Birth name Gerry O'Connor Children Fiach O'Connor | Years active 1987 | |
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Genres Irish traditional
Folk
Celtic music Occupation(s) Musician, producer, composer, Music teacher Labels Lughnasa Music
Sony Music
Claddagh Records
Gael Linn Associated acts Eithne Ní Uallacháin, Dónal O'Connor, Gilles le Bigot, The Irish Rovers, Oirialla Music groups Four Men and a Dog, The Irish Rovers Albums Cosa Gan Bhróga, Myriad, Songs of Christmas, Children of the Unicorn, The First of the Irish Rovers | ||
Gerry "Fiddle" O'Connor (born in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland is a traditional Irish fiddle player, and founding member of bands, Skylark and La Lúgh.
Contents
Career
O'Connor's family have played fiddle for at least four generations, Gerry learning his music from his mother, Rose O'Connor, and also from hand-written manuscripts passed down through the family.
He later came under the influence of Sligo fiddler John Joe Gardiner. Gerry's performances concentrate on long forgotten tunes from his home area in the North East of Ireland, many of which were recorded on his 2004 album, Journeyman. From 2005-10 Gerry was Lecturer in Traditional Music Performance at Dundalk Institute of Technology during which time he was awarded with MA by Research on the Dance Music of Oriel under the supervision of Dr Fintan Vallely.
In addition to his solo performances and recordings, O'Connor is a founding member of two bands: Skylark (who have recorded four albums) and with Eithne Ní Uallacháin in La Lúgh (whose album Brighid's Kiss was voted album of the year in 1996 by readers of Irish Music Magazine). He has recently released album Oirialla with his new band featuring the Music and Song of South Ulster.
Gerry has also toured and recorded with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and is the compiler and publisher of “I have Travelled this Country” a book with CD ROM documenting Cathal McConnell’s Boys of the Lough formidable collection of traditional song. With Breton Guitarist Gilles le Bigott. This Irish Breton duo recorded a live album In Concert in DZ (Douarananez) and have toured together each year since 2006.
In September 2013 Gerry joined The Irish Rovers.[2] for their "Farewell to Roving Tours of eastern Canada and USA will be a guest with the band on their New Zealand and Hawaii tour in September 2014.
Gerry is also a qualified violin maker and works as restorer and supplier of fine instruments when at home. He was Céilí Band Music Consultant on the film "Boys and Girls of County Clare" (Lionsgate) 2003 worked as Fiddle Coach with Colm Meaney, Andrea Corr, Bernard Hill and Partick Bergin.
Recently Gerry has been working with Fintal Vallely on the development of "Compánach", an intimate acoustic recital of music and song which interprets the nature, scope and quality of Irish Traditional music as described in the encyclopedia Companion to Irish Traditional Music.
Personal life
Gerry married singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin. Their eldest son, Dónal is a fiddler, producer and recording studio owner, while their second son Feilimí is a factual television producer with Stirling Films and Television Productions Belfast.
Discography
Songs
Weigh - Hey and Up She Rises1996
The Drunken SailorHome in Ireland · 2011
Donald Where's Your TrousersThe First of the Irish Rovers · 1966