"Can't find the Junior Crehan album"
Junior was off the top of my head - I know from the bitter experience of trying to learn several instruments myself, how easy it is to be put off by virtuoso playing - would depend how advanced he is of course, which is why I recommended Junior (he died in 1998 aged 90).
As I'm sure you know, Ireland is experiencing a traditional music instrumental boom at present, with thousands of young people coming to the music - luckily that is happening largely by them listening to the genuine source players and, in the case of this town, being taught by them, mainly at the annual Willie Clancy Summer School.
There seems to be a genuine respect for the elderly players - what the kids do with their newly acquired skills is still in the melting pot, but at least they have been given a grounding in the music.
So far, the signs are all positive, and they have absorbed a genuine love for traditional music and are not off chasing rainbows - yet!.
Don't dismiss their powers of discernment - speaking personally, when I came to traditional song, I did so along the well worn path - Jazz, Country and Western, The Spinners..... and eventually the real stuff - which has given me half a century of sheer pleasure not to mention interest.
Kids seem not to need to do that any more and are being weaned on musicians who sat at the feet of Willie Clancy, Seamus Ennis and Brendan McGlinchey (never met Willie, but I was lucky enough to spand time with the other two.
Jim Carroll
Happy to help with recordings from our somewhat extensive archive if needed