Ballinamore Culture Night

September 21, 2024

Leitrim’s “Rakes of Music” Launched on Culture Night

Ballinamore Library was filled with “rakes of music” for Culture Night last Friday as

traditional artists Lorraine and Noel Sweeney, Brian Mostyn, Kate O’ Reilly, Conor Ward,

Ailíse and Fionnuala Maxwell and Tara Kelly provided tunes, songs and a few steps to launch

Leitrim Library’s new online archive of Leitrim music.

The “Rakes of Music” collection curated by traditional singer, Fionnuala Maxwell, will allow

the general public online access to a lot of music that Leitrim has produced over many

centuries. From songs and music dedicated to the O’ Rourke’s of Breifne to manuscripts of

tunes that were passed on by various fiddle masters, ballads that addressed the local

political as well as personal and humorous events, dances that were performed on

particular occasions, myriads of fife and drum bands that were established throughout the

county, the many early musical recordings of Leitrim emigrants in America – this collection

gives access to recordings, articles, pictures and footage that paints a picture of the cultural

history of Leitrim and brings to life much of the musical material from the shelves and

archives of Leitrim Library’s Local Studies section.

On Culture Night, musicians paid homage to people like the great O’Carolan whose first

tune “Sí Bheag Sí Mhór” was inspired by Squire Reynolds of Lough Scur and the scenery and

folklore of Leitrim. They also acknowledged musicians and collectors such as Ballinamore’s

Hugh O’ Beirne and fiddle masters, Stephen Grier and Alex Sutherland. Tunes were

performed from the vast selection of those recorded by Oliver O’ Higgins of local Cloone

musicians and the Sweeney family was on hand to regale the audience with tales from their

family’s musical history. There were songs by Aughoo’s Phil McGoohan with a few steps

thrown in to celebrate the rich variety of culture in the county.

Rakes of Music, which was supported by Leitrim County Council and Creative Ireland is

now available to view online at https://leitrimdoc.ie/rakes-of-music/

Home»Blog