On the CD "from Galway to Dublin-Early recordings of Irish Traditional music" there's a man holding a fiddle. The insert says it's Neil O'Boyle. Does anyone have any background on the man? Hard to find on the net. Where was he raised? Have you heard his version of "Green Mt. Reel" Oh my god....!
Donegal, produced quite a few 78s and also played in a dance band. I love his fiddling and had tried pestering a couple of folks to consider doing a compilation of his music. He was quite a character and had some interesting assumptions and strong opinions... I think there are some things online... I'll see if I can find anything more on Nealie / Nellie / Neillidh Boyle / O'Boyle ~ etc...
Neillidh Boyle (as Neil O'Boyle)
78 RPM's recorded in Dublin on May 3, 1937 for Regal Zonophone: The Harvest Home (hornpipe) and The Green Mountain (reel) IZ721*; Haste to the Wedding and Over the Hills (jigs) IZ721**; The Blackberry Blossom and The Swallow's Tail (reels); The Dublin and the Liverpool Hornpipes; The Pidgeon on the Gate and Jenny Picking Cockles (reels)***; The Connachtman's Rambles and Biddy from Sligo (jigs)
*Reissued on From Galway to Dublin, Rounder Records, 1087
**Reissued on Milestone at the Garden, Rounder Records, 1123
***Reissued on The Irish Phonograph, EMI, GAE 1003
BOYLE, Neil - Dunglow, Co Donegal\ talk fid & singer\ 1951 - (1889-1961) bn 26th. November, 1889 to Paddy Boyle and Nancy Sweeney at Easton, Pennsylvania, He died at Crucknashallog, Dungloe on the 8th. August, 1961. It was another family of Donegal fiddlers, the Doherty's, who insisted that PK should do everything possible to make a recording of "Neily" because of his quite exceptional style. In the first place, he had learned much from his grandfather, the famous Padraig Mc Sweeney; secondly, because he claimed to have learned from "the little people", and thirdly, John, Michael and Simie Doherty told us that he had written a number of his own compositions, which were now very much sought after by other fiddlers but jealously guarded by Neily himself. Although he had previously made a number of 78 rpm records for Regal Zonophone and many broadcasts, in the first place Neily refused to record for Peter. However he finally agreed to talk about "The Present State of Irish Music", and learning from the "wee folk", and, in so doing, started to illustrate his talk. In this way Peter succeeded in making this remarkable recording. Because the house had no road access, Peter needed to use nearly half a mile of microphone cable in order to operate his tape machine from the car batteries, using the car horn as a signal. On playback, Neil was pleased with the result and finally gave his permission for publication, assigning his arrangements and recording rights to FOLKTRAX - photos by PK 0141-4 & 0145 with Sean Haughey & Sean O Boyle -- REGAL ZONOPHONE 12-721 (78rpm) A: "Harvest Home" & "Green Mountain" (Hornpipes)/ B: "Haste to the Wedding" & "Over the hills" (Jigs) rec by Alan Lomax, Dunloe 1951: 7"RTR-0588 & DAT/ RTR-0607-10 - rec by PK, Dunloe 23/8/53: 7"RTR-1224-7 (4 reels)/ 170/ RPL 20012-7 - RPL 21349 Graveyard Keening anecdote - Radio prog on Co Donegal with Conal O Donnell & Noel Hamilton 1968: FTX-276 "The Blackbird" - Francie BYRNE (fid) Donegal talks about him: RTE "Long Note" prog 17/8/89 CASS-0897 - RTE "Long Note" radio prog about him 30/11/89 CASS-0932
FTX-170 - Neil Boyle: The Moving Clouds
Neil BOYLE (1889-1961) - 'fiddler extraordinary' is the best way to describe him - "Neily" refused to record unless he could give his views on the present state of Irish music - he did this describing it as "Jungle Music"- but he did much more - he played what he called 'The Enchanted music of Ireland' - describing how it was taught to him by the 'little people' and elaborating on the need for embellishments - he also talks about and gives examples of lilting, keening and variations - recorded by Peter Kennedy, Dunloe, Co Donegal 1953
There's more on Nelidh (and every other Donegal fiddler) in Caoimhin Mac Aoid's book Between the Jigs and the Reels. There are some snippets to be heard at http://www.lomaxarchive.com
Thanks everyone. I like the part about running a power cable for 1/2 mile to his house as there was not a road. They used the power from a car battery 1/2 mile away to record him using the horn as a signal? Wild weird stuff.
Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Neal O'Boyle fiddler
On the CD "from Galway to Dublin-Early recordings of Irish Traditional music" there's a man holding a fiddle. The insert says it's Neil O'Boyle. Does anyone have any background on the man? Hard to find on the net. Where was he raised? Have you heard his version of "Green Mt. Reel" Oh my god....!
Thanks
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by saltcast
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
1889-1961 Donegal. Answered my own question.
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by saltcast
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Donegal, produced quite a few 78s and also played in a dance band. I love his fiddling and had tried pestering a couple of folks to consider doing a compilation of his music. He was quite a character and had some interesting assumptions and strong opinions... I think there are some things online... I'll see if I can find anything more on Nealie / Nellie / Neillidh Boyle / O'Boyle ~ etc...
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Neillidh Boyle
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/spcl.html
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/discography.html
Neillidh Boyle (as Neil O'Boyle)
78 RPM's recorded in Dublin on May 3, 1937 for Regal Zonophone: The Harvest Home (hornpipe) and The Green Mountain (reel) IZ721*; Haste to the Wedding and Over the Hills (jigs) IZ721**; The Blackberry Blossom and The Swallow's Tail (reels); The Dublin and the Liverpool Hornpipes; The Pidgeon on the Gate and Jenny Picking Cockles (reels)***; The Connachtman's Rambles and Biddy from Sligo (jigs)
*Reissued on From Galway to Dublin, Rounder Records, 1087
**Reissued on Milestone at the Garden, Rounder Records, 1123
***Reissued on The Irish Phonograph, EMI, GAE 1003
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Recording: "Past Masters Of Irish Fiddle Music"
track 8: "The Pigeon on the Gate" / "Jenny Picking Cockles"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1401
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Neillidh / Neilly Boyle
Folktrax-170: Neil Boyle: Fairy Fiddler Of Donegal
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1472
http://www.folktrax.org/
BOYLE, Neil - Dunglow, Co Donegal\ talk fid & singer\ 1951 - (1889-1961) bn 26th. November, 1889 to Paddy Boyle and Nancy Sweeney at Easton, Pennsylvania, He died at Crucknashallog, Dungloe on the 8th. August, 1961. It was another family of Donegal fiddlers, the Doherty's, who insisted that PK should do everything possible to make a recording of "Neily" because of his quite exceptional style. In the first place, he had learned much from his grandfather, the famous Padraig Mc Sweeney; secondly, because he claimed to have learned from "the little people", and thirdly, John, Michael and Simie Doherty told us that he had written a number of his own compositions, which were now very much sought after by other fiddlers but jealously guarded by Neily himself. Although he had previously made a number of 78 rpm records for Regal Zonophone and many broadcasts, in the first place Neily refused to record for Peter. However he finally agreed to talk about "The Present State of Irish Music", and learning from the "wee folk", and, in so doing, started to illustrate his talk. In this way Peter succeeded in making this remarkable recording. Because the house had no road access, Peter needed to use nearly half a mile of microphone cable in order to operate his tape machine from the car batteries, using the car horn as a signal. On playback, Neil was pleased with the result and finally gave his permission for publication, assigning his arrangements and recording rights to FOLKTRAX - photos by PK 0141-4 & 0145 with Sean Haughey & Sean O Boyle -- REGAL ZONOPHONE 12-721 (78rpm) A: "Harvest Home" & "Green Mountain" (Hornpipes)/ B: "Haste to the Wedding" & "Over the hills" (Jigs) rec by Alan Lomax, Dunloe 1951: 7"RTR-0588 & DAT/ RTR-0607-10 - rec by PK, Dunloe 23/8/53: 7"RTR-1224-7 (4 reels)/ 170/ RPL 20012-7 - RPL 21349 Graveyard Keening anecdote - Radio prog on Co Donegal with Conal O Donnell & Noel Hamilton 1968: FTX-276 "The Blackbird" - Francie BYRNE (fid) Donegal talks about him: RTE "Long Note" prog 17/8/89 CASS-0897 - RTE "Long Note" radio prog about him 30/11/89 CASS-0932
FTX-170 - Neil Boyle: The Moving Clouds
Neil BOYLE (1889-1961) - 'fiddler extraordinary' is the best way to describe him - "Neily" refused to record unless he could give his views on the present state of Irish music - he did this describing it as "Jungle Music"- but he did much more - he played what he called 'The Enchanted music of Ireland' - describing how it was taught to him by the 'little people' and elaborating on the need for embellishments - he also talks about and gives examples of lilting, keening and variations - recorded by Peter Kennedy, Dunloe, Co Donegal 1953
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
"Milestone At The Garden: Irish Fiddle Masters From The 78 RPM Era"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/8
track 18: Haste to the Wedding / Over the Hills
http://www.rounder.com/
http://www.rounder.com/index.php?id=album.php&musicalGroupId=5491&catalog_id=5509
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Folktrax-170: Neil Boyle: Fairy Fiddler Of Donegal =
FTX-170 - Neil Boyle: The Moving Clouds (the new title for it)
# Posted on May 2nd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
There's more on Nelidh (and every other Donegal fiddler) in Caoimhin Mac Aoid's book Between the Jigs and the Reels. There are some snippets to be heard at http://www.lomaxarchive.com
# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
This is a great thread!
# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by Farr
“Between the Jigs and the Reels: The Donegal Fiddle Tradition”
by Caoimhín MacAoidh
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Drumlin Publications, 1994)
ISBN-10: 1873437080
ISBN-13: 978-1873437087
# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by ceolachan
Chapter Seven: Northwest Donegal ~ Neillidh Boyle
Pages 120 – 134, just to whet your appetite
“ ~ one of the princes of Donegal fiddling Neillidh Boyle, or Neillidh Phádaí Neillidh as he was known locally. ~ “
# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
Thanks everyone. I like the part about running a power cable for 1/2 mile to his house as there was not a road. They used the power from a car battery 1/2 mile away to record him using the horn as a signal? Wild weird stuff.
# Posted on May 3rd 2007 by saltcast
Re: Neal O'Boyle fiddler
There are also some RTÉ recordings of Néillidh and his son from the late 1940s.
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Floss the Tethers