~ Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann ~   Boston              

                ************************************************************************************

   CCE Northeast Regional Hall of Fame Inductee 

Martin McDonagh - Button Accordion

Inducted to its The Hall of Fame by

      Martin McDonagh (RIP), born in Rossaveel, Co. Galway, first learned music at home, in tunes hummed by his mother and tunes played on the tin whistle by his father. At age 16, Martin traveled to London to find work, and to join some of his brothers. And there in London he first heard the music of Raymond Roland, and became more interested in playing traditional Irish music, particularly on the accordion. Self-taught on a small Hohner he would play after work, Martin began to play seriously in London.

After three years in London, in the summer of 1954, Martin returned to Rossaveel where he worked to cut and save a year's supply of turf for his parents, in preparation for his going to America. Martin came to the U.S. in 1955 to attend his sister's wedding, and stayed. Here in the U.S., Martin learned most of the tunes he would be playing, meanwhile developing his own style.

Martin now had access to the music of Joe Cooley and Paddy O'Brien, and taught himself to play in the B/C style pioneered by Paddy O'Brien. At sessions, house parties, and at music clubs in Dorchester, Norwood, Quincy, and Watertown, Massachusetts, and in Cranston, Rhode Island, Martin played with a great many musicians.

As a founding member of the Connacht Ceili Band, he joined such well-known Boston musicians as Larry Reynolds, Mike McDonough, Tommy Sheridan, Sally & Jimmy Kelly, and Brendan Tonra. He joined the band on its 1966 recording and on both of their tours of Ireland.

As a member of the Hanafin-Cooley Branch of Comhaltas in Boston, Martin played on the "We're Irish Still" recording.

Martin McDonagh enjoyed meeting other musicians, learning new tunes—and other musicians enjoyed meeting and playing with him. Martin possessed an infectious smile, and a hardy personality.

************************************************************************************

Return to

      (http://www.cceboston.org/martinMcDonagh.html)                                                                                                                                         This Page  revised 2/22/2009 ************************************************************************************