Galway fiddler Pete Kelly shows he's still premier

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

Make a comment

Pete Kelly and Shannonaires 2009 and guests

Photo by Paul Keating

Tweet

Proving that you can’t keep a good man down for long, Pete developed a second career, if you will, in Irish music as the leader and organizer of one of the most popular ceili bands in North America in the late 1990s. Back in 1997 he formed the Pete Kelly Premier Ceili Band around the time that the North American set dancing Revival was still in high gear, and his emerging popularity did much to spur New York area ceilithe and help raise a very high standard for other ceili bands that formed to meet the demands of the very active dance community.

Along with bandmates Martin Mulhaire, Hugh O’Neill and Tommy Brady, these senior citizens are as active as they want to be as they accept invitations from outside the area as well.

Kelly was presented with a lovely Galway Crystal bowl by Kathleen Gallagher (CCE), Tom Kennedy (Kerry) and Joe McCarthy (HOPe) for his achievements, and the crowd on hand to salute him were also rewarded with first rate music all night and food and snacks in abundance in a festive party atmosphere.  

Margie Mulvihill, John Reynolds, Martin Mulhaire, Felix Dolan, Mike Brady and Peter Carolan provided 12 sets on the floor, with lovely dance music for a variety of sets. The centerpiece was the gift that the Shannonaires present gave back to Kelly, their teacher of many years ago.

Loretta Egan Murphy spoke for all when she said, “A teacher never knows where his influence will end,” which was very much born out throughout the evening and vividly on display for all to see and appreciate. A lovely evening for a lovely man who keeps on influencing people with his music.

Print

E-mail

Tweet