As usual there will be a numeber of launches of new books and CDs during the Willie Clancy Week, CDs by Sean Garvey, Gerry Harrington, Jackie Daly, Mick O Brien and Caoiminh O Raghallaigh and a few more, a book of tunes [Orange and Blue] by Brid Cranich and the big long awaited WIllie Clancy Summer School : A touchstone for the Tradition by Photographer Tony Kearns and musicologist Barry Taylor.
I had a brief look into the last one this morning, definitely one to have for anybody who enjoys going to the Willie week. I know both men involved in the project and take the odd photograph of the same subjects so maybe I am not the one to pass comments. Tony Kearns has been the ‘official’ WIllie photographer for the past ten years, I like his studio shots and some of his ‘found’ subjects are nice enough too and overall the snaps are nice and catch the atmosphere welll enough. Tony is at his best though in the studio when he can talk to his subjects and develop a rapport with them, the shot of Paddy Canny and Peadar O Loughlin is a good example in the book. His ‘session’ shots are usually a bit messy to my eye, they catch the atmosphere but lack a sense of composition in a lot of cases and his habit of always pushing Tmax film one or two stops does work sometimes but often it doesn’t.ens and the shot emerging was one of strong That is maybe as much as I should say. That said, the book is a must have.
Sounds great Peter - where would somebody (ahem…) be able to buy a copy of the book? I’d absolutely love to see those shots!
And, on another similar topic, when might we see some of your amazing breadth of work published? Speaking for myself, and possibly an enormous number of Irtrad loyalists, would love to see such an intimate and valuable portrait of the scene as it has exisited over the last few decades.
All the best Peter!
P.S. Us photogs know the undesirable limitations of TMAX films. There’s a beautiful “new” release of an old favourite Tri-X now repackaged as a Pro 320 (it’s proper speed). I’ve been using something new for myself on my portraits of pipe makers and players - it’s APX, Agfa 100 (4x5"). Gotta say I love the structure of the grain – very Plus-X-ish. BTW, a 105 (Nikkor) is one of my all-time favourite lenses (love those macros!) - and my 18mm!
a new cd by Mick O’Brien?!?! That’s very exciting news; any more information on that would be appreciated.
Paul, I have had a big supply of the tri X for over a year but wanted to run a few developing tests before using it, the few films I tried did look very nice.
me and publishing, a bit like me and making piping CDs, often I get asked about it, not likely to happen.
Brad, Mick and Caiominh O Raghallaigh did a duet recording on the B flat pipes. Most of the recording was done two years ago but they are fussy and have been re doing tracks until very recently. Mick visited last november for a photoshoot for the cover [see some on Pattherick D’Arcy’s website], apart form having loads of tunes with the lads over a weekend [plus Claire and Breda Keville and Henry Benagh] in C I heard some of the recording and it’s as wonderful as you may expect of the two.
Well, it can’t hurt to ask eh, Peter? 
Cheers,
PR
I think these must be the books (+CDs) I bought in the community hall. They feature popular session tunes arranged into sets of 2, 3 or 4 tunes, much more useful than individual tunes for those of us who aren’t good at arranging our own sets yet. They are published by Ossian. There are also Green and Red books in the series, but I decided to just get the two for now.
The tunes are played on a fiddle with piano backing, at a very reasonable playing speed, each part twice through and then onto the next tune in the set, 40 sets in each book. I had a brief listen last night, and I think these books will be a great basis for my new practise regime. It was great to recognise some of the tunes I had done in whistle class too, so I know I’m not just getting “beginners pieces” which will make more experienced players run screaming from the room.