Acknowledgements

The completion of this project has taken the time and good efforts of many people, all of whom I would like to thank here. The family of Patrick Kelly was rich in hospitality, sharing generously of their father’s life and of freshly baked apple tarts. I would like to especially thank Tom and Jim Kelly for their assistance. I would not have found the Kellys were it not for the assistance of Barry Taylor, also extremely generous with his time.

In following leads and looking for information on Patrick Kelly and the music of West Clare, I turned to many people: Séamus Mac Mathúna, Matt Cranitch, Paul de Grae, Michael Tubridy, Caoimhin O Raghallaigh, Mick O Connor and Nicholas Carolan were all unstinting in sharing what they know.

It was Brad Hurley, those many moons ago, who gave me the second-hand copy of Ceol an Chlair.

Lastly, I would like to thank Niall Keegan and Sandra Joyce for their hard work and good humour at the Irish World Music Centre.