A4 illustration of Mickey Doherty (1884 - 1970)

An A4 landscape highly detailed illustration by local artist Mickey Breslin using graphite pencil, influenced by the beauty of still images capturing the artwork.

Ba é Mickey Doherty an cheathrú de chúigear deartháir a rugadh do Mickey Mór Doherty as Dún na nGall. Tháinig seinm na fidle tríd an teaghlach óna bheirt thuismitheoir. Rinneadh taifeadadh níos mó ar a dheartháir óg John agus b’fhéidir go bhfuil níos mó cáil ar, gurbh é an fidléir seandálaíochta as Dún na nGall é. Rugadh Mickey sa bhliain 1894, phós sé i 1916 agus bhí sé ina cheoltóir taistil agus mar ghabha stáin. Bhí sé ag buaic a mháistreachta ar an bhfidil nuair a thaifead Danaher agus Ó hEochaidh é. Taifeadadh arís é sna '50idí agus seinneadh a cheol ar shraith 'Folksongs of Great Britain'. Fuair Mickey bás sa bhaile i nDún na nGall i mí Bealtaine 1970.

Mickey Doherty was the fourth of five brothers born to Mickey Mór Doherty of Donegal.  Fiddle playing ran through the family from both parents. His younger brother John was filmed and recorded more and is perhaps better known, and for a long time was considered as the archetypical Donegal fiddler. Mickey was born in 1894, married in 1916 and made his living as a travelling musician and tinsmith, both honourable professions in the early days of the Irish Free State and Republic.  He was at the peak of his mastery of the fiddle when Danaher and O'hEochaidh recorded him.  He was recorded again in the '50s and the odd track was included on the Folksongs of Great Britain series but no commercial recordings were made by Mickey.  He died at home in Donegal in May 1970.