Carmel Gunning facts for kids

Carmel Gunning is a talented musician and composer from Sligo, Ireland. She's famous for playing the tin whistle and is also great at singing, playing the flute, guitar, and button accordion. Carmel's special way of playing the whistle comes from her home area of Geevagh in South County Sligo. She grew up surrounded by traditional Irish music, which helped her start playing at a young age.

Early Musical Journey

Carmel Gunning started learning traditional Irish music as a child. Her father, Tom Nangle, taught her old tunes by singing them without words (this is called lilting) or whistling them.

In 1969, Carmel joined her first band, called "Carmel and the Chrystals". They played at local dances in places like Keadue, Geevagh, and Boyle. Her brother, Tom Nangle Jnr., Tony Mullaney, Kevin Conlon, and his brother were also in the band.

Carmel won a big competition in 1976 at the Fleadh Cheoil. She won the All-Ireland tin whistle slow airs competition. She also won a senior Scór title for the "Music Instrument" section. This award includes all traditional Irish instruments like the fiddle, uilleann pipes, accordion, and harp, as well as the tin whistle.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Carmel often played in famous music sessions. These sessions took place at the Trades Club in Sligo Town. She played with other well-known musicians like P. J. Hernon, Mick Shannon, and Joe O'Dowd.

Carmel's Unique Music Style

Carmel Gunning is known for her fast and lively tin whistle playing. This style is common in the "South Sligo" tradition, which also includes fiddle and flute music. Her first solo album, The Lakes of Sligo, helped her become famous around the world. This album features four songs sung without music and 14 amazing tin whistle tunes.

One music reviewer said that Carmel's playing reminds them of another famous tin whistler, Mary Bergin. However, they noted that Carmel plays reels with even more energy. Her music also has many different decorations, like quick tongued triplets. These are similar to the special sounds Sligo fiddlers make with their bows.

Teaching and Performing Around the World

Carmel Gunning has taught music students at the University of Limerick. In 2014, she celebrated 45 years of teaching music! She works hard to share the Sligo musical tradition with younger players. Many of her former students from the Carmel Gunning School of Music have become famous musicians themselves. These include flute and whistle master Liam Kelly from the band Dervish, Orlaith McAuliffe, Olivia McTernan, and June McCormack.

Carmel has played Irish music all over the world. She has performed concerts from Norway to Australia and from America to Japan. In 2006, she led the St. Patrick's Day parade in Perth, Australia, and played several concerts there. In March 2007, she toured Massachusetts, USA. During this tour, she played at different places, gave special classes to experienced students, and performed concerts.

She is also the organizer of the Carmel Gunning School of Music in Sligo Town. Carmel started a summer music festival in the 1990s. This festival brings students from all over Ireland, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.

Music Albums

Carmel Gunning has released several albums throughout her career.

• The Lakes of Sligo (1995)
• Around St. James's Well (1995)
• Carmel Sings Country (2002)
• The Sligo Maid (2004)
• Lament for the Birds (2005) – This album features Jack Harte (spoken word) and Carmel Gunning (music and song).
• The Sound of Coleman Country (2006) – This album features various artists.
• Corran Hill (2008)
• Cathair Shligigh (2019)

Details of Albums

Corran Hill, Carmel Gunning's fifth solo CD, was released in 2008. It features a mix of modern and traditional Irish music and songs.

Some of the tracks on Corran Hill include:

• Song: Erin Gra Mo Chroi
• Song: An Greasai Brog
• Flings: Were You at the Fair
• Song: Donal Og
• Song: Around St. James's Well
• Slow Air: An Chulfhionn
• Song: Katie Daly
• Reels: The Moving Cloud/The Old Bush
• Song: The Exile Far Away
• Reels: Jean's Reel/Colonel Frazer's
• Song: The Geevagh Prisoners
• Jigs: Roger Sherlock's/Corran Hill (a tune Carmel composed herself)

Brendan Emmett and Paul Gurney play with Carmel on this CD. Orlaith McAuliffe from London is also a special guest.

Books by Carmel Gunning

Carmel Gunning has also published books about music.

Her first book was launched at The Coleman Music Centre in Gurteen, County Sligo. It contains over sixty popular tunes from South Sligo and other areas.

In 2019, Carmel published Shamrocks from Geevagh, a book with 40 songs. Also in 2019, she published The Sligo Maid. This book has 64 of her own musical compositions. She released it to celebrate her 50th year in the music industry.

Podcast Interview

You can listen to an interview with Carmel Gunning that was recorded in May 2010. It is available online at http://www.podcasts.ie/featured-musicians/carmel-gunning/

See also

• Celtic music
• Irish Recorded Music Association
• Irish topics
• Irish traditional music session