Tony MacMahon, knowing that Cooley was dying from cancer, arranged that famous recording session in Lahiffe’s Bar in Peterswell on November 29, 1973, which so enlivens the Cooley album. Accompanying Cooley was his brother Jack on bodhran and banjo player Des Mulkere from Crusheen in Co Clare.
Good god–accordion, AND banjo AND bodhran.
Man, they’d better be good, because in lesser hands…
This album is pretty widely regarded as one of the all-time great recordings of Irish traditional music. Certainly would be one of my “desert island discs”.
Though it is perhaps worth noting that it has been released on CD…
On hearing that pub recording (which is all full of whoops and chatter and glassware clashing together), a friend of mine said “my god, I can feel the smoke in my throat!”
You know, the only other recording I’ve felt that feeling on was Music at Matt Malloy’s, which is still one of my favorite Irish Music records.
I wonder why it is that more records aren’t made with live in-pub ambiance? It really works well on these two.
It is a also nice LP art.
Tony McMahon and Noel Hill also recorded a CD in pub setting- just great!
The “Paddy In The Smoke” LP should have come with a Government health warning !!
The Cooley recording is great stuff.