Remembering our dear friends

Garrykennedy Mass and music session in memory of trio who died during lockdown

It was on Sunday morning, March 15, 2020 when the call came from Maura Boyle of Larkins in Garrykennedy.

The phone call was to discuss our Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s announcement earlier that week of school closures to contain the spread of coronavirus. Although it would be later in the month before restrictions to the hospitality sector would be implemented, it was decided then that Sunday’s weekly Irish traditional music session would stop and that “we’ll play it by ear”.

After a lengthy 22 months of restrictions, the weekly session recommenced to its pre-Covid activity, but as musicians and listeners we knew we would be going back to a different music session.

Over the lockdown period we lost three very influential participants of the session – Nora Butler, Billy Greenall and Liam O’Connor.

For us as their fellow musicians and friends, their loss was profound. On top of this sadness, the rules and restrictions around funerals, which were alien to a country where funeral rites lasted three days, meant we could not celebrate their lives as we would have liked. We did try to acknowledge their involvement in our lives by providing a musical performance outside the homes of Nora and of Billy as the funeral hearse stopped, and similarly for Liam outside Larkins.

NORA BUTLER

Nora Butler passed away on May 4, 2020. The Toomevara native was a five times all-Ireland champion ballad singer. Nora was a frequent visitor to venues all over the country alongside her husband the late Pat Swan and was one of the best-known performers in the country and worldwide for traditional Irish singing.

In the early 1970s she toured the US with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann alongside the late Paddy O’Brien. She also toured extensively around the world as part of Comhaltas and other groups in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, Tripoli, New Zealand and Libya.

Nora was no stranger to the stage and made regular appearances on national television and radio programmes, and was a much-valued coordinator of the Rambling House monthly gatherings at Nenagh Pastoral Centre, as well as being central to Brú Ború in Cashel over the years.

BILLY GREENALL

Billy Greenall passed away two weeks after Nora on May 18, 2020. Billy was born and grew up in St Helens, near Liverpool. His love of Irish music began at nine years of age, listening to Radio Éireann and to céilis outside his local hall with his friends, as they were too young to go inside.

After his mother discovered his passion for music, she bought him his first piano accordion. A talented musician, Billy won seven all-Ireland medals on the piano and piano accordion. He played in several ceilí bands, namely the Blarney, Liverpool, New York, Castlemore and the Ormond Céilí band, to name but a few.

After spending time in America in the 60s, he returned to St Helens in the UK in the 70s and started teaching music in Ashton-in-Makerfield and Earlstown. Billy arranged countless Irish trips for his music classes to Gormanstown, the Culturlann and to the annual All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil.

It was on one of the return trips from a fleadh in Listowel that Billy stopped the bus to eat in JKC’s and introduced his pupils to his dear friend Nora Butler. He had huge admiration for Paddy O’Brien’s music and in 1994 Billy decided to retire to Nenagh, where he taught many pupils in and around Nenagh.

Billy was a great character and his love for Ireland was inspirational; he was a much-loved music teacher, musician and friend.

LIAM O’CONNOR

Liam O’Connor passed away on October 26, 2020. From Brosna in Co Kerry, Liam was born into a family steeped in traditional Irish music. He made his home in Portroe after taking up a position as a teacher in the local primary school.

He had spent several years before that teaching in Borrisokane. Liam featured on many RTÉ television and radio traditional music programmes over the years and was well known in the traditional Irish music circuit. He was a founding member of the All-Ireland winning Ormond céilí band and one of the first musicians to play music sessions in Larkins in the 70s alongside none other than the late Paddy O’Brien.

Liam married a local woman, Dolly Kennedy, and both Liam and Dolly passed on their love of traditional music to their children. His wife Dolly never misses the Sunday session in Larkins and would be considered part of the furniture.

On Saturday, March 9, we are going to meet up and pay tribute to our good friends. Mass will be held in Larkins before a music session in memory of Billy, Nora and Liam.

We will also be remembering loyal listeners of the session over the years Liamie McGrath, Pat Swan, Tony Tracey, Bobby Madden, Mick Clarke, Sean Maher, Paddy Gavin, Michael Hurley and Ned Quinn, who we also lost in recent times.