Carndonagh it’s Jimmy Clingan, a Carndonagh fiddler. James Kearney button accordion and his wife Nelly Kearney (nee O’Connor ) origionally from the Illies was a piano player. Two melodion players who performed at social events in the mid 1900s were Denis Doherty and Pat Mc Closkey. Victor Gillespe, Peter Clark were also noted musicians of their day.
Jimmy Clingan from Carndonagh
Another fiddler influential in the music of Clonmany was Neily McColgan, a blind fiddler from Ballyliffen. When not entertaining on pleasure boat trips on the Foyle or boat trips to Scotland, Neily was called upon to play for big events in the community. Travelling musicians by the name of McGinley and Gallagher were frequent visitors to the area as well as Pat McDonald and the famous Doherty brothers.
Seamus with grand daughter Christina
Seamus Grant (1934 – 2005) recalls as a boy that in nearly every house in his townland an instrument could be found usually a melodeon or fiddle. Seamus Grant himself learnt much of his music from his parents, his uncle, Willie Joe Grant and neighbour (White) Dan Doherty who was later to become his father in law. White Dan was a fiddler, singer and dancer and a great source of tunes, many learned during harvest time in Scotland.
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