Wonderful playing on the clips and great analysis by Peter on the new Collins clip.
After hearing the first clip of Collins’ playing I tried to find out a bit more about him. RTE said that, “His style was considered quite unique and he caused a bit of a stir on the fleadh scene in the 1950’s.” This statement conjured visions of Bob Dylan in his early days being booed by the folk traditionalists.
Can anyone shed more light on Collins? Sad that he died so young.
T
Hi Teri
I was part of the same music scene with Ciaran Collins in the late seventies and early eighties and listened to him a lot.
Ciaran never played in sessions (in my experience) but always played solo.
The trend in Dublin back then was for concert pitch and Eb. Ciaran played solo on his Generation C or Bb. He definitely had the 'lonesome touch’and his favorites tunes seemed to be Galway tunes especially tunes from Joe Cooley (he always played the Skylark/Roaring Mary ).
Ciaran was a tall man with black curly hair and always very well dressed. He wore a blazer and shirt and tie. I always felt that there was a huge loneliness about Ciaran. He was a very private man and I knew very little about him personally.
Cheers
John
I actually know very little about the man, I have seen old television footage of him on Come West Along the Road and an American friend of mine knew him whne she lived in Dublin during the late 70s, she spent time with him and recorded him a bit.
I can imagine him not playing at sessions, his music is far to nice to be drowned out by the crowd. He does have those Cooley tunes, next transcription up will be Last Night’s Fun, can’t get more Cooley than that and the Skylark is on the list as well.
His music is loveley detailed and personal stuff.
There’s a music weekend every october i n Gort/Peterswell in memory of both Cooley and Collins.
Thanks to you both for the information.
Teri
On 2002-11-27 05:16, Seanie wrote:
…
Ciaran was a tall man with black curly hair and always very well dressed. He wore a blazer and shirt and tie. I always felt that there was a huge loneliness about Ciaran. He was a very private man and I knew very little about him personally.
It adds to the listening to hear this, somehow. I just went back and gave it another listen. Thanks John & Peter
Last night’s fun up and running at http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/brosteve/tunetoc.html.
You’ll notice that there is a table of contents entry (that leads nowhere) for a tune by a woman! who is still alive!! Coming very soon…
BTW if anyone else wants to contribute transcriptions for this series, contact me by email.
I havent checked the link, but knowing you, this lady is probably Mary Bergin, eh???!
More Collins posted today - Maid behind the bar, again transcription and exegesis by Peter.
On 2002-11-27 10:09, Azalin wrote:
I havent checked the link, but knowing you, this lady is probably Mary Bergin, eh???!
Cheap shot Azalin. In any case I don’t believe you didn’t check the link. Talking of cheap, didn’t you tell me you’d never play that Paddy-Keenan-imitation-4-long-rolls-in-succession performing seal trick in public? Clips and Snips isn’t public?
Yea Az,
I don’t know about sticking all those rolls together 
Maybe once in a blue moon but I sure wouldn’t make a habit of it
Yer pal,
Chris