CON McGINLEY
(16th July 1915 -)

Con McGinley

Con, son of Condy, grew up at a time when the music tradition of Mín na Croise and Gleann Cholmcille was particularly strong. He still plays many tunes passed onto him by the older players in Mín na Croise and his style and repertoire was influenced by local players such as his father Condy, John Phadaí Chonchobhair and Peter hIghne. During the late 1920's and early 1930's, Con and his brother, Paddy, played at many school dances in the area including Mín na Croise, Learga na Saorthach and An Caiseal. Like many of his generation, he migrated in search of employment, firstly to Dublin in the mid 1930's. He later settled in Nantwich, Cheshire in the United Kingdom, where he married Daisy and reared a family of four. Con still resides there and plays a session every Tuesday night with local traditional musicians. Many of his siblings played the fiddle, with his brother Paddy 'Pearl' perhaps the most noted. Despite his age, Con regularly travels home to south-west Donegal. He possesses a gentle demeanour, a sharp memory for music and lore and is generous about passing on his repertoire to the current generation of fiddlers.

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