Paul McGlinchey

[murrough o'kane]

Three times All-Ireland senior flute champion (1993, 1994 and 1995) and runner-up on two other occasions (1990, 1992), "Paul McGlinchey", who also won the All-Ireland flute slow airs competition in 1991, the miscellaneous instruments title in 1992 and, with fiddle player Barry McLaughlin, the duet competition in 1993, has finally "unearthed" his solo album which has been approximately 2 years in the making, and hugely long-awaited.

Paul, who was born and bred in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, grew up in a family whose parents both had a deep interest in Irish music.

His father came from a very rural area of Co. Tyrone near the village of Carrickmore and would have heard many musicians come and play in houses in the locality in his youth.

His mother came from the townland of Carnaleck, near Tubbercurry in County Sligo, an area synonymous with traditional Irish music. Several members of her family played music, including his uncles Gerard, Tommy and Packie McCarrick, and his cousins John Gildea and Jack McCarrick. Paul was immersed in house sessions in Sligo from a very early age.

Paul's aptly-named debut album "Unearthed" features musicians of the calibre of:

• Paul McGlinchey (D flute, F flute)
• Brid Harper (Fiddle)
• MacDara Ó Raghallaigh (Fiddle)
• Stevie Dunne (Guitar, Banjo)
• Ryan Molloy (Piano)
• Seamus O’Kane (Bodhrán)

with a carefully hand-picked selection of; reels, jigs, hornpipes, flings and slow airs (15 tracks in total), recorded at the distinguished 'Homestead Studios', Randalstown, Co. Antrim, by no other than the widely-acclaimed Shaun "Mudd" Wallace.

Brid Harper is a member of a very well known musical family. Originally from Castlefin in Co. Donegal, she now lives in Galbally, Co. Tyrone. She has been hailed as one of the leading exponents of traditional fiddle playing of our time. She was senior All-Ireland champion and Fiddler of Dooney winner in 1988.

MacDara Ó Raghallaigh also comes from a very well respected musical family. He was born and still lives near the village of Rathmoylan in Co. Meath. Like Brid, he is readily accepted as one of the leading fiddle players in Ireland at the present time. He was senior All-Ireland champion in 1992 and is also a past winner of the Fiddler of Dooney competition.

Stevie Dunne is a native of Co. Louth, but has lived and worked in Belfast for several years. He is well known in Belfast as a top class guitarist and banjo player and is in heavy demand for both recording and gigs in the north and further afield.

Ryan Molloy lives in Pomeroy, Co. Tyrone. A former under-18 All-Ireland champion on the fiddle, he now concentrates on the piano. He has recorded a number of albums in the past few years to great acclaim.

Seamus O’Kane is a native of Dungiven, Co. Derry. He is a known throughout the traditional music scene in Ireland and has recorded with other flute players including Marcas Ó Murchú, Harry Bradley and John Wynne.

Paul McGlinchey's Unearthed, is truly a stunning album, and all 15 tracks have a short MP3 sample, which can be heard on his website:

http://www.flutemcglinchey.com

[Cathy Wilde]

YEAH!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cathy Wilde]

Whoa, just listened to a sample of the Dermot Byrne's and Paddy Mills's tracks .... dandy stuff, just brilliant in-your-face flute playing, I love it!

Sounds like it was totally worth the wait (and I sure hope y'all just photoshopped that material around that Hammy). Love the site design as well; most elegant!

Really looking forward to getting my copy.

[murrough o'kane]

Yeah, no problem Cathy, and many thanks re: the compliments on the design. Ha ha, aye, the flute that I photographed then photoshopped is actually my own Sam Murray flute, which I flipped horizontal, to make it look like a right handed flute, then did more 'potatoshop' trickery on the colour / opacity of it et all, so as to be in keeping with the look of the rest of the website, to have it looking smart on t'interwang!

Glad you liked what you heard. Paul's an amazing player and I really think that it's a fantastic album and I've half-burned-out the laser on my CD player listening to it at this stage.

Enjoy more when it arrives with you!

[BrendanB]

It's great to see that Paul is coming out with a solo album. Some of the best music I've ever heard was from a session in Belfast City Centre with Paul, Jason O'Rourke, and Desy Adams. Great, powerful playing.

B

[pmcallis]

I know that its mainly the player not the flute but, geez, I hope "McG" mentions the flute(s) he plays on the CD. What a sound! Players with that kind of talent should not be allowed to record. It causes severe mental depression among the rest of us mere mortal players.
Paul

[Cathy Wilde]

Yeah, no problem Cathy, and many thanks re: the compliments on the design. Ha ha, aye, the flute that I photographed then photoshopped is actually my own Sam Murray flute, which I flipped horizontal, to make it look like a right handed flute, then did more 'potatoshop' trickery on the colour / opacity of it et all, so as to be in keeping with the look of the rest of the website, to have it looking smart on t'interwang!

Glad you liked what you heard. Paul's an amazing player and I really think that it's a fantastic album and I've half-burned-out the laser on my CD player listening to it at this stage.

Enjoy more when it arrives with you!

"Potatoshop" -- that's brilliant. Must steal!

OK, slap me hard -- it was a quick glance, but I thought it was a dead ringer for my cocus Hamilton Eb. And here my D is a Murray -- DOH!

The site does look smart indeed and is easy on old eyes like mine, which, given that flute ID gaffe, obviously need all the help they can get.

Thanks again and many congratulations to you and Paul and the whole production crew. I can tell I'm going to wear this CD out, too. As we say around here, that's "hellacious good stuff."

[Loren]

I know that its mainly the player not the flute but, geez, I hope "McG" mentions the flute(s) he plays on the CD.

On the photos page he appears to be playing a lovely piece of Boxwood.

Heh, real men don't need no stinkin' Mpingo.


Loren

[Paul McGlinchey]

Hello All!

Thanks very much for all the positive comments and to those who have bought the CD. I truly hope you enjoy it.

There seems to be a bit of a debate about the flute used! Here are some of the answers!

The D flute used in the recordings is a Sam Murray flute which I've had since 1990. I cannot remember the name of the F flute just at the minute, I bought it on ebay and will get back to you.

The flute on the front cover is unnamed. I bought it also through Ebay and it comes from the US. i think it looks like Firth, Pond and Co flutes I have seen on the internet.

The boxwood flute that Loren refers to is a Rudall and Rose flute that I again bought through Ebay. I have been slowly moving towards using it as my "main" flute but am still not 100% sure that its better than the Murray.

I hope that helps to clear up some of the queries. Thanks again for all your interest and support.

Paul

[kkrell]

Way to go, Paul.

[RudallRose]

yet another who leans to the "unsightly" "nasty" "out-of-tune" "how could it possibly be like today's" Rudall & Rose original.

Careful, Paul.
Folks will start to doubt your sanity! <wink>

Nicely done on the CD. I've been following your progress with great interest and glad to see it completed.

Too bad we never did meet at the All-Ireland those years (and trust you to have remembered we were supposed to!). We'd have had a few for sure.

And I'm surely glad one of us won.(though I'd be lying if I didn't hope..... )

This recording sets you on top where you ought to be.
Well done.

dave

[Paul McGlinchey]

The F flute is made by SA Chappell, Bond Street, London

[Guinness]

Great stuff!

[brotherwind]

Very nice recording. I like the album very much.

Thanks, Paul and keep up the great playing!

[Cathy Wilde]

Am hoping mine will be in the mailbox today but it's a long, long way from there to here, so ....