MUSIC, SONG & VERSE

The Cornafean Ceili Group        Poems by Sean Masterson

 

Twenty five years ago, in 1978, a new and exciting Irish traditional music group emerged from the County Cavan heartland of Cornafean. Founded and led by Paddy McDermott, the Cornafean Ceili Group inherited and re-awakened a local tradition of Irish music and song that stretches back centuries. The purpose of this Double CD is to celebrate the Group’s success of in the past
quarter-century and to remember a selection of its finest musical achievements.

It was no accident that a Ceili Group of such calibre should emerge in Cornafean. The area has a tremendously rich tradition of Irish culture and tradition. Its name, in Gaelic Cor na Feinne, meaning the Fort of the Fianna, evokes a heritage that stretches back to the days of mythological heroes such as Fionn MacCumhaill and Cuchullain. In more recent memory, Irish music and song have always been cherished dearly in Cornafean. A century ago, it was a stronghold of the Gaelic League, which was founded to preserve Irish language, music and culture in the wake of the celebrated Gaelic Revival of the late 19^th century.

During this time, Cornafean was a hotbed of League activity with Irish classes and ceilis proving massively popular with local people In time, the Cornafean Gaelic League Hall became famous as a venue for Ceilis. Dances such as the Walls of Limerick, and the Bridge of Athlone, as well as many four hand reels and sixteen hand reels became popular amongst the locals. During these years, members of the Cornafean cumann recorded many successes at the many feiseanna held throughout Co. Cavan. The Anglo Celt commented as follows in 1908,

 “The Gaelic League ceili at Cornafean was a revelation to those who had never been in Cornafean before. There is at least one (we know there are others) centre of Irish Ireland in Breffni; one place in which the National spirit and National gaiety mingle together and help one another and make bright and glad the lives of as fine a lot of young Gaels as we have ever
seen”

These ceilis attracted to Cornafean numerous people for different areas and a great sense of loyalty and comradeship arose among the members - it was out of this spirit that the famous Cornafean Naoimh Fionnain GAA club was founded in 1908.

Although the Gaelic League eventually declined as a force, its tradition continued to survive in Cornafean. Right up to the end of the 1950’s Cornafean Hall, or Aras Fionnain as it was officially called, was a great centre for ceili music. People came from far and near to dance to the music of the groups such as the Eugene Leddy Ceili Band, the Fore Ceili Band, the Colmcille ceili band and the Moate Ceili Band. Towards the end of this era, the local Drumcrow Pipe Band was acclaimed among traditional music enthusiasts and achieved widespread popularity. Among the musicians who graced this band were .................., along with Sean Masterson and Tommy Donohoe who both appear on this CD.

A decisive point in the origins of the Cornafean Ceili Group came in 1971 when a youth band was founded under the auspices of the Cornafean Macra na Tuaithe club, led by Fr. Tom McKiernan. With unstinting support from people like Francie Smith, Paddy McDermott, Jimmy Cassidy, Jim Hannon, Sean Masterson, and local teachers Mrs Lynch and Mrs Coyle, the youth band quickly developed from humble origins into a major success. Soon the band was a popular favourite at festivals, sportsdays, field days, football matches and special occasions. Among the highlights of the band’s existence were its role under conductor Jim Hannon in the Cornafean Tops of the Town competition victory in 1974 and its similar achievement with Sean Masterson in successive “Bard of Breifne” competitions in Ballinamore.

During this time, Paddy McDermott’s Saturday morning music classes in Coronea School soon became a local institution, and a whole generation of local children learned their music skills on tin whistle, accordion, fiddle and other instruments. It quickly became obvious that there was a deep pool of musical talent in the area, and this is what inspired Paddy to form the Cornafean Ceili Group in 1978.

The Group was formed initially to take part in fleadh cheoil and Scór competitions and quickly made a big impact in these competitions, and achieved widespread popularity. They regular music sessions soon became the stuff of legend and attracted a large and dedicated following of music enthusiasts.  As the years progressed, the successes continued, as the Group made numerous T.V. and radio appearances, and took part in many All-Ireland fleadh cheoil finals, taking second-place honours in Listowel in 1987, and again in Sligo in 1989. It also participated with the Cross Wren boys under the leadership of Brendan Clarke in three All-Ireland finals in Listowel, winning two and coming second in the third.

It is worth noting that this revival of Irish traditional music in Cornafean took place at a time when Irish music was largely in decline elsewhere. This makes the achievements of the Group all the more remarkable, and indeed essential in helping to preserve a valuable tradition that has since overcame hard times to blossom once again.

European Tours
In 1981 the Group played abroad for the first time when they were invited by Milica Djokic to take part in the international folk festival in Vienna after she heard them play support act to Clannad at a concert in Saint Patrick’s College, Cavan.

The Group have completed three tours of Bavaria, in Southern Germany, which initially arose from an invitation from Terry O’Reilly, a native of Killeshandra, now living in the town of Rudenau in Bavaria. The first was in May 1989, when they were invited to Germany for the special German-Irish week, organised as part of the celebrations to mark the 1300^th anniversary of the death of St Killian. The cassette tape entitled “Breffni to Bavaria” was recorded by the Group to mark the occasion. This tape sold in large numbers in both Ireland and Germany. Later that year, a Brass Band from Rudenau paid a return visit to Co. Cavan. Their tour included concerts in Cornafean, Killeshandra, Mullagh and Cavan town, as well as a public performance at Mass in Cavan Cathedral.

The Cornafean Group made a second visit to Bavaria in the early 1990’s which was equally successful, and the third tour took place in July 2000 when a total of 18 musicians travelled to Germany. They played to large and enthusiastic audiences at a number of events in various towns in Bavaria, including a special concert at an open-air theatre in Omerbau, a Wine Festival in the town of Eirbach, a Joint Concert with the local Music Group in Rudenau itself and another in the provincial capital of Milternberg.

Music
In addition to some newly-recorded material, this Double CD includes some of the highlights of the Group’s previous recorded output. In the 1980’s the Group recorded three best-selling cassettes of their music and featuring a number of local singers.

In February 1983 the first tape ‘Traditional Music and Song Cornafean Style’ was launched. It included songs from local singers Carmel McDermott, Sean Masterson and Tommy Donohoe together with some of the Group’s best Irish music. It was a best seller and tapes were sold in Ireland, England, Luxembourg, Canada and the U.S.A.

Another tape followed in June 1984 when ‘The Mountain Road’ was produced as part of the celebrations in Cornafean to mark the GAA centenary. This tape included more of the Group’s best Irish music and more songs, including another local singer, Teresa Cassidy. The tape had a strong GAA flavour with Tommy Donohoe’s rendition of “the 35 All Ireland”,the men who won Cavan’s second All Ireland in 1935,  and a tribute to the Cavan team that won the 1947 All Ireland final, sung by Sean Masterson. Carmel McDermott and Teresa Cassidy sung beautiful renditions of “PJ Duke” and “John Joe O’Reilly” in memory of the tragically deceased Cavan football heroes.

In 1989, the Group recorded and released their third cassette tape, entitled ”Breffni to Bavaria”. This tape also included two songs recorded by the late Tommy Donohoe (Cloncose), who had died a year earlier. The first,  “The Youths of Sweet Redhills”, was Tommy’s best-known song and he once sang it on the RTE “Trom agus Eadrom” programme, to great praise from presenter Liam
O’Murchu. The second, “The Hunt of Coolbawn” was a local favourite on the subject of hunting, of which Tommy was a noted enthusiast. This tape once again proved a huge  success, generating special interest in Germany when the Ceili Group toured there that summer.

Musicians
Over the years, a wide variety of traditional musicians have played with the Group. In the early years, its members included Martin Cullen, Brian and Damien Caffrey, Paddy, Enda and Kevin McDermott,  Kathleen Masterson, Sean and Seamus McGahern, Ben Bouchier, Mary Fitzpatrick, Patricia Brady and the Martin sisters, Rita, Vera, Deirdre and Helen. Later on the group was joined
by Thomas Morrow, now a star with the group Dervish, his brothes John and Robert, and others such as Gemma and Karen McDermott, Patricia Martin,  Lily Gaffney, Siobhan Masterson and others.

Throughout its existence, the group has been renowned for its consistently high standards of music and entertainment. Their successes to date are due to the hard work of their leader Paddy McDermott, along with others such as his late father, Tommy McDermott, Dr Paddy Rudden (Arva), John Campbell (Cavan) and the late Tommy Curran (Killeshandra).

Although the Cornafean Ceili Group no longer play regularly as a group, their example has inspired another generation of young musicians to carry on their tradition, most notably the McGovern family, Templeport and the Morrow family of Carrigallen. We are delighted to welcome the participation of these musicians in recording some of the new material that appears on this Double CD. From the outset, their enthusiasm for the project was boundless and the finished product is much the richer for their presence.

Twenty-five years on, it is heartening that the music of the Cornafean Ceili Group continues entertain and inspire in equal measure. We hope you enjoy this Double CD and that in years to come it will be treasured as a further milestone in our local musical tradition, helping to carry the spirit of the Gaelic League well into the 21st century.