This article is from page 38 of the 2009-09-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 38 JPG
TRIBUTES have been paid in the last week to well-known west Clare musician Peadar Crotty.
The Moyasta man died suddenly on Wednesday morning, August 19, just hours after he chaired a meeting of the Nell Galvin Festival Committee.
The 69-year-olds unexpected pass- ing was a shock to family and friends, among them some of the county’s most revered musicians.
Peadar’s popularity in music circles was clear following his burial when 20 musicians gathered in the local public house and played in his hon- o)ine
It was, however, as a husband, fa-
ther and kind neighbour that the committee chairman and farmer will be missed most.
Secretary of the Nell Galvin week- end, and long-time neighbour of Mr Crotty’s, Mary Haugh paid tribute to his kind and placid nature, and a su- perb since of humour.
‘He was one of the best neighbours anyone could be blessed to have,” she PALO
‘He was ideal as chairman for the Nell Galvin. He never lost the cool, and if things were tense he always had a funny word.”
Fellow musician Murt Collins de- scribed the death of Peadar as “an awful loss and a loss to the festival as well.”
Peadar, a talented player of the concert flute and tin whistle, played regularly with Mr Collins, Bernie Keane nee O’Halloran and Bernie Eustace in pubs and at events around the county.
A keen singer, Peadar was also one of the musicians to grace “Blondes” in Miltown Malbay on a regular basis with other local musicians, including the last Michael Mahoney and Gerh Collins who also passed away in the past year.
A regular member of the choir at Lisdeen Church, one of Peadar’s proudest achievements was to play for the former American ambassador Jean Kennedy-Smith in the Phoenix Park.
Peadar Crotty came from a family steeped in Irish traditional music and dance.
His father Tommy played the fiddle, as did his grandfather also Tommy, who was well-known for dancing the “orange and green’. Peadar’s brother, the late PJ Crotty, was also a well re- nowned musician.
He is survived by his wife Jose- phine (O’Brien), sons Brian and Ger- ard and two sisters Bridget Leonard and Maura Clohessy.