I have seen Aoife give presentations about the project at least twice and was looking forward to see this come to fruition.
Here she is at a presentation this summer, with friends and family (sorry pic a bit larger than planned):
and Catherine McEvoy remembering John Kelly (with Aoife Kelly and Mick O'Connor):
John was a towering presence when I started learning this music and I must say I am one of many who met the sharp end of his opinions of what was right and wrong. Playing the Teddy Bear's picnic on the pipes was definitely out, no matter how tongue in cheek it was. But it was his playing as a member of Ceoltoiri Chualann, Ceoltoiri Laighan, the Castle Ceiliband or just him playing the concertina, or playing the fiddle in the back of Friel's with Joe Ryan, Bobby Casey and Junior Crehan was always inspiring and he left his mark on generations of musicians. Kelly was also the man who instigated the recording session that saved some of Johnny Doran's playing for posterity.
The memorial to John Kelly at Kilbaha Pier, near his place of birth, that I happened to snap two weeks ago:
The website:
John Kelly Capel Street
