Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)

Subject: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Felipa
Date: 18 May 19 - 07:21 PM

John Sheahan, who survived the Dubliners and is still playing, is 80 years old today, 19 May 2019.

a very recent recording of his own composition, Marino Waltz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqA6w3avAz8

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 May 19 - 08:03 PM

Also plays whistle, and the only remaining survivor of The Dubliners! Happy birthday John! Has written some lovely tunes, several of which we play: for the 2 cathedrals in Dublin, St Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral, and Marino Casino (as well as Marino Waltz.) He also had a book of his own poetry published around 2015.
Met him once after one of his concerts at Glasgow's Celtic Connections: absolute charmer!
Haven't yet seen it, but there was a special programme on RTE's Late Late Show to celebrate his birthday. (Also featuring Ralph McTell.)

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 May 19 - 10:09 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqA6w3avAz8

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 May 19 - 10:18 PM

fascinating to see McTell's stately session accompaniment guitaring - a bit like mine! None of this facetious jumping round in DADGAD anticipating the melody!

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 19 May 19 - 04:00 AM

Happy birthday to John. I was the Dubliners's road manager in 1967 and penned a couple of songs for them including Seven Deadly Sins.
I wrote the sleeve notes for their Live at the Albert Hall LP, individual sketches and this was on John:

Beneath John Sheahan's bushy chin,
He hides a flute and mandolin!
But when our John is asked to play,
His fiddle's never far away
And play! the man will play you any
From Zozzimus to Paganini.
No gargle ever wets his lips
(Except unalcoholic sips).
Though up and down OUR elbows go
When John's goes up, the tunes will flow!
With solemn face and twinkling eyes,
His long bow-sweeps draw praising cries:
A touch of tear-jerking vibrato
And a final, cheeky "pizzicato"!

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Johnny J
Date: 19 May 19 - 11:56 AM

Happy birthday to John.

There's a wee tune he composed for the anniversary of Tonder Festival in 1999 and he kindly allowed me to record him playing it a year or so later as I had expressed an interest in learning same. This was in very informal surroundings while we were cooking the famous curry!

As far as I know, it hasn't been recorded but I treasure the tune in my repertoire.

Re "the only remaining survivor of The Dubliners", he is of course the only remaining survivor of the *original* Dubliners as Sean Cannon(joined early eighties) is still with us.

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Johnny J
Date: 19 May 19 - 12:03 PM

Here's John playing fiddle, banjo, and whistle all at the same time.

The Octopus Jig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcA3MmV6Ymk

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: StephenH
Date: 19 May 19 - 03:40 PM

Thanks for the link, Big Al - simply a lovely, lovely set of tunes and great craic all around!
Good to see John Sheahan looking well.
Happy Birthday to John - thanks for all the great music over the years, from you and your mates.

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 May 19 - 05:47 PM

And here's the link to the whole programme which was broadcast on RTE on Friday May 17th:
https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-late-late-show/SI0000001694?epguid=IH000368293

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 May 19 - 05:51 PM

You might want to FF to part 2, which starts at 22 minutes in!!

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 May 19 - 06:37 PM

P.S. Johnny J - John was not an "original Dubliner" but joined some early time after the formation of the band. He joined the band, already formed, in 1964. Sean Cannon only joined the band in the 1980s, and yes, AFAIK, is still alive.

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 19 - 02:20 AM

' you need to disable your adblocker software to watch this programme '

thanks but no thanks Tattie.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Johnny J
Date: 20 May 19 - 11:09 AM

Hi Tattie B,

Yes, I also knew that John wasn't actually an original Dubliner either although I thought this was what you meant.
:-)
They were, of course, called The Ronnie Drew Group originally but I only became aware of them when Radio Caroline started playing their records due to the music policy of joint director Phil Solomon who also owned the record company!

Subject: RE: Happy Birthday John Sheahan (fiddler)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 May 19 - 11:45 AM

No problem with ads or ad-blockers when I am viewing it, Dave H.