Garry Walsh - Biography

Garry Walsh was brought up near Manchester after his parents and members of his family emigrated there. He has since returned to Ireland and has been living in Co Cork for a number of years now. Since concentrating more on his music he has, to quote Irish Music Magazine, "swooped in at top level", making a name for himself as one of Ireland’s finest flute and whistle players.

Garry Walsh - The Tunes

Garry’s father Tony, played the accordion and was an accomplished pianist; he unwittingly learned an extensive collection of rare tunes from the repertoires of his father John Walsh, Drogheda, who was a musician by profession that played the Fiddle, Flute and Piccolo, and his father in law, John Joe Fahy, Skibbereen, a part-time musician that played a two row melodeon. These tunes were passed down in an entirely natural way to Garry over the ensuing years.

Some of these tunes were sent in to Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive. Nicholas confirmed they didn’t have them on record. So Garry’s father began recording more into a simple tape machine, or often lilted a remembered tune to anyone who’d listen. Bodhrán player, Robbie Daly from Dublin, recorded The Sail makers Wife Jig, for example in 2003 at a session with him in Clonakilty, Co Cork.

Garry Walsh - The Recordings

After being persuaded to record these lovely tunes by the Cork melodeon player, Dave Hennessy, he made his debut album “Uncovered” in September 2004 with Ossian publications Cork. It featured Dave Hennessy, melodeon, Clare Fitzpatrick, fiddle, Johnny Neville, guitar and Colm Murphy, bodhrán, Being described as ‘seminal’ by one notable reviewer, going on to receive excellent reviews.

Following on from that success he decided to record more of the tunes and secured the backing of Claddagh records. He enlisted the help of his friends and top musicians Máire Breatnach, fiddle, Colm Murphy, bodhrán, Jim Murray, guitar, Cyril O’Donoghue, bouzouki and Garvan Gallagher, double bass. “Penny Trumpets” was released in December 2007.

Garry Walsh - His Influences

Garry was influenced by just about everybody as he progressed. He learned to play the highland pipes with the Kerry Pipers as a boy and transferred those piping techniques over to the whistle and later the flute. But mainly it was the rolling lilting of his father together with a spiritual awareness of both his grandparents helped form the basis of his flowing and musical playing style.

Garry is also a singer of both traditional and contemporary songs. He has only recently started to explore the world of song writing. General reaction to his song “Purple Lady”, which appears on his CD Penny Trumpets have been excellent, which have encouraged him to write more. He was influenced by Cathal McConnell, Co Fermanagh, from the band Boys of the Lough. And by a friend of his father, John O’Connell, Co Limerick who used call in to the house looking for music.

Garry plays antique flutes made by Ruddal & Rose and Willis & Goodlad and by contemporary makers Chris Wilkes and Terry McGee. He plays any whistle that sounds and responds well.