O'Leary was born in Maulykeavane, which is about halfway between Killarney and Ballydesmond, in the centre of Sliabh Luachra, renowned for its traditional music. He started picking out tunes on the melodeon at the age of five and by his early teens, he was regularly playing for local dances. He played the Paolo Soprani box in C#/D tuning, using the "press and draw" style. He learned from Padraig O'Keeffe, along with Denis Murphy and his sister Julia Clifford.[1] He embarked on a musical career that would result in many recordings, radio and television appearances and would win him several accolades and awards. His last national achievement was a TG4 Hall of Fame award.[2]
While a teenager, he struck up a friendship with Denis Murphy that lasted 37 years, ending with Murphy's death. Together they played at Dan O'Connell's pub in Knocknagree, along with musicians such as O'Leary's daughter Ellen (on tin whistle), Kathleen O'Keefe (whistle) and Michael Duggan (fiddle). Dancing was provided by the Knocknagree Set Dancers.[3]
The music of Sliabh Luachra is characterized by a predominance of dance tunes such as polkas and slides over the more obvious jigs, reels and hornpipes. While its slow airs are in the minority when compared with other parts of the country, the tunes resonate with a shrill sadness and poignant humanity.[4] Many of Johnny O’Leary’s polkas, slides and barn-dances are quite unusual and little known.
The collector and publisher of Irish traditional music Breandán Breathnach visited Sliabh Luachra for many years and collected music from O'Leary.[5] He intended to publish this material because he regarded O'Leary's playing as preserving the style and repertoire of the area. After Breathnach's death in 1985, Terry Moylan took up the work and published his collection of O'Leary's music in 1994.[6] According to broadcaster Ciarán Mac Mathúna, who first met Johnny in 1955, he had a huge repertoire, with up to 1,500 tunes stored away.
A bronze life-size statue of O'Leary was unveiled in Killarney Town Centre by John O'Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, on 28 April 2007.[7]
Recordingsedit
Music from Sliabh Luachra Volume 5: Johnny O'Leary -. Music for the Set Topic /Ossian OSSCD 25 Recorded 1976-77.
An Calmfhear/The Trooper Gael Linn CEFC 132 / CEFCD 132, 1989
Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra: Dance Music from the Cork/Kerry Border, recorded December 1995. Craft Recordings, Dublin - CRCS01
(with Paudie O'Connor) The County Bounds Ossian, 1999
Bibliographyedit
Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra: Dance Music from the Cork/Kerry Border, Terry Moylan (editor) Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1994 (contains 348 of Johnny O'Leary's tunes).
Referencesedit
^Padraig O'Keeffe, the man and his music, by Dermot Hanafin
^"Statue hails legend of trad music". News. The Kerryman. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
^Stradling, Rod (16 August 1998). "'Dance Music from the Cork/Kerry Border". Review. Musical Traditions. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
^Donal Hickey: Stone Mad for Music The Sliabh Luachra Story (Marino Press, 1999)
^Breathnach, Breandán (1976). Ceol Rince na hÉireann (Cuid 2). Dublin: Oifig an tSoláthair. p. 200.
^Boylan, Terry. "Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra". CD Review. Terry Moylan. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
^O'Leary, Daniel. . O'Leary Clan. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
johnny, leary, june, 1923, february, 2004, noted, irish, traditional, musician, from, sliabh, luachra, played, button, accordion, contents, life, recordings, bibliography, references, external, linkslife, edito, leary, born, maulykeavane, which, about, halfway. Johnny O Leary 6 June 1923 9 February 2004 was a noted Irish traditional musician from Sliabh Luachra who played the button accordion Contents 1 Life 2 Recordings 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksLife editO Leary was born in Maulykeavane which is about halfway between Killarney and Ballydesmond in the centre of Sliabh Luachra renowned for its traditional music He started picking out tunes on the melodeon at the age of five and by his early teens he was regularly playing for local dances He played the Paolo Soprani box in C D tuning using the press and draw style He learned from Padraig O Keeffe along with Denis Murphy and his sister Julia Clifford 1 He embarked on a musical career that would result in many recordings radio and television appearances and would win him several accolades and awards His last national achievement was a TG4 Hall of Fame award 2 While a teenager he struck up a friendship with Denis Murphy that lasted 37 years ending with Murphy s death Together they played at Dan O Connell s pub in Knocknagree along with musicians such as O Leary s daughter Ellen on tin whistle Kathleen O Keefe whistle and Michael Duggan fiddle Dancing was provided by the Knocknagree Set Dancers 3 The music of Sliabh Luachra is characterized by a predominance of dance tunes such as polkas and slides over the more obvious jigs reels and hornpipes While its slow airs are in the minority when compared with other parts of the country the tunes resonate with a shrill sadness and poignant humanity 4 Many of Johnny O Leary s polkas slides and barn dances are quite unusual and little known The collector and publisher of Irish traditional music Breandan Breathnach visited Sliabh Luachra for many years and collected music from O Leary 5 He intended to publish this material because he regarded O Leary s playing as preserving the style and repertoire of the area After Breathnach s death in 1985 Terry Moylan took up the work and published his collection of O Leary s music in 1994 6 According to broadcaster Ciaran Mac Mathuna who first met Johnny in 1955 he had a huge repertoire with up to 1 500 tunes stored away A bronze life size statue of O Leary was unveiled in Killarney Town Centre by John O Donoghue T D Minister for Arts Sports and Tourism on 28 April 2007 7 Recordings editMusic from Sliabh Luachra Volume 5 Johnny O Leary Music for the Set Topic Ossian OSSCD 25 Recorded 1976 77 An Calmfhear The Trooper Gael Linn CEFC 132 CEFCD 132 1989 Johnny O Leary of Sliabh Luachra Dance Music from the Cork Kerry Border recorded December 1995 Craft Recordings Dublin CRCS01 with Paudie O Connor The County Bounds Ossian 1999Bibliography editJohnny O Leary of Sliabh Luachra Dance Music from the Cork Kerry Border Terry Moylan editor Lilliput Press Dublin 1994 contains 348 of Johnny O Leary s tunes References edit Padraig O Keeffe the man and his music by Dermot Hanafin Statue hails legend of trad music News The Kerryman 3 May 2007 Retrieved 27 October 2012 Stradling Rod 16 August 1998 Dance Music from the Cork Kerry Border Review Musical Traditions Retrieved 8 May 2021 Donal Hickey Stone Mad for Music The Sliabh Luachra Story Marino Press 1999 Breathnach Breandan 1976 Ceol Rince na hEireann Cuid 2 Dublin Oifig an tSolathair p 200 Boylan Terry Johnny O Leary of Sliabh Luachra CD Review Terry Moylan Retrieved 22 October 2012 O Leary Daniel Johnny O Leary O Leary Clan Archived from the original on 18 June 2012 Retrieved 22 October 2012 External links editObituary on Rambling House Johnny and Ellen O Leary playing Kerry polkas Johnny O Leary discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Johnny O 27Leary amp oldid 1164259869, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
