Cathal McConnell


Cathal McConnell is a musician and singer best known as the mainstay of traditional band The Boys of the Lough, of which he was a founder member.

Early life

Coming from a family of singers and flute-players in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, McConnell is an All-Ireland champion in both flute and whistle, both in 1962. He plays his music in the traditional Fermanagh style, which he learned from his childhood. His father Sandy, a well known traditional singer and musician, recorded for the BBC in the 1950s. His early musical collaborators in Ireland were fiddler Tommy Gunn and Robin Morton.

The Boys of the Lough

After meeting at a folk festival in Falkirk, Scotland, the group The Boys of the Lough was formed and their first recording was released in 1973. Originally consisting of McConnell on flute, Aly Bain, Dick Gaughan and Robin Morton. Although there have now been multiple line-up changes, the group remains active and has 21 studio albums to its name. McConnell is the only remaining founder member.

Other projects

Outside the Boys of the Lough, Cathal has released two collections of songs and tunes, performed in duos with Robin Morton, Scots fiddler Duncan Wood, Irish fiddler Gerry O'Connor, and as 'The Cathal McConnell Trio' with Kathryn Nicoll and Karen Marshalsay.
In recent years fiddle player Gerry O'Connor has compiled a collection from Cathal's song repertoire which has been published as I Have Travelled This Country.

Accolades

McConnell is an All-Ireland champion in both flute and whistle, winning both Senior titles at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann held in Gorey, County Wexford in 1962.
Following a longstanding involvement with the annual Willie Clancy Summer School in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, the School paid tribute to McConnell with an evening of speeches, music and song dedicated to him at the 2009 event.
In 2010 McConnell was awarded the Gradam an Amhrání/Traditional Singer of the Year award at the TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards ceremony.

Discography

See also The Boys of the Lough discography.
Other recordings include: