Track Listing. 1. MUSIC FOR A COMPLETE POLKA SET 1. Polka: Doyle's 2. Polka: Sweeney's 3 Jig: The Goat in the Green 4 Polka: Din Tarrant's 5. Slides: Murphy's/O'Keefe's/Tarrant's 6 Hornpipes: Mike Sullivan's/Tom Billy's 7. Jigs: Con Carthy'sO) 8 Polkas: Din Tarrant's 9 Slides: The Worn Torn Petticoat/Denis O'Keefe's Favourite (2) 10. Slides: The Brosna Slide/The Scartaglen Slide/Padraig O'Keefe's Favourite (3) 11 Polkas: The Tourmore Polkas (3) 12 Jigs: Nell Sullivan's (4) 13 Slides: If I had a Wife/No Name (1) 14. Reels: The Musical Priest/Charlie Mulvihill's The Doon Reel 15 Jig: Art O'Keefe's 16 Polka: O'Sullivan's Fancy (5) 17. Slides: The Gallant Tipperary Boys/ Off She Goes (5) 18. Jig: Ellen O'Leary's (1) with Ellen O'Leary (tin whistle). (2) with Maurice O'Keefe (fiddle). (3) with Mick Duggan fiddle and Ellen O'Leary (tin whistle. (4) with Mick.Duggan (fiddle). (5) with Maurice O'Keefe /fiddle) and Ellen O'Leary (tin whistle). Click on underscored titles to MP3 hear sound samples.

As Johnny's fame has spread, so too has the music from Sliabh Luachra. This is due in large part to the work of Johnny O'Leary, also of players such as Jackie Daly. Other musicians technically non-natives have nailed their colours to the Sliabh Luachra mast. They take not just the tunes particularly the polkas and slides typical
of the area- but also the attitudes. There is a great deal, more to music than a mere collection of notes.
Johnny O'Leary is the real deal and embobies this principle.
He was bom and raised in the area and still plays regularly for dances in his community.

The world of traditional music, like the world in general, has changed a great deal since this album was made a quarter of a century ago. At that time, perhaps a half a dozen albums were released in the course of a year. Now, it is not unusual for that number to be issued in a single week.
The numbers of players - and particularly of young players - has increased significantly and standards generally have risen. There is an acceptance of traditional music among the general population that could hardly have been foreseen.
Whereas the very future of the music was in doubt thirty years ago, the outlook is now wholly positive, although some concerns persist about the direction it may take in the years to come.

Other changes have occurred, too, generally for the better. During the Seventies, there were fears that the distinctive local styles, such as that of Sliabh Luachra, would be subsumed into a bland national style. In the event, the wheel has turned full circle. Many musicians actively seek out local styles and these characteristic accents are recognised as an essential part of traditional music's weave.

This is the first time this classic recording has appeared on CD

Copperplate is very proud to have this title on our roster and to help it achieve its full potential will be supporting this release with a full-scale promotional mail out to media and retail.


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