Josie McDermott (1925-1992)
24 November 2006, 9:11 PM GMT
Josie Mc Dermott lived all of his life in the townland of Coolmine outside the town of Ballyfarnan, Co. Roscommon. The townland itself is in Co. Sligo, and only a few miles from Co. Leitrim, an area steeped in folklore and traditions, where famous musicians seemed to come out of the woodwork - Coleman, Morrison, Killoran, John McKenna, Horan, Finn, Duignan etc. The last bard, blind harper Turlough O’Carolan, is buried nearby. Josie used to visit the local house dances and was taught music by James Flynn, a fine local fiddler. Later he travelled with his whistle, fife and flute and played at many a session or dance throughout the countryside.
While Traditional Music was his first love, his interests were much broader. He sang in a modern band for a while as a youngster and later joined various combinations playing saxophone and trumpet. He would equally listen to and praise country and western music, jazz, and ceilí. In 1962 he contracted severe eczema and lost his sight. He never lost heart though. He continued playing both in a ceilí and a modern dance band. In 1964, he won the All-Ireland on the Whistle and Miscellaneous instruments on the saxophone! He also won the flute award, lilting and had success at the ballad singing. He had a great love for traditional ballads and continued to expand his repertoire by composing some himself. Josie a bachelor with no close relatives, died in 1992 and is sadly missed by his wonderful neighbours and legions of musical friends. This great balladeer, composer, musician and singer is commemorated annually at a memorial festival in Ballyfarnan.
His Music
His musical style is somewhat staccato but haunting to the ear. He had an unusual ‘tonguing’ technique, so that in later years he could play rolls with the fingers and triplets with the tongue. Besides his interest in O’Carolan’s music, he could interpret the slow airs faultlessly because of his own knowledge of the songs. He composed various tunes including ‘Darby’s Farewell to London’ which gave its name to the LP he made. Characters and local events gave him inspiration to write ballads such as “The Boatman of Lough Key” and “Ballad of O’Carolan Country”. He also entered the field of play writing, plays of music song and humour; one of his tabloids was presented at the O’Carolan festival in Keadue. His former pupils played the air “Máire Dall”, which he had harmonically arranged, at his funeral mass.
Useful References
Treoir Vol. 9 No. 6 Treoir Vol.10 No. 4 Treoir Vol. 13 No. 1 Treoir Vol. 15 No. 1 Treoir Vol. 24 No. 2, 3 “Darby’s Farewell” Topic LP 1977
Posted By comhaltas
Comments
- paddy mc crann
- 6 October 2009
- 10:10 PM GMT
i spent many years with josie mc dermott at music sessions all over. i have the vidio at the foot of stantons bray. its not very good now. can i buy it on c.d.
thank you.
paddy mc crann
- George Bruen
- 4 April 2010
- 10:04 PM GMT
I knew Josie well and indeed I remember many fine sessions in our kitchen in Crossna with Josie, Michael Joe Brady, Liam Purcell, Padraig Noone, Tom Harte (as far as I remember the “Darby” of Darby’s farewell), his brother Mick Harte (with the first reel-to-reel tape recorder I ever saw), Tommy Flynn (would he have been a son of the James Flynn who taught Josie music? Tommy had a brother James who plied his trade as a boatman and guide on Lough Key), Paddy Leyland, John Flynn, Jim Donagher, Gerry Donagher, a man named Mullaney from Aughoo, my father and many others whose names I no longer recall. Josie was, for many years a member of the Moonlight Ceili Band based in Crossna/Ballyfarnon. (To Paddy McCrann, I have the CD “Darby’s Farewell” . The Song “At the Foot of Staunton’s Brae” is on it. I can give you a copy if you haven’t got what you’re looking for).
- hannah
- 8 November 2010
- 12:11 PM GMT
i loved his music and he was a close friend to the family (:
- paddy mc crann
- 12 July 2011
- 11:07 PM GMT
Thank you for reply i would love to get a coppy of the CD. I got the video coppied to a DVD At the foot of Stauntons Brae”. It coppied very good but theres a bit missing.
It would be nice to hear a few more people playing the tune “Kathleens wedding”. I only have the dots for this tune and as far as I know only one recording exists which is a newish one by Marcus Omurcu (sorry about the spelling) which I have been told is ornamented and played differently to the original.