I don't know if Martin Hayes cites Tommy as an influence, but I find it hard to imagine he wasn't influenced by Tommy.


He does. And if he didn't the setting of the Star of Munster on his first solo recording would speak volumes : it very closely follows Potts' 'developments' of the tune.

As far as I remember Hayes recalls Potts' visits to East Clare and the impressions they lefty on him. Paddy Canny (martin's uncle by marriage)also played a lot of tunes that show the hand of Potss. The setting of Garret Barry's on the Gael Linn 78s is an obvious one but there are many other.

More footprints of Potts in East Clare are to be found in a lovely version of Julia Delaney (Potts is responsible for the Dm version the Borhy Band made popular) that Martin Rochford played for me on the fiddle in 1989. The firs part is as usual but he has a beautiful and distinctly different turn to the tune.


I am, by the way, trying to chase up a composition of his 'The Loom' which I heard Liam O Connor (who in many ways is very strongly influenced by Potts) play last summer. Lovely tune.