughs and legacy’’ ~ Ciarán Condron

Set Dancing has been an integral part of the South Sligo Summer School from the outset and the late Connie Ryan was the inaugural Set Dancing tutor at the school, having first met with the founders of the summer school the previous year in the summer of 1986 in The May Queen, Tubbercurry, one of the regular meeting places for local dancers at that time. Connie’s name was synonymous with the revival of set dancing since the 1960s. A native of Clonoulty, Holycross, Co Tipperary, he gave his first Dublin workshop at Churchtown in 1969. His ever extending workload since those early years, which included teaching at the South Sligo Summer School up to and including 1996, the year before his death, was not affected by an eyesight deficiency, nor by chemotherapy treatment for the last two years of his life. His workshops continued until very shortly before he died on May 7th 1997 and he was listed as having a full teaching programme for the rest of that year, including at the South Sligo Summer School. Sadly it was not to be and people in Tubbercurry and South Sligo still remember Connie, his larger than life personality, his passion for set dancing and his unique contribution to ‘Music Week’ in those early formative years of the summer school.

Thanks to Connie and to those who followed in his footsteps, in particular our current Set Dancing tutor, Pat Murphy, a fellow Tipperary native, teaching here now for twenty three years, Set Dancing remains a central part of the week at the South Sligo Summer School. Huge credit goes to these two Tipperary men for their immense contribution both to our Set Dancing programme and to their wider work nationally and beyond these shores.

After Connie’s untimely death in 1997 two other great Set Dance teachers, Padraig McEneaney & Ciarán Condron, kept the show on the road so to speak for the next six years before Pat started teaching at the summer school in 2003 and they did so with great dedication at the time. We are delighted therefore to welcome Ciarán Condron back this July as we mark the 40th year of the South Sligo Summer School to remember Connie and reflect on his great legacy in the world of set dancing.

Tuesday, 14th July: ‘‘The Manchester Irish Music Community in the ‘70s and ‘80s’’ ~ Marian Egan

Over the course of many decades, countless Irish traditional musicians emigrated to towns and cities around the world, creating vibrant pockets of traditional music and producing many of the well-known second and third generation musicians we all know of today. One such city was Manchester, which witnessed a huge influx of Irish traditional musicians in the second half of the twentieth century, playing together in pubs and clubs across the city, and passing on the tradition as part of newly formed Comhaltas branches. Marian Egan (nee Flannery), native of Collooney Co. Sligo, was lucky enough to be part of this community throughout the 1970s, returning again in the ‘80s until the mid-1990s. As part of this interactive talk, Marian will recount the many older musicians she encountered during those years, their impact on young musicians like herself at that time, and her own experiences of teaching within Comhaltas branches in Manchester.

Wednesday, 15th July: ‘‘Where the music runs deep and flows through time - celebrating the life of Sligo’s Owenmore Céilí Band’’ ~ The Collis & Kearins Families

Presented by members of the Collis and Kearins Families, this presentation will be a fitting celebration of the legacy of the Owenmore Céilí Band. Formed under the leadership of Mick Feeney from Collooney, Co. Sligo, flute player Tom Collis, father of Patricia, Deirdre and Fionnuala and grandfather of Cian and Caoimhe Kearins, joined the band in 1955. Other band members at the time included Joe O’Dowd, Henry Dwyer, Tom Dowd, Gerry Fallon and Johnny Scanlon. The band played at céilithe all over Ireland and also toured in England. They were a very popular band of that era with dance halls packed to capacity with people dancing and listening to their music.

Tom revived the Owenmore Ceili Band in the mid 1970’s. This band included his three daughters, Patricia, Deirdre and Fionnuala with other well known Sligo musicians - Paddy McDonagh, Henry Dwyer, Brendan Gannon, Benny O’Connor and Brendan Gaughan. In 1976 a recording of the Owenmore Céilí Band was released in LP and cassettes format and contains some of the finest music played in the Sligo style.

(excerpts taken from an article on the late Tom Collis, Ardcotton, Collooney, Co. Sligo which was published in the 2015 CCÉ Connacht Fleadh booklet, held in Ballymote, Co. Sligo)

Thursday, 16th July: ‘‘Music from the Granary ~ The musical legacy of Jamesie Gannon’’ ~ Richie Piggott

Jamesie Gannon was a farmer, a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker, whose work was in high demand throughout the South Sligo region. His large two-story house is still structurally intact with a granary across the yard, with steps on the side leading to an entrance door about 10ft from the ground.
It was in this building that Jamesie taught music and housed any travelling musicians, who would typically stay in the locality for 2 or 3 days before moving on. According to Gorman (interview with Lomax, 1952*), the granary held many beds for travelling musicians and Gannon not alone offered accommodation but also fed the musicians, all free of charge. Jamesie Gannon taught many students including Michael Coleman (1891-1945), Michael Gorman (1895-1970) and Sarah Ann O’Connor (1890-1970).

(Excerpt from Richie Piggott’s Website Blog, ‘Come Over the Mountain Road - Part 1 - Exploring Irish traditional music & musicians of South Sligo / East Mayo with James Murray, Tubbercurry)

Presented by Cobh native, Irish music historian and author Richie Piggott, this will be a fascinating and insightful account of the significant influence of the late Jamesie Gannon (c. 1844-1934) on the music of South Sligo. Richie, now living in Chicago where he has resided for over twenty years, recently published his first book, ‘Cry of a People Gone Irish Musicians In Chicago 1920–2020’.

Friday, 17th July: ‘‘Fiddle and Flute Duets down through the Years’’ ~ Andrew Caden & Conor McDonagh

Conor McDonagh, born and raised in Killavil, Co. Sligo and fiddle player Andrew Caden from Bethesda, Maryland recently brought out an album of fiddle and flute music under the Racket Records label. The following extract from the album sleeve notes, written by Dublin musician Mick O’Connor, provides a succinct account of the significance of this recording made by two of the finest young musicians playing Irish music today.
‘This CD focuses on Sligo traditional music on both sides of the Atlantic, featuring fiddle player Andrew Caden from Bethesda, Maryland, and flute player Conor McDonagh from Killavil, Co. Sligo. Both musicians exemplify the classic Sligo style on their respective instruments. They come from impeccable musical backgrounds, and that pedigree shines through in their playing.
Andrew has a direct connection to the great fiddle player and composer Martin Wynne through his teacher, Brian Conway. Conor, whose homeplace of Killavil is also the birthplace of Michael Coleman, was fortunate to have Michael Hurley as his mentor.
What excites me most is the remarkable chemistry between these two brilliant musicians—the music flows effortlessly between them, full of spontaneous and tasteful variations. I find it both refreshing and uplifting. I don’t think they fully realise how rare this is: Conor introduces beautiful spontaneous variations at will, and Andrew responds seamlessly on the fiddle. Their interplay is strongly reminiscent of Johnny Doran’s free-flowing style.
The sure-footed accompaniment by Catherine McHugh, Ryan Sheridan, and John Blake sets the tempo and gives the music a wonderful lift. They deserve great credit for seeking out archival recordings and lesser-known versions of tunes by past masters like James ‘Lad’ O’Beirne and Mick Woods, which they revitalise with great energy and freshness.
The CD is produced by the expert John Carty and recorded by John Blake—truly, they are in safe hands.
Years ago, I looked up to the older generation of musicians, and now I find myself deeply inspired by the younger generation—people like Conor, Andrew, Ryan Sheridan, and Catherine McHugh. It's heartening to see young musicians not only matching but truly carrying forward the legacy of the old masters—a sure sign that we are living in a golden age of Irish traditional music.”
- Mick O’Connor’

Andrew & Conor’s Presentation will put the spotlight on the fiddle and flute as a duet combination down through the years, one that is synonymous with Sligo music, the wider North Connacht region and with the South Sligo area in particular, the late Peter Horan & Fred Finn being the prime iconic example.

On a side note, our recent archival research as part of our preparations for the 40th Year of the South Sligo Summer School has thrown up lots of interesting fiddle/flute duets who have teamed together to play at our concerts and recitals over the years. Here’s a list of just some of them. More exciting news to follow!

1989 - Paddy Ryan & Peter Horan

1990 - Peter Horan & Bernard Flaherty

1997 - Fr Seamus Quinn & Fr James McDonagh

1998 - Declan Folan & Peter Horan

1998 - Philip Doddy & Dan Healy

1999 - John Carty & Seamus O’Donnell

2001 - Jimmy Murphy & James Murray

2001 - Joe O’Grady & Peter Horan

2003 - Peter Horan & Liam Kelly

2003 - Maura Garvey & Dan Healy

2004 - Martin & Christine Dowling

2006 - Philip Duffy & Colm O’Donnell

2007 - John McEvoy & John Wynne

2007 - Gerry Harrington & Peter Horan

2007 - John Carty & Patsy Hanly

2008 - Cian & Caoimhe Kearins

2008 - Niamh O’Grady & Colette Gaffney

2009 - Gerry Harrington & Liam Kelly

2010 - Oisín Mac Diarmada & Damien Stenson

2010 - Declan Folan & Michael Hurley

2010 - Fiona Doherty & Harry McGowan

2010 - Gavin Collis & Colm O’Donnell

2010 - Oisín Mac Diarmada & Máire Nic Dhiarmada

2012 - Enda McGreevy & Aidan Shannon

2012 - Fiona Doherty & Louise King

2013 - Jimmy Murphy & Michael Loftus

2014 - Declan Folan & Damien Stenson

2014 - Seán & Michael Hurley

2015 - Oisíón Mac Diarmada & Catherine McEvoy

2015 - Michelle & Louise Mulcahy

2016 - David Doocey & Stephen Doherty

2016 - John Wynne & Damien Stenson

2017 - John McHugh & Colm O’Donnell

2017 - Liam & Mick O’Connor

2018- Fiona Doherty & Michael Hurley

2019 - Oisín Mac Diarmada & Marcas Ó Murchú

2019 - Ciara Lee & Conor McDonagh

2022 - Declan Folan & Stephen Doherty

2022 - Declan Folan & Fr James McDonagh

2023 - Andrew Caden & Conor McDonagh

2023 - Des & Michael Hurley

2024 - Jason & Lorna McGuinness

2025 - Jason McGuinness & Tom Gavin

2025 Lectures:

Monday, 14th July: ‘Raised steeped in Music & Song in Kilmactigue at the foot of the Ox Mountains’ ~ Colm & Siobhan O’Donnell Father and daughter, Colm & Siobhan are members of the renowned O’Donnell Family from the Aclare/Kilmactigue area of South Sligo, a pocket of the county filled with tradition. Whether lilting or singing, sharing a story or playing the whistle, flute, bodhrán, fiddle or guitar, between them Colm & Siobhan always keep their audience enthralled. As a family, there is music on all sides and this presentation gave a flavour of the richness of that tradition.

Tuesday, 15th July: ‘Regional Fiddle Styles in Ireland: Part of our Identity but are we in danger of overseeing their demise?’ ~ Manus McGuire Now living in Na Déise in West Waterford, Manus was born and raised in Sligo Town where, alongside his brother and fellow fiddle player Seamus, he was heavily influenced by the music of his native county, with many sessions of music hosted in their family home during those years. Manus lived for a time in East Clare, another area with a distinctive traditional style of fiddling.

Wednesday, 16th July: ‘My Brother’s Keeper - Reflections on Jim Coleman, brother of famous fiddle player Michael’ ~ Gregory Daly Jim Coleman, older brother of Michael, remained at home while Michael went away, in time sending home recordings of his fiddle playing from New York. It is said that Jim was as fine a fiddle player as Michael and in his presentation Gregory shared his thoughts and reflections, having done extensive research into the Coleman brothers down the years.

Thursday, 17th July: ‘The Development of the Uilleann Pipes’, followed by ‘Try the Pipes’, an Uilleann Pipes taster Session open to all ~ Emmett Gill, Archivist & Deputy CEO, Na Píobairí Uilleann Workshops in Uilleann Pipes have been a feature of the South Sligo Summer School programming from the outset and we were delighted to highlight the instrument in 2025 at a time when the piping tradition is experiencing a revival in the region with a number of great young talented pipers coming to the fore. For more information on the history, legacy and extensive activities of N.P.U. please refer to their website: https://www.pipers.ie

Friday, 18th July: ‘Killavil & Bunnanadden - Fiddle & Flute - Musical Memories’ ~ Declan Folan & Fr. James McDonagh As a young developing fiddle player growing up in Doobeg, Bunnanadden, Declan was very much influenced by the playing of the legendary Fred Finn, his neighbour down the road towards Killavil. James, son of Sonny McDonagh, was born and raised in Rinnarogue, Bunnanadden. The family home was filled with music, under the guidance and encouragement of Sonny, an esteemed flute player steeped in the music of his native area. Together, Declan & James shared a rich well of stories and tunes from their youth.

Our 2024 Lectures covered a wide range of areas of interest, from Stephen Doherty’s ‘Trad Tech Talk’ on Monday through to Donie Nolan’s presentation on ‘The Music & Song of West Limerick’ on Friday afternoon.

In between, we had Talks on Fiddle & Flute Duets of East Mayo and South Sligo, presented by John McEvoy & John Wynne; the Significance of Bodhrán & Bones in Traditional Irish Music with Junior Davey and a joint presentation by Des Hurley & Chris O’Malley on The Leeds Irish Music Community.