Legends: artwork celebrates local Comhaltas founders

An artwork by local artist Geraldine O’Reilly to commemorate Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann coming home to Mullingar was presented to the cathaoirleach of Áras an Mhuilinn, Camillus Glynn, last Thursday evening. It features many of those who were instrumental in setting up the now international organisation, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

Accepting the presentation, Mr Glynn said these people had kept Irish music alive at a time when it “wasn’t the in thing to be a Comhaltas person”. He made reference to his own relation Agnes McKeown who is among those featured.

The presentation was attended by the cathaoirleach Liam McDaniel, chief executive of Westmeath County Council Pat Gallagher, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann stalwart Dick Stokes, Áras an Mhuilinn members Matt Nolan, Tommy Kiernan and Martin Coyle, as well as many Comhaltas enthusiasts.

Cllr McDaniel congratulated Geraldine on the research and work she put into this project. He recognised many of the names – Stokes, Gannon, Moynihan, Whelan – Comhaltas will never die as long as we have people like that, he said.

Geraldine O’Reilly from Rathwire, Killucan, said it came as a surprise to her to discover that Mullingar, an area largely associated with country music, was actually the birthplace of the fleadh. She decided to delve deeper into its history and was amazed at the rich heritage she uncovered. She set about creating an artwork to remember those who had started it all. Geraldine stressed that this was only a representation, not a definitive collection of those involved.

She explained how she had hand-carved and then hand-inked the names and images of several musicians onto a piece of birchwood, which was then put through a roller in the old “letterpress” style.

The original birchwood block, a unique exhibit in itself, was also on display at the presentation.

Camillus Glynn, concluding the presentation ceremony, issued an invitation to the next summer sesiún at the Áras on the evening of Wednesday August 2 for free entertainment and refreshments. He also announced that local historians Ruth Illingworth and Dr Tom Hunt will be giving lectures on the history of Comhaltas and the GAA respectively in the autumn.

While the presentation was going on, the music room down the corridor was alive with music as the next generation of Comhaltas enthusiasts practiced for the fleadh.