Denis 'The Hat' McMahon and Connie O'Connell play tunes reflecting their Sliabh Luachra musical influences.
Originally from Castleisland, County Kerry, but now living in Ballyhar near Killarney, Denis 'The Hat' McMahon plays fiddle and accordion.
He learned the fiddle from Jerry McCarthy and accordion from Padraig O'Keeffe, both masters of the Sliabh Luachra tradition. Denis McMahon describes Jerry McCarthy as a bit of a character and a good storyteller.
Denis McMahon is joined by fiddle player and composer Connie O'Connell from Cill na Martra County Cork. They play two jigs, one from piper Tommy Reck the piper, and the second from Johnny O’Leary which is called 'Tomáisín O’Connell’s Jig’.
These are followed by two reels, the first being ‘The Callan Lasses’ and the second is from Dan Cronin, a flute player of renown from Ballyvourney.
This episode of ‘The Pure Drop’ was broadcast on 1 April 1991. The presenter is Iarla Ó Lionaird.
The Pure Drop' was an Irish traditional music programme produced by musician and broadcaster Tony MacMahon. The first series was filmed at the height of the summer festival season in 1987, with six of its nine episodes presented by fiddler James Kelly from Óstán Dún an Óir in Ballyferriter, West Kerry. It was first broadcast on 07 January 1988. Singer Iarla Ó Lionáird took over as presenter for the second, third and fourth series, which were filmed in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, the headquarters of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Monkstown, County Dublin. Fiddler Paddy Glackin presented Series 5 - 9, while fiddler Martin McGinley presented the tenth and final series in 1996. The last episode was broadcast on 25 February 1996.
