Preserving Irish Traditional Music in Chicago: Francis O'Neill

Sergeant James O'Neill

James O'Neill's home in Brighton Park

James O'Neill

Born in 1862 in Belfast, Co. Down, James O’Neill was a key collaborator with Francis O’Neill in his collecting projects. He was an accomplished fiddler, much like his father, John O’Neill. He was introduced to Francis O’Neill in 1884 by Joe Cant, a highland piper, and the two became friends and colleagues for many years to come. James joined the Chicago Police Department in 1891 and moved to Brighton Park in 1898 where he worked for the local Police District. His home at 3522 S. Washtenaw became a hub for Irish traditional music sessions especially after the death of Francis’s son, Rogers, in 1904, when sadly, music was no longer heard in Francis’s and Anna’s Hyde Park home. James O’Neill was a central member of the Irish Music Club and an important voice on the selection committee for O’Neill’s publications. A fluent music reader and writer, he transcribed tunes directly from the singing, playing, humming, and lilting of donors, and in addition, contributed numerous tunes from his father’s manuscripts and some of the grief-stricken songs he heard his mother sing as a young boy. He notated and arranged music included in the three first collections from 1903, 1907, and 1908. With a particular affinity for jigs, he contributed 47 double and 32 single jigs to O’Neill’s first publication, Music of Ireland (1903). Among them were Drink and Be Merry, Doctor O’Halloran, Joy Be With You, McArdle’s Fancy, Wait Awhile, and When William At Eve.

Bernard Delaney

Photograph of Francis O'Neill, Barney Delaney, and a friend

Bernard Delaney

Bernard ‘Barney’ Delaney was born in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, moved to Philadelphia, PA in 1880, and later to Chicago. Excited to share the news of the self-taught piper’s arrival in the city, Sgt. James Cant promptly introduced him to Francis O’Neill. As O’Neill and the wider Irish community got to know Delaney, they grew to admire him greatly, not just as an outstanding musician, but as one who was “modest and unspoiled by flattery.”[1] He often played in Chicago concert venues such as the Central Music Hall and the Auditorium, and although he performed briefly with the Power’s Ivy Leaf Theatrical Company in many prime venues across the country, he chose to return and live in Chicago. Of Delaney’s contribution to the tradition, O’Neill said “The interest in the study and practice of traditional Irish music was noticeably affected by the excellence of Delaney’s execution, for he was in great demand as an attraction on festive and various public occasions.”[2] O’Neill also noted the unique contribution of tunes that Delaney made to his collections from his midlands birthplace. Although he played all dances equally well, he had a preference for reels, and among his contributions to O’Neill’s efforts were The Slashing Reel, and The Milliner’s Daughter. He also contributed The Joy of My Life, which was not only a personal favorite, but also a cherished tune for James Early and John McFadden. Out of mischief, Early and McFadden played a recurring joke with Delaney’s “pet jig” An Bhean do Bhí Ceadna Agam, (The First Woman I Had) when they would “steal” the tune for their set, and play it right before the young piper would step on stage!

Barney Delaney became O’Neill’s brother-in-law when he married Anna’s sister, Julia Rogers. Despite a falling-out later in life, O’Neill held Delaney in great admiration as a musician and was very fond of him as a friend and relative. This affection can be seen in an undated letter from O’Neill to his son-in-law, officer Jim Mooney, whose help he sought when Delaney went missing.[3] O’Neill suspected he may be in Cuba where he occasionally visited, and his letter shows signs of both the affection he felt for his brother-in-law tinged with a skepticism that may indicate this was not the first time Barney’s behavior got him into trouble.

Letter regarding Barney Delaney, written by Francis O'Neill to Jim Mooney

Transcription of O’Neill’s letter to Jim Mooney:

Box 7 Glengariff, Ocean Springs Miss.

Dear Jim,

The attached letter explains itself. Will you please write to the Police Officials of Havana, Cuba and try to dig Barney up. He may have gotten drunk after getting out of the hospital or may have been slugged or thrown into the Bay or other hiding place.

Description. 5 ft 7--Age 70 or over--mustache usually dyed--brown eyes, false teeth, Roman nose, etc.--It is important to find him on account of P.B.A and other matters.

Here’s hoping that “you all” are as well as we are.

With Affectionate Regards,

Francis O’Neill

Tell Julia not to mention this just now.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Edward Cronin

Edward Cronin

Edward Cronin was born in Limerick Junction, County Tipperary in 1838. He was an accomplished fiddler who moved to Chicago having spent some time in New York without success in his profession as a weaver. It was some years before he became acquainted with O’Neill and enjoyed great acclaim among the music community in his later years. Although it took some time for him to recall the many tunes of his youth, once he began to remember, O’Neill notes that his “memory was a mine of traditional Irish melody.”[1] He became a member of the Irish Music Club and part of the selection committee for O’Neill’s publications. As one of few immigrant Irish musicians who could read and write music, Cronin assisted Francis and James O’Neill in notating some of the collected melodies. He also contributed tunes he composed in honor of the Chief and his family, among them Rogers O’Neill, Caroline O’Neill’s Hornpipe and Doctor O’Neill, as well as the Bantry Hornpipe which takes its name from the town near O’Neill’s home village of Tralibane in West Cork.

John McFadden (L) and James Early (R)

James Early and John McFadden 

James Early, a piper from Cloone, County Leitrim, was born in the late 1840s and brought to America as a young boy. He had learned to play the fiddle and flute in Ireland, taking lessons from renowned musician David Quinn, but a challenging life in America resulted in a musical hiatus for many years. In 1874 he moved to Chicago where he joined the Police Department and met Francis O’Neill, thus beginning a relationship that would continue until Early’s death in 1914. Another connection he made was with Chicago-based piper, James Quinn, whom it transpired was a relative of Early’s. Inspired by Quinn’s playing, Early took up the pipes, and with his foundational experience on other instruments he rapidly became an accomplished player himself.[1] An equally adept craftsman, Early also turned his hand to instrumental repair and reed-making. O’Neill spoke of Early’s musical prowess, but also of his kindness, his humility, and his ever-welcoming home in which he was host to many musicians. Among them was Turlough McSweeney, one of the featured musicians in the Irish Village at the Columbian World’s Exposition, who resided in the Early’s house from May to October 1893.[2]

Early became a member of the Irish Music Club in 1901, and with fiddler John McFadden, played at dances and entertainment venues across Chicago. Together with McFadden, he contributed many tunes to O’Neills collections, including the jigs The Cook in the Kitchen and Saddle the Pony.[3]

John McFadden was born in 1847 in Carrowmore, County Mayo. Growing up in a family of fiddle players, McFadden followed his father’s and brother’s footsteps, and under the tutelage of David Quinn, he became a distinguished player. O’Neill first saw McFadden play in 1897 at a wedding of a mutual friend, and soon thereafter became an integral part of the Chicago traditional musical community and contributor to O’Neills publications. James Early and his friend “Mac”[4] played together as a duo for many years and were remembered fondly, not just as exceptional musicians, but as warm-hearted, practical jokers![5] Other tunes contributed by McFadden and Early include Sgt. Early’s Dream(jig), Shaskeen Reel, and Dunphy’s Hornpipe.[6]

Irish Music Club, Chicago

John Ennis 

A native of County Kildare, John Ennis was an officer of the Chicago Police Department from the mid-1880s. A gifted piper and flutist, Ennis served on the selection committee for O’Neill’s publications. He also served as president and secretary of the Irish Music Club between 1901-1909. As a member of the Club, Ennis played at Chicago Feis Ceoil (music festival) in 1903, as well as the Chicago Centennial in the same year. John Ennis has the distinction of having contributed tunes that were never published prior to Francis O’Neill’s collections including Bessy Murphy, Will You Come Down to Limerick, Kildare Fancy, College Grove, and The Gold Ring, which was a favorite tune of Patrick ‘Patsy’ Touhey.

Selena O'Neill and her fiddle

Selena O'Neill

Selena O’Neill played an instrumental part in the latter half of Francis O’Neill’s collecting. Selena, the daughter of Tim O’Neill from Macroom, County Cork, studied at the Chicago Musical College as a violinist and pianist. She had studied the violin under Leon Sametini and piano under the Sisters at the Nativity Parochial School, which she had attended prior to the Chicago Musical College. As an accomplished violinist and pianist, O’Neill played at the Chicago Gaelic Feis (a festival) in 1912 and Emmet Memorial Hall in 1913.  After James O’Neill had stepped down from transcribing after 1907, Selena helped transcribe and create Westernized versions of traditional tunes. Selena arranged tunes for Popular Selections from O’Neill’s Dance Music of Ireland: Double Jigs, Single Jigs, Hop or Slip Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes (1910), O’Neill’s Irish Music: 400 Choice Selections Arranged for Piano and Violin: Airs, Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes, Long Dances, etc. Most of Them Rare, Many of Then Unpublished (1915), Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922), and Waifs and Strays 2nd Edition (1924).  She also produced a version of The Dance Music of Ireland in 1940. The inclusion of Selena O’Neill in the transcribing process reflects Francis O’Neill’s inclusion of women in the traditional music scene.

Patrick 'Patsy' Touhey

Wax Cylinder Recording of Patsy Touhey Playing The "Ladies' Pantalettes" (Private)

Patrick Touhey 

Another collaborator was Patrick ‘Patsy’ Touhey, an acclaimed uilleann piper from Loughrea, County Galway. Touhey and his family immigrated to the U.S. in 1875, where he continued his studies with Bartley Murphy and John Egan, “the blind piper” (Dunn Collection). In 1893, Touhey played in the Chicago’s World’s Fair in the Blarney Castle, along with Turlough McSweeney. Touhey was instrumental in the selling of music, as he was an early seller of music. Touhey sold cylinder recordings to supplement his income. Patsy Touhey was connected to Francis O’Neill through his connection to Bernard Delaney, who played in The Ivy Leaf in 1888. Touhey recorded many tunes from Francis O’Neill’s collections and contributed tunes such as The Groves and The Kid on the Mountain to the collections. 

Turlough McSweeney

Turlough McSweeney

An accomplished piper, Turlough McSweeney was born in 1831 in Gweedore, County Donegal. Alongside Patsy Touhey, McSweeney played at the Chicago World’s Fair in the Donegal Castle. McSweeney was connected to Francis O’Neill through James Early, who hosted him for the six-month duration of the fair.