Con was born one of twelve children nine boys and three girls to Julia and Jack Maurice Curtin at Ahane Brosna Co. Kerry where they had a farm. My grandfather and Con rest their souls were brothers.
Con started playing the fiddle at nine He learned his early music by ear under his father`s stewardship. His father was also steeped in tradition because he was a first cousin of “Bill the Weaver†Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford`s father. This influence above all else is why Con`s natural Sliabh Luachra style is so evident
Con being taught the fiddle by his father “Jack Maurice†his father knew that Con was extraordinary. At this time in the mid 1940`s the legendary Sliabh Luachra master Padraig O’Keeffe was teaching the fiddle and would walk to the houses of his pupils.
Padraig was in his prime at this stage and would come to “Ahane†to teach Con and his brother Patie the fiddle. It was during one of these visits in the winter of 1947 that Padraig was snow bound at Ahane for three weeks. What an absolute privilege to be in the midst of a Legend and have him all to himself. “It`s an I`ll Windâ€
Con trained as a blacksmith in Abbeyfeale Co. Limerick. He worked in Kildare for two years in this trade. Around this time a number of Con`s older brothers and sisters went to England. Con followed in 1951. He worked with John Murphy (a big developer who owned ballrooms and he was also a Kerryman).
Con continued to play the fiddle and make friends through the music. In the mid 50`s Con became a tenant in a bar called “The Royal Oak†in Woolich. Then he moved to Fulham where he opened the Balloon Tavern in 1961 where he stayed until 1978 when he moved back to Brosna and ran his own pub “Tig na Bhealadoiriâ€.
However it was during his tenure at the Balloon that Con made a name for himself. Musicians were always welcome and sessions were always on the go. On a Saturday morning, music lessons were taught in the pub. Rodger Sherlock taught flute and whistle and Bobby Casey taught the fiddle.
Con played with the Glenside Ceili band from the early 60`s and in 1966 this band came first at the All Ireland Ceile band competition. The line up at the time was John Bowe accordian, John O`Shea, Bobby Casey, Lucy Fahr, Con Curtin fiddles. Kevin Taylor piano. Paddy Taylor and Rodger Sherlock on Flute. Mick O`Connor on banjo. However a young Kevin Burke along with Vincent Griffin and Tom McGowan from Sligo played fiddles with the Glenside Ceile band on occasions. At this time Kevin Taylor composed the jig “Con Curtin`s big balloon†which is on a recording of Angelina Carberry and Martin Quinn, of the same CD track 10. Also a scene of a film staring Peter Sellers was shot at the Balloon and Con featured as the barman in this Pink Panther movie. Con also featured on the album “Paddy and the Smoke†one of the finest recordings of traditional music of the time. This was recorded in 1968. Con features on three tracks with Denis McMahon (hat) also with Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford who were also pupils of Padraig O’Keeffe.
Con married Ann while in London and had four children including a set of twins. Bobby Casey composed a jig for their christening called “The Twinsâ€. Con`s musical prowess grew during the 70s and had all the big names playing in the ballroom at sessions. Paddy Carty, Rodger Sherlock, Tommy People`s, Kevin Burke, Joe Burke and Danny Meehan to mention but a few. Many stories often told by Con to add flavour to such occasions.
Con travelled to Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann annually where he sometimes judged competitions. He played in many sessions and also featured in a number of documentaries which dealt with primarily his music and also his life and times. In recent years he featured on a TG 4 documentary “Se mo Laoch†such was the esteem both he and his music was held in.
In 1978 Con decided to return home and open his own bar where else but in Brosna until his retirement. It was a great pub for sessions and I`ve been told that a session was as likely to happen mid week as on a weekend night. Con told me he often thought of a tune that he might not have played for years He would record this and he did this with many tunes and has many cassettes (gems) with such material which his wife Ann holds since he died.
In 1992 the locals decided to organise a festival called “The Con Curtin†musical festival to honour Con. This has grown from strength to strength over the years and is talked about up and down the country and many musicians make it an annual trip. The weekend commences with a concert. Sessions throughout the pubs day and night. Singing sessions in another bar a ceile in the hall and busking in the square something for all tastes and ages. It was during one of these busking competitions as an eight year old Con was watching me playing the fiddle when he growled at me to bring up my small finger and from that day to this I remember the difference this has made to my own playing. In 2008 I was watching Con playing in a session when he told the musicians to stop, called me “pull out your fiddle young manâ€. He asked me to play a jig, a reel and a hornpipe. It was like I had got something of a blessing from him when he told me to stay on and play with them. In that session were Paddy Cronin, Donal O`Connor, Patrick O`Connor, Nicky McAuliffe, Jerry Harrington, Patie Curtin. Con`s son John on flute. This was a session dedicated to tunes of Sliabh Luachra style with jigs, reels, slides and polkas one thing that amazed me they discussed the names and history that was in the tunes before they played them. Jigs that went back to Tom Billy Murphy and slides that Padraig O`Keeffe would have taught Paddy Cronin. That evening I will cherish as an absolute defining moment in my own development. As Con`s health deteriorated I would call to the house and discuss whatever tunes I was learning or the way I was playing. Another gem of advice he gave “don’t ever be afraid to play your own musicâ€. I dare ask what he meant I had a fair idea.
Con finally went to his eternal reward on the 27th April 2009. The crowds that came to his funeral were testament to the regard he was held in by those in the music world and his passing also got a mention in the Irish Independent. The article reads as follows “True Legend of Sliabh Luachra passes on†may the sod rest gently on your soul.
God bless you Con.
By Darragh Curtin
