Ballinasloe celebrates a much-loved musical son

A host of traditional musicians will gather in Ballinasloe from Friday next September 11, to Sunday September 13, for the second Larry Reynolds Irish Music Weekend. The celebration in honour of one of the area’s most famous and most popular sons follows the success of the inaugural festival in his memory last year.

Fiddle player Larry Reynolds hailed from the townland of Shanboley, Ahascragh, near Ballinasloe. He emigrated to Boston in 1953 where he became a highly influential figure, both musically and socially. His East Galway style of playing won him many fans, and he made an enormous contribution to Irish music all over North America.

In 1975 Larry was a founding member of the now renamed Reynolds-Hanafin-Cooley Boston Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. He was also a member of the Tara Céilí Band and Connacht Céilí Band. He featured on many well-known albums, was listed in the Top 100 Irish-Americans and was an Irish music broadcaster on a Boston radio station. Larry also played for two Irish Presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, as well as for some of America’s political elite, including Tip O’Neill and William Bulger.

Locally, Larry played every Monday night at the Green Briar séisiún, plying his craft and mentoring many other musicians.

Larry and his wife Phyllis lived in Waltham, where they operated an open-door policy for many young Irish and American musicians. Throughout his life Larry paved the way for generations of these people.

The work he did for young Irish emigrants is legendary, and many young people were sent to this man who unselfishly helped them get their ‘first start’.

Ballinasloe’s weekend in his honour will kick off with the Larry Reynolds Memorial Concert on Friday, September 11, at 8pm in the Town Hall. It will showcase some of the finest exponents of Irish music including Citizen Keane – Seán, Matt, Noel and Pat of the Keane family from Caherlistrane.  The Matt Cunningham Band and members of Larry’s extended family will also take part. This concert in Ballinasloe Town Hall, with its superb acoustics, promises to be a fine start to the weekend. Tickets are €18 and booking is recommended.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.