John Doherty (musician) facts for kids

Sculpture of John Doherty at the Diamond in Ardara, created by Redmond Herrity and unveiled in 2013 in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the John Doherty Festival

John Doherty (1900 – 26 January 1980) was a famous Irish folk fiddler. He was known for his amazing skill and unique style of playing the fiddle. John came from a family of traveling musicians in County Donegal, Ireland. He became one of the most important traditional Irish musicians of his time.

John Doherty's Life

John Doherty was born in 1900 in Ardara, County Donegal. He was part of a family of Irish Travellers. This group of people traditionally traveled around Ireland for their work. John's family worked as tinsmiths, making things from tin, and as horse traders, buying and selling horses.

John was the youngest of nine children. His father, Mickey 'Mor' Doherty, was also a fiddler. Many of John's brothers and sisters played music too. His mother, Mary McConnell, was a singer. Her brothers were well-known musicians in south Donegal.

When John was a teenager, he had to practice his fiddle in the barn. He wasn't allowed to play for his parents until he had mastered a tune called "Bonny Kate." He listened to recordings of other famous fiddlers, like James Scott Skinner, and learned from their style.

A Master Fiddler

From the late 1940s to the 1970s, many people wanted to record John Doherty's music. They knew he was a very special musician. One important collection of his music is called The Floating Bow. These recordings were made between 1968 and 1974. Many people believe this was when John was playing his best.

John played the fiddle with lots of special touches, called "ornamentation." This included quick notes, slides, and other tricks that made his music sound rich and exciting. He was also influenced by Scottish bagpipe music. Sometimes, he would tune his fiddle in a special way to sound like the long, steady notes of bagpipes.

John Doherty's playing style influenced many other musicians. Famous Irish bands like The Chieftains and Altan learned from his unique way of playing the fiddle. Besides being a musician, John was also a great storyteller. Some of his stories can be found with his music recordings.

Traveling and Recordings

John Doherty often traveled without his own fiddle. He knew that wherever he went, especially to "house dances," someone would lend him one. House dances were parties where families hosted traditional music in their homes. For example, he played on a borrowed fiddle for The Floating Bow recordings.

John was first recorded in 1945 by The Irish Folklore Commission. Later, in 1953, the BBC recorded him. Ten of these 1953 recordings were released on an album called Traditional Dance Music of Ireland. These recordings helped share his music with more people.

Many musicians were inspired by John Doherty. Fiddler Paddy Glackin met John in 1965 and was greatly influenced by him. John Doherty is often called the last of the traveling fiddlers. He passed away in Ballyshannon Rock Hospital, County Donegal.

John Doherty's Music Albums

Here are some of the albums featuring John Doherty's amazing fiddle playing:

Folktrax Label

• 1964 Pedlar's Pack
• 1964 The Star of Donegal
• 1964 The Fiddler and the Fairy (with Mickey Doherty)
• 1964 The Sailor on the Rock (with Simon Doherty)

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Label

• 1974 Johnny Doherty

Gael Linn Records

• 1978 Johnny Doherty (later reissued as Taisce – The Celebrated Recordings)

Topic Records

• 1980 Bundle and Go

Claddagh Records

• 1996 The Floating Bow

Other Collections

• 1961 Jack of all Trades
• The Donegal Fiddle (featuring John on three tracks)
• 1997 Traditional Dance music of Ireland (featuring John on ten tracks)

Documentaries About John Doherty

• 2012 John Doherty ar leirg na gaoithe (produced by Éabhlóid)