A Feeling in the Blood - Néillidh Boyle

Ceol Traidisiúnta Thír Chonaill / Traditional Fiddle Music from Donegal.

Néillidh Boyle from Dungloe, Co Donegal is an enigmatic figure within fiddle playing circles often talked about even though very little of his music was easily available until now.

"Néillidh Boyle was born in 1889 in Pennsylvania , USA, to immigrant parents who had a great interest in maintaining their family’s links to all aspects of Irish culture.

The Boyles returned home to Donegal by the time that Neillidh was eight years old and set up home in Cronashallog, near Dungloe in northwest Donegal. Neillidh’s neighbours and schoolmaster were amazed at his fluency in both the Irish language and music as he had just arrived from America.

In later life Neillidh attributed much of his music to the lilting of his Mother when he was a child. He came to be regarded as a fiddler of unheard of mastery among the fiddlers of Donegal. Neillidh had mastered playing in all keys and position playing. ~"

This 3 CD album, features the three 78’s that he made in 1937 and his recordings from 1946 made for the Folklore Commission on CD 1, on CD 2 recordings made by Alan Lomax in 1951 and the complete BBC recording session from 1953.

The collection also features an RTE Long Note documentary radio programme and some recordings of Néillidh’s son Paddy and his brother Con also fiddle players on CD 3. This CD published by Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí has extensive notes contained in a 36 page booklet.