Gene Frain collection of Irish music

Collection

Identifier: IM-M125-2003

Scope and Contents

Personal and collected materials of mid-twentieth-century Boston-area Irish musician Gene Frain. Personal materials include photographs and biographical information about Gene Frain, as well as correspondence and flutes belonging to his father, Owen Frain. Collected materials document uilleann pipe creation, playing, and community of musicians, as well as the Boston-area Irish music scene more generally.

Dates

Creation: approximately 1915-2008

Creator

Frain, Gene (Eugene Francis), 1926-2008 (Person)

Language of Materials

In English, with some Irish.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.

Biographical note: Gene Frain

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Eugene "Gene" Francis Frain was born on October 9, 1926 to Margaret McSweeney and Owen Frain in Somerville, and grew up in Watertown, Massachusetts. He graduated from Watertown High School and served in the United States Army Band during World War II and the Korean War. He worked his entire career at the Haartz-Mason Company in Watertown, which manufactured rubber-coated fabrics for automobiles. He was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Knights of Columbus. Frain was well known in his community as a musician, especially on tin whistle, flute, and piano. He was inducted into the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Northeast Region Hall of Fame in 2005, alongside his father, who was also a musician. Gene Frain died on October 29, 2008.

Sources:

"Eugene F. Frain", MacDonald, Rockwell & MacDonald Funeral Service, October 30, 2008. https://www.macdonaldrockwell.com/notices/Eugene-Frain

"Owen Frain and Gene Frain - Hall of Fame 2005", Comhaltas Reynolds-Hanafin-Cooley Branch, October 2008. https://cceboston.org/hall-of-fame/owen-frain-and-gene-frain-hall-of-fame-2005/

Full Extent

4.792 Linear Feet (4 containers)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Arranged in two series: I. Collected materials and II. Personal materials.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Gene Frain, 2003.

Gift of Seamus Connolly, 2005.

Gift of the estate of Gene Frain, Katherine O'Brien (Gene Frain's sister), executor, 2008-2010, 2017.

Related Materials

Boston College collection of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, MS.1993.044, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann North America Collection of Irish Music Materials, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Daniel T. Neely collection of Daniel and Dan Sullivan papers, BC.2021.078, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

James W. Smith Irish music recordings, IM.M016.1991, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Sally and Jimmy Kelly collection of Irish music, IM.M199.2015, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

William F. and Michael C. Hanafin Family Papers, IM.M143.2005, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.