Based on his classic 1979 recording with Noel Hill & co., I'd say that Tony is probably my favorite fiddle player. I'm sure there are many others who would say the same but there seems to be a surprising lack of public information on the man, not to mention recordings. I am aware of his miscellaneous cameos with Christy Moore ("Iron Behind the Velvet"), Planxty and Kevin Crawford. What am I missing?
I understand he is from Corofin Co Clare. Is he still there? Who did he learn his music from? Please share your stories and insight. Many thanks.
There's a famous session tape from 1990 in Gort that features Tony along with Kevin and other great players. It's the recording Kevin refers to in his liner notes for the tunes Tony plays on.
Yeah Jack? Thanks, I'll do my best to sniff that one out. Would you know if he's a regular on the Clare session circuit then? Did you see him around during your most recent trip?
Most recent I saw him play with Mick Conneely and Kevin Crawford, a few months ago. Bloody brilliant as you'd expect. And I got a load of nice tunes off it too.
Had a very pleasant night playing with himself, Padraig MacMathuna, Henry Benagh and Liam O Flynn some years ago. I posted a link to a photograph of that on another thread last week.
I was also at his first reunion gig with Noel Hill (and Mick Conneely and Brian McGrath) a few years ago. Another memorable night.
I was up at the Donegal fiddlers' weekend in Glenties a decade ago. The Friday night featured various Scots fiddlers (with Pete Clark on tremendous form), but Saturday saw Ciarán Ó Maonaigh's solo concert debut, Peter and Jimmy Campbell and a wondrous set from Tony Linnane.
Tony's the most diffident of men (and I mean that in the sense of shy and reserved), but his fiddle truly sang that night. I'd spotted him earlier in the day when, in a local pub, we'd both watched Beckham haul England into the 2002 World Cup Finals with a last-gasp winner against Greece.
After the Saturday night concert I headed away from the concert venue (The Highlands Hotel) to the only old-timers' bar in the town, Ó Faoláin's where I met Tony again and his wife Marian (who sadly died from cancer a couple of years later). We spent a grand couple of hours swapping tales and discovering mutual acquaintances (including P.J. Curtis, a great champion of Tony's playing) and, at one point, one of the regulars asked if Tony was a fiddler. He admitted such and promptly found in his hands, courtesy of the landlady, a fiddle which some might describe as 'antique', but most would call 'clapped out'. He was urged to play and looked to Marian for guidance. "Eddie Kelly's" she suggested and for the next three minutes the ears of the pub's denizens were granted some of the most exquisite fiddling I've ever heard. At the end one took back the fiddle, handed it back to the landlady and remarked "We won't hear better than that tonight".
Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Based on his classic 1979 recording with Noel Hill & co., I'd say that Tony is probably my favorite fiddle player. I'm sure there are many others who would say the same but there seems to be a surprising lack of public information on the man, not to mention recordings. I am aware of his miscellaneous cameos with Christy Moore ("Iron Behind the Velvet"), Planxty and Kevin Crawford. What am I missing?
I understand he is from Corofin Co Clare. Is he still there? Who did he learn his music from? Please share your stories and insight. Many thanks.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Pawl
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
There's a famous session tape from 1990 in Gort that features Tony along with Kevin and other great players. It's the recording Kevin refers to in his liner notes for the tunes Tony plays on.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
He was playing with jonny Cronin in "The 5th Gathering" in the Glen Eagle hotel , Killarney 25/29 February 2004. Haven't heard anything since.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Gort tape
Yeah Jack? Thanks, I'll do my best to sniff that one out. Would you know if he's a regular on the Clare session circuit then? Did you see him around during your most recent trip?
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Pawl
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Unfortunately for me, I didn't see him. You've got very good taste in fiddlers Paul.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Well, anyone who plays with Dale Russ should know.
# Posted on January 20th 2005 by Pawl
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Jaysus!!! I didn't realize Johnny Cronin was still alive!
# Posted on January 21st 2005 by meemtp
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Just quoting from the publicity. His name is spelt Jonny on all the gumph. I think it is only the Begley's who play on stage with dead men.........!!
# Posted on January 21st 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
I had Tony Linnane as a teacher in Milltown in 93 or 94. A very quiet and mild tempered man, and, boy, could he play.......
# Posted on January 21st 2005 by snorre
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Still pulling a bow and teaching in 2010, this year, here ~
http://www.eastclarefiddlefestival.com/teachers.html
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by ceolachan
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
Most recent I saw him play with Mick Conneely and Kevin Crawford, a few months ago. Bloody brilliant as you'd expect. And I got a load of nice tunes off it too.
Had a very pleasant night playing with himself, Padraig MacMathuna, Henry Benagh and Liam O Flynn some years ago. I posted a link to a photograph of that on another thread last week.
I was also at his first reunion gig with Noel Hill (and Mick Conneely and Brian McGrath) a few years ago. Another memorable night.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Tony Linnane - who can tell me more?
I was up at the Donegal fiddlers' weekend in Glenties a decade ago. The Friday night featured various Scots fiddlers (with Pete Clark on tremendous form), but Saturday saw Ciarán Ó Maonaigh's solo concert debut, Peter and Jimmy Campbell and a wondrous set from Tony Linnane.
Tony's the most diffident of men (and I mean that in the sense of shy and reserved), but his fiddle truly sang that night. I'd spotted him earlier in the day when, in a local pub, we'd both watched Beckham haul England into the 2002 World Cup Finals with a last-gasp winner against Greece.
After the Saturday night concert I headed away from the concert venue (The Highlands Hotel) to the only old-timers' bar in the town, Ó Faoláin's where I met Tony again and his wife Marian (who sadly died from cancer a couple of years later). We spent a grand couple of hours swapping tales and discovering mutual acquaintances (including P.J. Curtis, a great champion of Tony's playing) and, at one point, one of the regulars asked if Tony was a fiddler. He admitted such and promptly found in his hands, courtesy of the landlady, a fiddle which some might describe as 'antique', but most would call 'clapped out'. He was urged to play and looked to Marian for guidance. "Eddie Kelly's" she suggested and for the next three minutes the ears of the pub's denizens were granted some of the most exquisite fiddling I've ever heard. At the end one took back the fiddle, handed it back to the landlady and remarked "We won't hear better than that tonight".
Enough said.
# Posted on March 26th 2012 by MacCruiskeen