Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney - The Donegal Melodeon

Dermot & Steve have played together over many years, recording and touring extensively in numerous line-ups.  This recording is a collection of tunes that Dermot learned from previous generations of master musicians of Donegal, in particular from the South-West of the county, an area renowned for it's traditions of music, dance and song.  Important musical influences in the local tradition include the music of lilters, travelling tinsmiths, and that of the many notable musicians residing in the general area.  Dermot's father Tomás, also an accordian player, played a significant role in his musical development.  Dermot's unique mastery of melodeon (and accordian), rooted in the Teelin fiddle style, reflects all these formative influences.

Steve arrived in Ireland in 1980 from Australia, and is perhaps best-known for his innovative guitar accompaniment to west Kerry dance music.  He has accompanied numerous artists in different genres of music over the years, and his accompaniments on this recording reflect this diversity of styles.  While producing an album locally more than twenty years ago, the magic of Teelin captivated him, and he lived here since then.