Patsy Geary’s
Name
Patsy Geary’s (Jig)
About
John Kelly Senior gave this tune to Breandán Breathnach for his ‘Ceol Rince na hÉireann‘ collection. Breathnach named this tune ‘An Crú Capaill / The Horse Shoe’.
Breathnach writes about this tune; “Ní raibh aon ainm ag an gCeallach air seo. Mise a bhaist é.” “Kelly didn’t have any name for this tune. I gave it this name.”
John got this tune from the playing of Patsy Geary and would normally call it Patsy Geary’s which is what the family still call this tune.
Geary (1857 – 1936) was a fiddle player and a mentor and good friend of Johns. He lived in Cloughansavaun, a townload just a few miles from where John grew up in Rehy West. Geary not only tutored him there but frequently played house dances with him as well. Birth year from census records and death year from John Kelly’s memory.
I would love to find some Geary family member’s to share all of the details that we have about their relative. I know Patsy had a large family with some member’s in America but there still could be some in West Clare.
You can find out more about Patsy Geary on this page in Musical Context: Patsy Geary >>
Details: Photo fo The Horse Shoe shop from the 1950’s.
Credit: Personal collection of John’s niece Elizabeth Maguire.
Audio
John Kelly Senior playing Patsy Geary’s Jig on fiddle.
Details: ‘Ceoltoiri an Chláir’, lecture by Seamus MacMathúna; Willie Clancy Summer School 1975.
Venue: Parochial Hall, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. Date: July 8, 1975
Credit: Recorded by Barry Taylor, part of his book “Music in a Breeze of Wind” about music in West Clare. Link.
Notation
