These images were donated by various individuals for the microsite From the bridge: a view of Irish traditional music in New York which was launched in ITMA 29 June 2022. All metadata for the material is available on the website (www.itma.ie/newyork).
Nellie Walsh published a column in 'Ireland's own' entitled 'Songs of your county' from the mid 1960s to just before her death in the mid 1990s. 'Songs of your county' included the lyrics of songs tied to 32 counties across Ireland, and each column was often dedicated to one specific county, though many included features from multiple. In order to find these songs, Walsh compiled lyrics from across the Island from her own experience, but also received submissions from citizens of songs they had heard throughout their lives. Though published only as ballad sheets, many of the songs were submitted or noted in tonic sol-fa, and occaisonally with accompanying staff notation. The two sub-series in this series show the published 'Songs of your county' column, and the handwritten notes that show how Walsh constructed her column, divided by county.
Series of song manuscripts from and organised by the 32 counties of Ireland. Many are handwritten by Nellie Walsh herself, sometimes on the back of scraps of paper including envelopes, postcards, bank statements, and typescript notes or memos from the Old Wexford Society, for which Walsh was Honorary Secretary. Several songs are attributed to their writers, with the most belonging to the writer/composer duo John Nestor and Brian Driscoll and writer Dan McEntee. Most of the county files include letters requesting or submitting song, and many of those letters are attached to the song about which they are discussing. Although Walsh published her 'Songs of your county' column from the mid 1960s until the mid 1990s, the songs she compiled appear to date back to the late 1800s. The date range included here is 1898–1989 to account for the dates written on both the songs collected and the letters sent to Walsh to submit songs. The majority of the songs and letters are not individually dated.
Handwritten, photocopied printed, and typescript song lyric sheets from Co. Laois, including an envelope containing letter from the Laois County Librarian addressed to 'Mr. Nellie Walsh' and 18 photocopied printed poems (53 pages). Several photocopied typscript songs are signed by John Fitzpatrick and/or John Devoy. A few transcribed by Nellie Walsh herself, but others sent to her and some attached to letters addressed to Walsh.
Handwritten letters to and from Nellie Walsh, largely but not exclusively related to Irish traditional music, including her 'Ireland's own' column and her singing career. Some letters include requests for songs and submissions of songs, but are unattached to those songs. The earliest letter in this collection has '1895' handwritten later at the top, and addressed to Mrs. Margaret O'Nauralean (?).
Handwritten and typescript song lyric sheets from Co. Carlow, including one postcard. A few written by Nellie Walsh herself, perhaps some typed by her, and others sent to her.
These recordings were donated by various individuals for the microsite From the bridge: a view of Irish traditional music in New York which was launched in ITMA 29 June 2022. All metadata for the material is available on the website (www.itma.ie/newyork).
Handwritten, typescript, photocopied printed, and newspaper clippings of songs from Co. Offaly, mostly lyric sheets but a few contain tonic sol-fa. Several written by John Nestor and composed by Bobby O'Driscoll, which are indexed by Walsh in the beginning of the folder. One song and its tonic sol-fa is written on a napkin. Mostly transcribed by Nellie Walsh herself, but others sent to her or clipped from newspapers. Some attached to letters addressed to Walsh, and several are signed by Thomas Dunne.
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.
