A Musical Landscape - 'Gleann Cholmcille'

‘And he would whistle a tune, I knew he would hear a new tune. Somebody would play a tune and he would whistle it a couple of times for me and I would play it the next day.'

The music tradition of Gleann Cholmcille was at one time a part of everyday life for most of the community. Lilters, fiddlers and melodeon players combined to serve a dance tradition which was the primary source of entertainment for the majority of people both in Gleann Cholmcille and in many other parishes in Dún na nGall.

Researched and edited by Rónán Galvin and assisted by Rab Cherry, this project acknowledges the importance of all those who contributed to the dance tradition. It recognises those who played for their own enjoyment, along with the dance players who formed the foundation of a tradition which was so much a part of the musical landscape. It also recognises the more noted players who are remembered for their vast repertoires and individual styles.

A Muscial Landscape is an innovative way of presenting this tradition through the medium of a digital map of the parish. To facilitate visitors to the site who are not familiar with Gleann Cholmcille the parish has been divided into six distinct regions. When a particular area is chosen, one is presented with a more detailed map which identifies the homesteads of where musicians from that area were born and raised. These locations are represented by a red box. On choosing a box the musician's name will appear, and indeed, for some homesteads up to five or six names may be revealed. Many musicians have a dedicated page containing a short narrative about their lives and where possible a photograph and a soundclip.

Placenames are presented in their Gaelic form. Many of these names are informative and tell us about the folklore or history of the area where the musicians were born, raised, lived and played their music. To veiw a list of the placenames and their English translation, click here.

We are extremely grateful to everyone connected with the parish who contributed. In many cases, family members and friends of the musicians offered personal anecdotes about their lives and music. This material in particular adds a warmth to the narrative which would not be possible without their generosity. To view the credits, please click here.

As the tradition has evolved and changed with time, so too will the website. We are currently working on the neighbouring parish of Cill Charthaigh and it is hoped with time and resources to cover traditions in other parts of Dún na nGall. If you have a query about the narrative, or have information, photographs or other material you would like to contribute to the project, please click here. We apologise if we have omitted any musicians from the map and would welcome further information.

We hope that you find it user friendly and easy to navigate. It contains elements of geography, folklore and history, presented with the backdrop of various photographs from the musical landscape of Gleann Cholmcille.

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