John Doherty and a young fan. Photo: Eamonn O’Doherty
A remarkable film showing the legendary Donegal fiddler John Doherty playing with the US singer Pete Seeger will be a highlight of the celebration of World Fiddle Day in Glencolumbkille on Saturday next.
The short film, recorded in 1964 in Carrick, has been recently rediscovered and will be shown in Oideas Gael at 2.30pm.
Other events during the day include open fiddle classes in the morning, and a concert at night in the Folk Village featuring some of Donegal’s finest fiddle players.
The celebration is being organised by Donegal fiddle organisation Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí.
Rab Cherry of Cairdeas said they were delighted to get the opportunity to show the film.
“Pete Seeger, who died in January when he was in his nineties, is one of the big names in the US music scene in the 20th century, and this is remarkable footage of his meeting with John Doherty half a century ago. Some people will be familiar with a small section of this film, but that’s of poor quality in terms of both the sound and the picture. It’s wonderful that the original recording has been unearthed and we’re getting a chance to see it in Glen for World Fiddle Day.”
Two fiddlers will be on hand to talk about the film – Danny Diamond of the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin, and Conor Caldwell, Belfast, who has completed a doctorate on the music of John Doherty.
Saturday’s events begin with fiddle classes, which will run from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm in Oideas Gael. Intending students should contact Cairdeas by e-mail at info@donegalfiddlemusic.ie or phone Rab on 0863409019. It will be a help to the organisers to have an idea of numbers and playing experience.
The concert at the Folk Village begins at 8pm. Those on the bill include Vincent and Jimmy Campbell from Glenties, the award-winning Danny Meehan from Mountcharles, and Raphoe native Martin McGinley.
There’s a charge of just €20 for all three events. For the concert only it’s €10.
The first World Fiddle Day was last year. It’s being held annually on the Saturday closest to 19th May, the date of the death of the renowned Cremonese violin maker Antonio Stradivari.
See www.worldfiddleday.com or www.facebook.com/pages/World-Fiddle-Day
To get a preview of Pete Seeger trying to follow the remarkable playing of John Doherty in the caravan in Carrick in 1964 (during a downpour), check out the clip on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlT3CmtKTqo
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