It all started in 1970 when Tom Cussen and Benny O'Connor got together with friends in London and played in the Oxford Tavern in Kentish Town every Friday for almost a year. Moving back to Ireland around the end of 1971 both Tom and Benny wasted no time in getting the band flying. Over twenty years on and Shaskeen have produced no fewer than ten albums of fire-brand Irish traditional music. They have also produced singles and EPs along the way. The current revival of set dancing is very welcome and the band is as strong as ever.
All the tunes (along with the chords as played) from five of their cassettes (which are now available in CD format) have been transcribed into two wonderful books. Copious cross-references have been appended, which go a long way to filling in the background to the tunes, encouraging the musician to look further. The tunes in the two books are those being currently played in Irish sessions which was the inspiration for producing them.
The recordings are excellent examples of the sound of a working, authentic and respected céilí band and therefore the books aren't dusted-off reprints, but instead contain up-to-date, popular versions of tunes being played today.
Contents
Reels
Anderson's
Bank of Ireland
Boy in the Boat
Boys of Ballisodare
Cameronian
Cooley's
Crowley's
Dowd's No. 9
Earl's Chair
Eel in the Sink
Fahy's
Farewell to Connaught
Flower of the Flock
Foxhunters
Galway Rambler
Humours of Loughrea
Humours of Tulla
Jennie's Wedding John Brennan's
Lady Ann Montgomery
London Lassies
Longford Collector
Lord McDonald's
Love at the Endings
Mama's Pet
Maud Millar
McMahon's
Morning Dew
Mullingar Races
New Copperplate
New Policeman
Old Copperplate
Pigeon on the Gate
Redhaired Lass
Rolling in the Ryegrass
Sailor on the Rock
Sailor's Bonnet Shaskeen
Sheehan's
Ships are Sailing
Sligo Reel
Sweeney's Buttermilk
Tarbolton
Tear the Calico
Teetotaller
Ten Pound Float
Trip to Durrow
Turnpike Gate
Volunteer
West Clare Reel
Double jigs
Apples in Winter
Banks of Lough Gowna
Hardiman's Fancy
Joe Cooley's Delight Joys of Life
Malowney's Wife
Morrison's
Mulally's
Scotsman Over the Border
Strike the Gay Harp
Tailor's Wedding
Whelan's
Miscellaneous tunes
Ballroom Favourite 1
Ballroom Favourite 2
Johnny Mickey's
Kieran Kelly's
Lawson's
McCarthy's
Murphy's
Wicklow
