Fleadh Cheoil memories of 1979 by John Lucid.
The Kerry Fleadh Cheoil took place at Tralee in 1979, it is hard to imagine that was 37 years ago. The previous Kerry Fleadh at Tralee was in 1961, though the town hosted the Munster fleadh in 1978. The main area of activity was at Duchas House in Edwards Street, Tralee.
At the time there was a core group of people very involved in Comhaltas in Tralee, people like Maire Bean Ui Griofa and her late husband Paddy, John Mason, Peggy O’Sullivan, Mary Mc Carthy as well as County Board Officers James O’Connor, Treasa and Breandain Ferriter, Jackie Walsh, Jerry O’Carroll and Dan Keane. The man that made the greatest impression and who was the huge driving force for Comhaltas was the late Diarmuid O’Cathain. He was ever present at Kerry Fleadhs, Munster Fleadhs and All Ireland Fleadhs. His voice could be heard making announcements over the public address system. He kept the competitors on time and saw to it that the competitions were completed on time. He managed the Fleadh office, all results and marking sheets were available there. It was obvious to all he loved every aspect of the Fleadh and he brought total efficiency to it’s organisation.
In 1979, I competed in the senior button accordion competition and also in the senior duet and trio competitions. It was a successful fleadh for me as I won the accordion and we added both the duet and trio titles also. My accomplice in the duet was Maire O’Keeffe the great Tralee fiddle player and Maire’s sister Siobhan joined us on concert flute for the trio.
After Kerry it was on to Templemore for the Munster Fleadh. The Kerry competitors travelled by bus to the event and there was a session both going and on the return journey. I was fortunate to win the senior accordion, we also won the trio and Maire and I came second to Eileen O’Brien and Willie Fogarty.
The All Ireland of 1979 was hosted by Buncranna, John McCracken was the main Comhaltas organiser locally. I travelled with the late Liam Buckley of Ballybunion and members of the Buckley family. I can remember a good many Kerry people being present for the competition. Both John Fitzgerald and Michelle had won All Irelands on the Saturday. Among the competitors that day was Willie Fogarty, Sean Thompson, John Connolly, Dick Sherlock, Seamus Walshe. I was fortunate enough to win that years All Ireland and it was the last time I competed in accordion competitions
