Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Kim C
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 09:56 AM

I got in touch with Terry Moylan, and he told me that right now the only edition available is a special hardbound collector's edition for about 150 Euro, the sales of which will go to fund a NEW PRINTING. So while I can't really afford 150 Euro right now, I can look forward to a new edition.

I was able to borrow a copy through interlibrary loan, so at least I'll get some use from it. :-)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 06:04 PM

I met Johnny in Cornwall in 1993 at the Wadebridge festival. He was a barrel of laughs. He spent the larger part of the afternoon at a Noel Murphy gig trying to get Noel pissed. That was not an easy task as Noel could shift ale better than any man on the planet. Cost me a bloody fortune in pints, it did.

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 04:47 PM

No worries. I had already checked those out anyhow. ;-)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 11:05 AM

Same as the French one then, that notice didn't come up on the German one in the Bookfinder results form. Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 10:57 AM

Unfortunately the one at Amazon.de is

Nicht auf Lager. Bestellen Sie jetzt und wir liefern, sobald der Artikel verfügbar ist.

(Not in stock. Order now and we'll deliver when the item is available.)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 10:20 AM

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'll keep looking and maybe one will turn up somewhere. :-)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 07:53 AM

Bookfinder spots a copy listed on Amazon Germany @ €28 (which includes postage to Ireland so YMMV)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Rog Peek
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 07:44 AM

You are right Peter, also the binding would appear to be poor, one of those books that you need to be very careful with to prevent pages coming out. I've always treated my copy 'with kid gloves'.

Rog

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 06:49 AM

In case it's of use, the ISBN number is:
1-874675-42-2
Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1994

Try enquiring at these two places (below), both of which are very good at finding books of Irish interest. Kenny's are in Galway and ReadIreland in Kildare, near Dublin. I have found each of them very pleasant and helpful, and Kenny's also does a good mail-order service on new books, if you're ever looking for an alternative to the mighty river - especially for European titles.

http://www.bookshop.kennys.ie

http://www.readireland.ie/

There's also http://www.abebooks.com/ but I've checked and they don't have it.

One of my adult harp students can remember Johnny & Pádraig O'Keeffe playing for house dances in her grandparents' home. She was just a kid and "took it all for granted" she says. Hope you find it - this is a GREAT book.

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 06:20 AM

The book is a treasure but it's a shame it's printed on paper that will probably fall to bits in two decades.

Anyhow, did you ask Terry Moylan if there are any spare copies somewhere?

He's archivist at Na Piobairi Uilleann (I won't put his e-mail here but if you write to NPU the message will get to him)

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Rog Peek
Date: 08 Mar 13 - 05:38 AM

I have a copy which Johnny very kindly signed for me:- "John O'Leary Launched in Spanishpoint on July 3rd." This one certainly not for sale.

It contains transcriptions of 348 tunes, it is full of anecdotes of the characters, the tunes and how Johnny came by them, as well as some very amusing stories. Johnny just loved to tell jokes and stories and his playing for the set dancing was second to none.

I must share with you one story Johnny told me that is not in the book. I was chatting with him one Sunday night in O'Connell's in Knocknagree where he played for the dance, and happened to say to him, "Johnny, you must have known Padraig O'Keefe very well." Never wishing to miss an opportunity to tell a story, "Ah yes" Johnny replied "There was the day Padraig, Denis Murphy and myself were walking along the road, it was very warm, the sun was splitting the stones." he said. "Up ahead we spotted something round and shiny on the ground. As we got closer, we all went down for it and Padraig scooped it up and put it in his pocket. A little further along the road, I turned to Padraig and asked "What was it Pagraig, a half crown?"
"Ah no." Padraig replied. "Sure, 'twas a bird shit"."

The book is a real treasure.

Rog

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Kim C
Date: 07 Mar 13 - 05:17 PM

I haven't asked at session.org yet. I'm not very active on there so I didn't think about it - thanks for the tip.

Martin, I might go $50, but I can't really justify spending more than that on a book, at least not right now.

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Mar 13 - 04:31 PM

Got a rough budget? It's not impossible that I would come across a copy...

Regards

p.s. PM me if you prefer.

Subject: RE: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: GUEST,999
Date: 07 Mar 13 - 04:29 PM

I assume you have asked at

http://thesession.org

??

Subject: Book: Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra
From: Kim C
Date: 07 Mar 13 - 04:11 PM

This book originally came out in 1994 and is now out of print and out of stock just about everywhere. I've checked all my regular out of print sources, American and European, and the only thing I can find is a copy on Amazon for about $250. Now, if I had that much to spend on a book, I might consider it, but hey, I'm a folk musician.

If anyone happens to have a copy they'd like to sell, or comes across one, please let me know. Many thanks. :-)