There was a fine old gathering of musicians and fans when Blooming Meadows, a new book about traditional music by musicians and writers, Fintan Vallely and Charlie Piggott and photographer Nutan was celebrated in the Harcourt Hotel on Wednesday night. The grand old man of Irish music, Ciaran Mac Mathuna, had been invited to do the honours which he did with great aplomb and a touch of sadness.
Nutan's photographs made him "laugh and cry" he said. Laugh because of the fond memories, but cry because so many of the great friends shown on the pages were now dead. He paid special tribute to fiddler Junior Creehan who died this year. Vallely earned the fond epithet "a fair critic", and Mac Mathuna an also recalled first seeing Charlie when he played with De Dannan in 1973. Other guests at the reception, which soon progressed into a swinging session, included musicians Martin Hayes, Paidrigin Ni Uallachain, Brian and Eithne Vallely and Johnny Moynihan; Garech de Brun of Claddagh Records; Nicolas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive; writer Evelyn Conlon and actor Mick Lally.