Dear Editor,

Having read another of Bob Quinn’s self-serving ‘more Conamara than the Connies themselves’ articles (‘Exotica Anonymous’, March/April 2003), I can only say that I would much prefer to listen to the beautiful and moving singing of Pádraigín Ní hUallacháin, Lillis Ó Laoire, Brian Ó Dónaill et al than listen to a man sing his own praises. And, as regards the ‘learnability’ of Conamara sean-nós, to say that Mairéad Nic Uistín is the only living ‘non-Connie’ who has mastered the style is to ignore such fine singers as Antaine Ó Faracháin and Éamonn Mac Donncha, both of whom hail from Bob’s own native Dublin.

Antain Mac Lochlainn
Skerries
Co. Dublin