Irish Music Archives
Found in 23 Collections and/or Records:
Boston College Gaelic Roots Festival records
Boston College Gaelic Roots Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series recordings
Recordings of events organized by the Gaelic Roots Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series at Boston College, founded in 2003 by Séamus Connolly. The Series brings together accomplished performers and experts in Irish, Scottish, American, and related folk music traditions to share their experience, knowledge, and talent with the Boston College community and beyond.
Collection is open for research.
Recordings have been digitally copied; all original media was retained, but may not be played due to format. Use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Boston College "My Love Is in America" Irish fiddle festival records
The collection consists of documents, performer interviews, as well as audio- and video-recordings of the Spring 1990 Boston College Irish fiddle festival called "My Love is in America," co-sponsored by the Boston College Music Department and Irish Studies Programs and directed by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.
Collection is open for research.
Recordings have been digitally copied; all original media was retained, but may not be played due to format. Use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Muise Family Collection of Cape Breton and Irish Music
This collection consists primarily of field recordings of Cape Breton and Irish traditional music performed by various musicians in the Boston area, as recorded on home recording equipment by Johnny and Mary Muise. Included are informal music gatherings and social events that took place in the Muise home in Dorchester (1951-1965) and Roslindale (1965 and later), as well as concerts and other gatherings. Some of the audio recordings also contain published material.
Collection is open for research. Open reel tapes and audiocassettes are restricted (boxes 2-6). All open reel tapes have been reformatted, and digital versions are available for use in the Burns Library Reading Room. All audiocassettes have not yet been reformatted, but can be upon request. Note that there may be a delay in availability of digitized versions.
Eugene Clancy Irish music collection
This collection documents Irish music owned by twentieth-century Irish-American musician Eugene Clancy, including audio recordings of Clancy and collected recordings of Michael Coleman.
Collection is open for research. Recordings have been digitally copied; all original media were retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann North America collection of Irish music materials
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) is an international organization for the promotion of Irish music, song, dance, and language. These records document the history and activities of the CCÉ Province in North America, with related material from CCÉ in Ireland. The collection includes administrative records, promotional artifacts, biographical materials, as well as digital and analog media.
Collection is open for research. Audiovisual media in this collection have been digitally copied; all original media were retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Séamus Connolly papers
This collection documents the musical activities and career of Irish traditional fiddle player Séamus Connolly. The collection includes field recordings, correspondence, press clippings, publications, photographs, awards, and artifacts. It also includes research notes and materials collected by Connolly on Irish traditional music.
Collection is open for research. Digitized versions of original recordings are available for Burns Library Reading Room use. Some audio and video items may not be immediately available due to formatting issues.
Michael Cummings collection of P.S. Gilmore
The Michael Cummings Collection of P.S. Gilmore documents the music career of Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, American band conductor and composer, and the activities of the Patrick S. Gilmore Society. The collection particularly highlights the National Peace Jubilee of 1869 and the World's Peace Jubilee of 1872, with programs, lithographs, tickets, medals and bookmarks. The collection also includes correspondence, photographs, and newspaper and magazine articles.
Collection is open for research. The wax cylinder is not accessible, and access to the remaining audio and video recordings requires advance notice.
Joe Derrane Irish music materials
A button accordion, an event program, photographs, a set list, and phonograph records belonging to Boston-area Irish musician Joe Derrane.
Collection is open for research. The accordion may be viewed by researchers, but may not be played.
Egan harp collection
This collection contains two Portable Irish Harps by nineteenth century Irish harp maker John Egan.
Collection is open for research. Off-shelf viewing is by appointment, supervised by a staff member to ensure safe handling. The harps are too fragile to be strung at full tension, and therefore are not playable.
Paul C. Haley collection of Jerry O'Brien music manuscripts
Handwritten sheet music for accordion created by accordionist Jerry O’Brien for one of his students, Paul C. Haley. Most tunes include titles, and some contain additional performance notes.
Collection is open for research.
William F. and Michael C. Hanafin Family Papers
This collection contains photographs, articles, recordings, a fife, printed music, correspondence, and other items pertaining to brothers William F. and Michael C. Hanafin, their family members, and musical associates. The Hanafin brothers were Irish traditional musicians who immigrated to Boston in the late 19th century.
Collection is open for research. Audio recordings have been digitally copied; all original media were retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Joe Lamont Irish music recordings
Open for research. Recordings have been digitally copied; all original media was retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Frederick M. Manning collection of John McCormack
Collection is open for research. Some audio materials may not be available immediately for use as they will require reformatting; please contact the Burns Library in advance for access to audio materials. McCormack's sheet music cabinet is not available for access at this time due to structural instability.
Daniel T. Neely collection of Daniel and Dan Sullivan papers
Materials of Boston-area Irish musicians Daniel A. and Dan Sullivan, collected by musicologist Daniel T. Neely, including family photographs, piano rolls, sketches, and a violin.
Collection is open for research.
Jean Heitz collection of Mary O'Hara
This collection documents Irish singer and harpist Mary O'Hara's musical career and early retirement years in Tanzania with her husband Padraig O'Toole through their correspondence with friend and neighbor in England, Jean Heitz. Heitz also collected and kept clippings, ticket stubs, publicity materials, fan club mailings, and photographs relating to O'Hara.
Collection is open for research.
Mary O'Hara papers
Collection is open for research. Audiovisual recordings and born-digital content have been digitally copied from source media; all original media were retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room. O'Hara's scrapbooks are closed due to fragility. Personal correspondence with Adrian Hastings and Deirdre Kelleher is restricted until 2025.
Myles O'Malley papers
This collection documents highlights in the public career of saxophonist and whistle player Myles O'Malley, who was known as the "Tin Whistle King." The collection consists primarily of photographs. It also includes audio recordings, correspondence, fliers, graphic materials, musical instruments, music manuscripts, news clippings, and royalty statements from Decca Records.
Collection is open for research. 78-rpm recordings and unpublished sound cassettes are restricted for playback purposes; request digital use copies instead.
James W. Smith Irish music recordings
This collection documents Boston-area Irish music in the 1950s and 1960s through unpublished recordings of social gatherings made by James W. Smith. These recordings capture reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes, and set dances with instrumentation from solos to groups including fiddle, flute, whistle, and accordion.
Open for research. Recordings have been digitally copied; all original media was retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
T. Jeffrey Sullivan collection of Tommy Sullivan and Joe Derrane
Papers containing audio recordings, news clippings, photographs, and sheet music that document the music of Tommy Sullivan, an Irish traditional musician from Springfield, Massachusetts. It also includes some sheet music, news clippings, and two recordings of accordionist Joe Derrane, who was a friend of the Sullivan family.
Collection is open for research. Audio recordings have been digitally copied; all original media were retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.
Richard Toomey Irish music collection
Collection documents the life and career of Boston-area musician and artist Richard "Skip" Toomey through annotated musical manuscripts, drawings, and a watercolor.
Collection is open for research.
Michael J. Twomey broadcast log books
Two hardcover notebooks documenting broadcasts and live performances of Michael J. Twomey's Boston-based band, originally called Twomey's Irish Pipers' Orchestra, later renamed Twomey's Irish Minstrels. Also included are a photograph of the orchestra, a program for The Irish Pipers' Band of Boston Second Annual Grand Costume Ball, and two newspaper clippings of articles concerning the band.
Collection is open for research.
Terence Winch papers
The Terence Winch papers document the life and career of an Irish-American poet, writer, and musician, through correspondence, manuscript and typescript drafts, handmade books, audio and video recordings, flyers, posters, clippings, and photographs. Topics include the poetry scenes of Washington, DC and New York City towards the end of the 20th century; modern Irish-American literature and history; and Irish-American music.
Collection is open for research. Audiovisual recordings and digital content on media have been digitally copied; all original media was retained, but may not be played due to format. Digital use copies can only be accessed in the Burns Library Reading Room.