Josie McDermott
Encyclopedia
Josie McDermott was a traditional Irish musician: a flute
and tin whistle
player, composer
and singer.
, County Sligo, just outside Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon
. His mother sang and played concertina. McDermott used to visit the local house dances and was taught music by James Flynn, a local fiddler. Later he travelled with his whistle, fife and flute and played at many sessions or dances throughout the countryside. While traditional music was his first love, his interests were much broader; he sang in a modern band for a while as a youngster and later joined various combinations playing saxophone
and trumpet
, also enjoying country and western music, jazz
, and céilidh
s. He played with numerous groups including the O'Carolan Country Ceili Band and Josie McDermott and the Flynnsmen.
Throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's McDermott was to be found playing regularly with button accordion player David Sheridan and fiddler Tommy Flynn; this trio were popular all over Connaught and further afield and appeared on many radio and television broadcasts including Ceili House and Bring Down the Lamp.
In 1967 "Josie McDermott and Flynnsmen" were formed with various combinations over the years, the most recent combination was David Sheridan on Button accordion, Tommy Flynn on fiddle, Michael Patrick Sheridan on drums, Mai Harte on flute and McDermott on vocals and playing flute, whistle and sax. Other members over the years included Bernie Joe Mattimoe on drums and Liam Purcell on accordion. For many years this group was popular, playing several nights a week. They appeared on a number of television and radio programmes, including Bring Down the Lamp, Trom agus Éadrom
and Ceili House. The group disbanded in the late 1980s. McDermott also made many trips to play in Birmingham with another flute-player, Peg McGrath.
In 1962 McDermott contracted severe eczema
shortly after the death of his mother and lost his sight, living as a blind man for the last 30 years of his life. He continued playing both in a céilidh and a modern dance band. He also composed dance tunes, wrote a number of songs and ballads and took a particular interest in the music of O'Carolan, the great blind harpist.
He died a bachelor with no close relatives in 1992.
, first broadcast in December 2009. In this programme, one of a series in which major figures in contemporary traditional music profile and pay homage to a master of their craft from a bygone age, flute player Paul McGrattan traced the life and legacy of McDermott and interviewed those who knew him, including Matt Molloy
, Catherine McEvoy, Roger Sherlock, Michael Tubridy
, Séamus O'Donnell and pupils Brenda Sweeney and Mai Harte.
title, in 1967 the lilting
and the flute in 1974.
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
player, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and singer.
Background
McDermott was born, and lived all of his life, in the townland of CoolmeenCoolmeen
Coolmeen is a townland in County Clare, Ireland. It is located on the Shannon Estuary to the south west of Kildysart. There is a local Gaelic Athletic Association club Coolmeen GAA along with a national school. -References:...
, County Sligo, just outside Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
. His mother sang and played concertina. McDermott used to visit the local house dances and was taught music by James Flynn, a local fiddler. Later he travelled with his whistle, fife and flute and played at many sessions or dances throughout the countryside. While traditional music was his first love, his interests were much broader; he sang in a modern band for a while as a youngster and later joined various combinations playing saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, also enjoying country and western music, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and céilidh
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
s. He played with numerous groups including the O'Carolan Country Ceili Band and Josie McDermott and the Flynnsmen.
Throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's McDermott was to be found playing regularly with button accordion player David Sheridan and fiddler Tommy Flynn; this trio were popular all over Connaught and further afield and appeared on many radio and television broadcasts including Ceili House and Bring Down the Lamp.
In 1967 "Josie McDermott and Flynnsmen" were formed with various combinations over the years, the most recent combination was David Sheridan on Button accordion, Tommy Flynn on fiddle, Michael Patrick Sheridan on drums, Mai Harte on flute and McDermott on vocals and playing flute, whistle and sax. Other members over the years included Bernie Joe Mattimoe on drums and Liam Purcell on accordion. For many years this group was popular, playing several nights a week. They appeared on a number of television and radio programmes, including Bring Down the Lamp, Trom agus Éadrom
Trom agus Éadrom
Trom agus Éadrom was a bilingual television variety show which was broadcast in Ireland by Radio Telefís Éireann between 1975 and 1985. The show was presented by Liam Ó Murchú and, in spite of the bilingual aspect of the programme, was one of the more popular shows on Irish television. Liam became...
and Ceili House. The group disbanded in the late 1980s. McDermott also made many trips to play in Birmingham with another flute-player, Peg McGrath.
In 1962 McDermott contracted severe eczema
Eczema
Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis . In England, an estimated 5.7 million or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions...
shortly after the death of his mother and lost his sight, living as a blind man for the last 30 years of his life. He continued playing both in a céilidh and a modern dance band. He also composed dance tunes, wrote a number of songs and ballads and took a particular interest in the music of O'Carolan, the great blind harpist.
He died a bachelor with no close relatives in 1992.
Documentary
McDermott was the subject of a television documentary Cérbh É? Josie McDemott on TG4TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
, first broadcast in December 2009. In this programme, one of a series in which major figures in contemporary traditional music profile and pay homage to a master of their craft from a bygone age, flute player Paul McGrattan traced the life and legacy of McDermott and interviewed those who knew him, including Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy is an Irish musician, from a region known for producing talented flautists. As a child, he began playing the flute and won the All-Ireland Flute Championship at only seventeen years old...
, Catherine McEvoy, Roger Sherlock, Michael Tubridy
Michael Tubridy
Michael "Mick" Tubridy is an Irish musician and structural engineer.- Career :In 1962, he was a founder member of the traditional Irish music group, The Chieftains, with whom he played the tin whistle, Irish flute, and concertina. Michael remained a member of the group until 1979.He worked as a...
, Séamus O'Donnell and pupils Brenda Sweeney and Mai Harte.
Legacy
McDermott composed a number of traditional tunes which have entered the repertoire of many musicians and have been recorded in Ireland and in the United States. He is commemorated annually at a memorial festival in Ballyfarnan, the Josie McDermott Memorial Festival, which includes the Josie McDermott Perpetual Cup Concert Flute Competition.All Ireland titles
McDermott won the All-Ireland title at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in three different disciplines. In 1964 he won the tin whistleTin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
title, in 1967 the lilting
Lilting
Lilting is a form of traditional singing common in the Gaelic speaking areas of Ireland and Scotland. It goes under many names, and is sometimes referred to as "mouth music", diddling, jigging, chin music or cheek music), puirt a beul in Scottish Gaelic, Canterach, or portaireacht bhéil in Irish...
and the flute in 1974.
Discography
- Darby's Farewell LP issued on Topic in 1977 with Robin Morton, who produced the LP, playing bodhranBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
on several tracks. Reissued on CD in 2000.
Reels
- "The Trip to Birmingham"
- "The Salute to Baltimore" (a/k/a "The Lansdowne Lass")
- "Darby’s Farewell"
- "Father O’Grady’s Trip to Bockagh
Airs
- "The Ballad of O'Carolan Country"
- "The Boatman of Lough Key"
- "Lament for a Fiddle Player"