Paddy Tunney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paddy Tunney
Born	28 January, 1921 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	7 December, 2002 County Donegal, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Parent(s)	Brigid Tunney (née Gallagher) (mother)

Paddy Tunney (born January 28, 1921 – died December 7, 2002) was a very famous Irish traditional singer, poet, writer, and storyteller. He was also known for his unique way of singing without words, called lilting. Many people affectionately called him the Man of Songs because he knew so many tunes!

Early Life and Musical Roots

Paddy Tunney was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents, Patrick and Brigid, were both from Ireland. Just a few weeks after Paddy was born, his family moved back to Ireland, settling in a small cottage in Rusheen, County Donegal.

Paddy's family had a strong musical background. His mother, Brigid, came from a long line of musicians and knew countless traditional songs. His maternal grandfather, Michael Gallagher, was Paddy's first music teacher. Paddy remembered learning his very first song, "The Lark in the Morning," from his grandfather when he was just four years old! A year later, his family moved to Garvery, County Fermanagh. Throughout his childhood, his mother remained the biggest influence on his singing style and the songs he learned. His uncle, Michael Gallagher, also taught him many funny songs.

Paddy went to Derryhollow National School and later Ballyshannon Technical School. His first jobs included working as a forester and a road worker. During a challenging time in his younger years, he spent four years in prison. This experience deeply affected him. After his release, he went to Dublin and studied at University College Dublin to become a health inspector. He worked in Dublin and Kerry before settling in Donegal in 1950. In 1955, he married Julia Bradley. They had six children: Paddy, Cathal, Brigid, Michael, Maura, and John. All of them became singers, carrying on the family's musical tradition.

A Life Full of Music

Paddy loved Irish traditional music. In 1952, he attended his first Fleadh Cheoil na h-Éireann, which is a big annual festival for Irish music. After that, he rarely missed it! In the early 1960s, he started judging at the Fleadh and attended many workshops about traditional music. For almost 20 years, he taught young singers at Scoil Éigse, sharing his songs and singing techniques.

For over ten years, starting in the 1960s, Paddy was a regular performer in English folk clubs. He sang alongside other famous musicians like Joe Heaney and Louis Killen. He also became friends with important figures in folk music, such as Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.

In the mid-1970s, Paddy moved to Salthill, County Galway for seven years. This time gave him the chance to focus on his writing. He wrote poetry, composed many songs, and even wrote his famous book, The Stone Fiddle. He moved back to Donegal in 1982.

Broadcasting and Influence

Paddy started broadcasting his music as early as 1952. He worked for Radio Éireann and the BBC, sharing Irish traditional music with a wider audience. Throughout the 1960s, he wrote and presented many radio programs for RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster. In the 1980s, he worked with Ciarán Mac Mathúna on a four-part radio show about Irish traditional singing. He also helped create two award-winning TV documentaries for the BBC about the traditions of his home area in west Fermanagh. Later, he was featured in a TG4 TV series called Sé Mo Laoch.

Paddy's family songs became popular with many traditional singers. Even famous bands and artists like The Chieftains, Planxty, Steeleye Span, Paul Brady, and Altan have performed songs from his collection.

His Passing

Paddy Tunney passed away on December 7, 2002, at the age of 81. He was laid to rest at Conwall Cemetery in Letterkenny.

Recordings

Paddy Tunney recorded many albums throughout his life, sharing his beautiful voice and songs with the world. Some of his albums include:

• The Lark in the Morning (1956)
• The Man of Songs (1962)
• A Wild Bee's Nest (1965)
• The Mountain Streams Where the Moorcocks Crow (1975)
• The Stone Fiddle (1981)
• Where the Linnets Sing: Three generations of the Tunney family and their songs (1992)

In 2009, his song "The Waterford Boys" from A Wild Bee's Nest was included in a special boxed set celebrating 70 years of Topic Records.

His Writings

Paddy Tunney wrote two books about Irish traditional songs and singers. While not full autobiographies, they are filled with his personal memories of people he met and songs he sang. These books are:

• The Stone Fiddle: My Way to Traditional Song (1979)
• Where Songs do Thunder: Travels in Traditional Song (1991)

Paddy also wrote poetry since he was a child. A collection of his poems was published as Dúchas and other poems. He even wrote children's stories! In 1990, his book Ulster Folk Stories for Children was published.

Songs He Collected

Paddy Tunney collected and sang many songs that are now very well-known in traditional Irish music. Some of these include:

• "Moorlough Mary"
• "Lough Erne Shore"
• "Craigie Hill"
• "The Green Fields of Canada"
• "When a Man's in Love"
• "The Mountain Streams where the Moorcocks Crow"
• "The May Morning Dew"