(1971) O’Dalaigh’s Ceili Band – The World of Irish Dancing
Argo issue number: SPA/A 150
Produced by: Kevin Daly
Recorded by: ?Ade Martins
Cover photo: Mac McCulloch
Availability: long deleted by Argo/Decca; available on vinyl and CD from The Yetties website. Click here.
Performers
Bonny Sartin – vocals, percussion
Mac MacCulloch – guitar, banjo
Pete Shuttler – accordeon
Bob Common – drums
Dave Kettlewell – flute
Oscar Burridge – fiddle
Decca studio caretaker – piano
Side 1
REELS – The Spanish Lady/The Teetoallr/Mason’s Apron
HORNPIPES – Harvest Home/The Kingston/The Sunshine
JIGS – Frost Is All Over/Blackthorn Stick/Swallow’s Nest
WALTZES – Slieve Gallon Braes/The Wild Colonial Boy/Green Glens Of Antrim
MARCHES – All The Way To Galway/The Boys Of Wexford/Roddy McCorley
SET DANCE – The Hunt
JIGS – Kelly’s Jig/Foxhunter’s Jig/Drops Of Brandy
Side 2
REELS – Jimmy Allan/Down By The Sally Gardens/Drowsy Maggie
MARCHES – Kelly The Boy From Killane/The Minstrel Boy/Lass Of Bon Accord
WALTZES – Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms/Bendemeer’s Dream/The Star Of The County Down
JIGS – The Rakes Of Kildare/Munster Buttermilk/The Irish Washerwoman
SET DANCE – Madame Bonaparte
HORNPIPES – The Boys Of Bluehill/Sligo Fancy/Smith’s Favourite
REELS – The Scholar/Sheehan’s/Peter Street
No mistaking its Irishness
“A wholly Irish record, and there’s no mistaking its Irishness,” said reviewer W. A. Chislett in The Gramophone, “The World of Irish Dancing containing Reels, Hornpipes, Jigs, Waltzes, Marches, and a couple of set dances (The Hunt and Madame Bonaparte) played in dashing, tip-toe fashion by O’Dalaigh’s Ceili Band.”
Except that it’s Dorset’s finest, The Yetties, plus whoever was around in the Decca studios at the time of recording, as Bonny Sartin explained later:
“Back in 1971 we recorded a live album (Our Friends The Yetties) at Decca Studios in London. This all went swimmingly and we finished with hours to spare. The audience went off home and we were about to depart ourselves when Kevin Daly, the producer, came up with an alternative plan. He had the studio booked and he was determined to make the most of it.
(In the picture: producer Kevin Daly at the mixing desk in Decca Studio 4, Tollington Park – thanks to Kevin’s son Michael for the pic)
“At that time Decca were producing their 99p ‘World Of’ series of LPs. They had the ‘The World of Scottish Music’, The World of Welsh Song’ etc. etc. etc. but amongst the huge catalogue there was no ‘World of Irish Dancing’.
“Kevin knew that Pete and the other friends on the recording, Dave Kettlewell on flute and Oscar Burridge on fiddle, were well into Irish music and he suggested they knock together an LP. The caretaker at the studio also played the piano and in five minutes flat a band was formed, a variety of jigs, reels, waltzes were decided upon and the tape was running.
“Now, this LP was going to be aimed at the Irish market so it was no good calling the band The Yetties. Therefore, in honour of Kevin and his whizzo idea, it was named O’Dalaigh’s Ceili Band. Mac took a photo of The Bristol Irish Dancers at Sidmouth Folk Festival and that was the sleeve sorted. I’m delighted to say that the LP sold by the thousand…”
Nice story. But the studio caretaker, where is he now?
(more as and when)
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