Classic Irish fiddle music straight from the kitchen

If you like Irish fiddle tunes then you could hardly do better than to listen to Sean Ryan – one of Ireland’s all time greats.

And just to add to the authenticity, you can how hear it how he played his music back home in his kitchen in Tipperary, thanks to a new double album released by Claddagh Records.

Ryan first came to prominence in the 1950s when he started winning numerous fiddle and music competitions including the Senior All-Ireland Championship in 1955 and 1956.

That wasn’t the best of him though. He went on to become one of the best fiddlers in the world and toured the United States several times in the 1960s.

His main achievement, however in my opinion, was to compose some of the best fiddle tunes ever to come out of Ireland. He composed about 200 pieces in all and many of them like the Reel of Rio, The Glen of Aherlow and the Killimor Jig have formed part of the standard repertoire for Irish fiddlers all across the world.

Nowadays we are used to perfect music recordings made in pristine studios with the help of all the latest digital technology.

It wasn’t always like that, of course, and even as late as the 1950s and 60s, it was not uncommon for Irish musicians to record their compositions as best they could in makeshift conditions at home.

Sean Ryan, for all his prominence, was no exception and recorded several tunes in his kitchen.

Fifty one of those recordings have now been digitised and made available by Claddagh on an album called, Sean Ryan – A Double CD Remastered.

If you like an authentic sound then you will be pleased to know that, despite the digital tinkering and technical wizardry, you can still hear the sound of rural Irish authenticity with the occasional clock chiming, child playing or car passing.