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Breandán Breathnach Collection File
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Letters from Francis O’Neill to William Halpin

Letters from Capt. Francis O’Neill, 5448 Dreyfus Ave, Chicago to William Halpin, Newmarket on Fergus, Co. Clare. The letters refer to a number of uilleann pipers both resident in the United States of America, as well as, Ireland. These include Bernard Delaney and Patsy Touhey (Touhey, Patsy, 1865-1923), ‘two first class pipers’, Ireland’s ‘double prize winner’ Bob Thompson, ‘McAuliffe’, ‘Stephenson’, Charlie Ferguson, ‘Bishop O’Connor of Limerick’, ‘Bishop Touhy of Limerick’, ‘Andrews’, ‘Mr O’Mealy of Belfast’ (O’Mealy, Richard Lewis, 1873-1947) and Eddie Joyce. There are also references to other musicians including the fiddler John McFadden, who O’Neill describes as, ‘our best traditional fiddler’. The letters refer to phonograph piping records which O’Neill and Halpin exchange throughout the course of these letters. There are also a number of references to the Professor of Irish at University College, Cork and author of a number of books on Irish music, ‘Rev. Dr. [Richard] Henebry’ (Henebry, Richard, 1863-1916). O’Neill says that he is in correspondence with Henebry and has sent him a number of phonograph records also.

Seán Reid Letters: 1927-1936

Letters from various friends and relatives to Seán Reid who between these years lived at a number of addresses including: Ormeau Road, Belfast; Hibernian Hotel, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary; 70 Haddington Road, Dublin and Royal Oak Road, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. Letters from Seán Reid’s mother, Scarvagherin, Co Tyrone are personal in nature. Letters from Rev Leo Browne, Verdun, Montreal, refer to Reid as his ‘dear old sparring partner’ (6 Oct 1927), and Redmond [Nugent?], Erganagh, Castlederg, refer to training and boxing and talk about the ‘good old times’. Letters of a more musical nature with references to uilleann pipes, fiddles, and various Irish music publications including ‘O’Neill’s music for Piano & Violin’ and ‘Moore’s Melodies’ are exchanged with the following people: John Potts, 6 Watkins Blds., Off Ardee St, Dublin, who is glad to hear that Reid is ‘progressing with the pipes’; ‘John’, Spamount, Castlederg, [Co Tyrone]; ‘Brian’, 23 Salisbury Gardens, Belfast; D[enis] Dunphy, Spamount, Castlederg, Co. Tyrone; ‘M. McGlinchey’, R.U.C Barracks, York St, Belfast; ‘M. Foley’, Kuigh, Nenagh, Co Tipperary and ‘J. Leahy’, The Chalet, Ballinaclough, Nenagh. There are also two undated letters from Paddy Brennan and ‘R Freeman’, Dooleys Hotel, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. The letter writers say that they ‘miss [Reid] a lot here, no pipes, no violin, nothing but the Gramophone to remind us of you.’

Seán Reid Letters: 1937

Letters from various friends and relatives to Seán Reid who at this time is the ‘Assistant Road Surveyor’ in Ennis, Co. Clare. Letters are mostly addressed to John Reid, ‘Carmel’, Victoria Rd, Ennis, Co Clare. Letters are from, among others, ‘Jas. Leahy’, Mícheál de Búrca, E. J. McGrath, D[enis] Dunphy, ‘F? Dowling’, Tommie [Potts] (Potts, Tommie, 1912–1988), 6 Watkins Buildings, Ardee St, Dublin, John Potts, Mick Malone and Liam Ó Ceallaigh. Many letters contain references to musicians, feiseanna, céilí, music lessons, including a letter from ‘D Dunphy’ (6 May 1937) which encloses a programme for ‘Feis Thír-Eóghain 22nd-23rd May, 1937 in St Patrick’s Hall and Foresters’ Hall, Omagh.’ A letter from ‘Tommie [Potts]’ (22 July 1937) makes reference to a recent feis win by Reid ‘all of us were delighted to hear of your fiddling success’ and in a letter from John Potts (11 August 1937) he lists a number of his current uilleann pipe students including ‘Fr Jones’, ‘Bro Gildas’, ‘Mr Andrews’ and Mr Kearney’.

Seán Reid Ephemera

Various items of ephemera including concert programmes, receipts and newspaper clippings. These relate to Feiseanna, Conradh na Gaeilge, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael (GAA) and An Cumann Gaelach, Queen's University Belfast. Included are a ‘Programme of Concert in New Cinema, Thurles, November 14th, 1935’ and ‘Clár Feis Charman 1936’.

Clár na bPort Gaelach (CPG)

This is the melodic tune index that Breandán Breathnach used during his professional life as a civil servant with responsibility for music. Clár na bPort Gaelach (CPG) is written on 6545 index cards, each 3 x 5 inches in size.

Seán Ó Riada Concert, University College Dublin

Copy of a letter from Séamus Gallagher, Students Representative Council (S.C.R), College of Technology, Bolton St, Dublin 1 to Len Clifford, Gael Linn, Grafton St, Dublin 2; draft & original correspondence from Len Clifford (Leon Ó Clúmháin) to musicians and singers including Seán Mac Donncha (Mac Donncha, Seán, 1919-1996), Willie Clancy (Clancy, Willie, 1918-1973), Tony Mac Mahon and Seán Ó Ceallaigh; list of 60 dancers, singers, harpists, box players and pianists; poster of cancelled concert ‘An Evening with Sean Ó Riada, Easter Friday 16th April.’ Letter from Séamus Gallagher to Len Clifford cancelling ‘proposed O Riada concert which we had hoped to sponsor.’ The reason he gives for this cancellation is that ’it appears our organisation is grossly inefficient.’ Further correspondence between Clifford and musicians and singers informing them of the cancellation and notifying them of a new concert ‘at the same fee’ on the 5 March 1971 in UCD. Further letters detailing travel and rehearsal arrangements for the rescheduled concert.

Feis Ceoil Piping Competition

Included in an envelope marked, ‘Féis Cheoil piping comptn’, are draft & original correspondence between Turlough [Terry] Moylan, honorary secretary of Na Píobairí Uilleann and two members of the Feis Ceoil committee, Mrs M. E. Atock and Miss J. Hunter; a letter from Terry Moylan to Breandán Breathnach; and a copy of the Feis Ceoil ‘Syllabus of prize competitions … 1971.’ The correspondence relates to a request by Na Píobairí Uilleann for the ‘re-inclusion of piping competitions in the 1972 Feis Ceoil’ (22 Jul 1971). Na Píobairí Uilleann’s suggestion ‘received very favourable consideration’ at the Feis Ceoil committee meeting (17 Sep 1971) the issue of who would provide and finance prizes and adjudicators is raised; Na Píobairí Uilleann offer to provide plaques and three adjudicators ‘at no expense’ (30 Sep 1971); there is a disagreement about the number of adjudicators needed, the Feis Ceoil committee comment that ‘in all Feis Ceoil competitions only one adjudicator is employed … this condition must be complied with in the piping classes’ (12 Nov 1971); Na Píobairí Uilleann is ‘taken aback at the unyielding attitude’ displayed by the Feis Ceoil committee, Na Píobairí Uilleann feel they are the ‘best judges’ as to how a piping competition should be conducted and accordingly ‘they cannot accede’ to the Feis Ceoil request (18 Jan 1972).

National Song Contest 1972

Draft & original correspondence between Len Clifford and two employees of RTÉ, Janet Wynne and Tom McGrath; and two copies of the ‘Report of Chairman of Jury Selecting Songs for the Contest.’ The correspondence relates to the National Song Contest, 1972 and Len Clifford’s role as chairman of the jury. Clifford is paid £40 for the job which ‘usually takes between three and four days.’ He writes to Tom McGrath on the 8 January 1972 enclosing the report of ‘the Panel.’ He says that the task was a ‘gruelling’ one but he very much enjoyed working with the other members of the jury, Frank Dermody, Louis Stewart, Tony Wilson and musician, Noel Kelehan. The report details the ‘Terms of reference’, ‘Procedure Adopted’ and ‘Result.’ The following English and Irish songs were chosen by the jury: ‘Certain Sunday’, Don’t need your Sympathy’, ‘It would take a Miracle’, ‘Tar Liom’, ‘Posadh nó Buaileadh Nos’ and ‘Óró Áine.’ The jury was unanimous in all its choices.

Minutes and Meetings

One complete set of handwritten minutes for a meeting held in Ely Place on 24 Oct 1970. ‘A general meeting, Breandán Breathnach presided, about 35 present. The first thing was a minutes silence in respect of the memory of Leo Rowsome’ (Rowsome, Leo, 1903-1970); it also includes an undated fragment of minutes; a letter from Paddy Moloney to Breandán Breathnach offering apologies that he won’t be able to attend meeting on 21 Oct 1972; an original master-copy of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s headed notepaper; a copy of an announcement of the establishment of Na Píobairí Uilleann; and a copy of the society’s rules.
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