On their first album together, called The Sunny Banks, Edel Fox (concertina and fiddle) and Neill Byrne (fiddle) have recorded sixteen tracks, including eleven sets of jigs and reels, a barndance, a march, a set of slip jigs, a set of hornpipes and an air. Both players play a solo set of reels. Caoimhín Ó Fearghail accompanies on guitar or bouzouki on most tracks, and Richie Lyons joins in on bodhrán on some.

For a traditional album it features a high proportion of material with composition credits: ‘It is important to acknowledge all the great composers whose tunes feature throughout this album,’ write the artists. ‘Your creativity has provided us with great musical inspiration.’

The reels ‘McKenna Country’, ‘The Humours of Nickey’ and ‘Joey’s Delight’ were written by Leitrim fiddler Joe Liddy. ‘Breffni O’Reilly’s’ is an Ed Reavy tune. ‘The Meadow’ and ‘Ahern’s Egg’ are from Cork man Finbarr Dwyer. Dywer, say the artists, ‘is [also] well known for his skill in taking a older traditional tune and making the melody his own’.

‘Jocylyn’s Jig’ is a version of a Tommy Peoples’ waltz. ‘The Hill of Bruff’ jig is by Meath accordion player, Lorna Davey; ‘The One that was Lost’ and ‘The Penny Candle’ are by Paddy O’Brien (the Tipperary one). ‘The Lochanside’ was written by a pipe major named John McLellan (1875—1949).

Fox herself composed ‘Nana Jo’s’. ‘The Nightingale’ is by Seán Ryan. ‘Farewell to London’ is by the Armagh-born fiddle player, Brendan McGlinchy. ‘The Chapel Bell’ is composed by Frank McCollam from County Antrim. ‘The Woods of Caol Rua’ and ‘The Road to Eyries’ are by John Dwyer, and Charlie Lennon composed ‘In Memory of Tommy McCarthy’.

There are plenty of un-credited tunes but most are played in less common versions, for example the version of ‘A Pigeon on the Gate’ which they got ‘from the playing of Noel Hill from the “bible” CD Noel Hill and Tony Linnane.’

Tracklisting

Reels: McKenna Country / Breffni O’Reilly’s / The Meadow
Jigs: Jocylyn’s Jig / Ahern’s Egg / Poirt Cúl Aodha
Barndance: Kitty O’Neill’s
Jigs: Hill Of Bruff / The One That Was Lost / Australian Waters
Reels: Humours Of Nickey / The Penny Candle / Joey’s Delight
Scottish Retreat March: Loughanside
Reels: Nana Jo’s / Murphy’s / Jackson’s
Jigs: Drive The Cows Home / The Kilfinnane / The Nightingale
Reels: The Pigeon On The Gate / John In The Fog
Slip jigs: Elizabeth Kelly’s Delight / The First Slip
Reels: The Jug Of Punch / Maude Millar’s / Farewell To London
Jigs: Frank McCollum’s / The Woods Of Caol Rua / The Green Forest
Air: Seothín Seothó
Hornpipes: Eamonn McGivney’s / The Road To Eyries
Jigs: In Memory Of Tommy McCarthy
Reels: The Humours Of Lisadell / Give The Lady Her Fourpence / The Sunny Banks

The Sunny Banks can be ordered through www.edelfox.com and can be purchased through Custy’s Music Shop, Claddagh Records, CD Baby and iTunes.