Sean McLaughlin, a fiddler - Can anyone help?

[James]

I've been trying to track down some information (or even mp3s composed or recorded by) about my great-grandfather, Sean McLaughlin, a fiddler, better known as the Shadow in County Antrim. Apparently he was quite well known.

I haven't had too much luck, but even if you have heard of him I'd love to hear from you.

[CraigBatty]

I've been trying to track down some information (or even mp3s composed or recorded by) about my great-grandfather, Sean McLaughlin, a fiddler, better known as the Shadow in County Antrim. Apparently he was quite well known.

I haven't had too much luck, but even if you have heard of him I'd love to hear from you.

So you'd have already found this, for example?

http://www.causewaymusic.co.uk/cdff.html
...
"John McLaughlin

John, or Sean as he preferred to be called in later life, was easily the most famous fiddler to come from North Antrim. He was from Armoy, and was known far and wide for his many recordings and even won the All-Ireland Senior Fiddle Competition on at least one occasion.
When he was nine he acquired his first violin and was soon in demand for playing at local Ceilidhs. He learned much of his early music from Ballymoney Fiddler James Kealy.
During the 2nd World War Sean fought with the 1st Battallion of Royal Ulster Rifles.
After the war he came home to Armoy but had to head to England again, looking for work.
In 1957, back home, he won the All-Ireland Senior Fiddle competition, which was in Longford that year. His opponents that year were Sean Gallagher from Donegal and Sean O’Laughlin from Clare. He was last to play and after playing, was asked to stand at the back of the stage while the other two competitors were asked to play again. The audience assumed that Sean had been placed third and that the other two competitors were being asked to play again to decide first & second place, but in fact Sean McLaughlin was the Champion, much to the delight of the crowd.
He was from Armoy and was a great friend of that other legendary Antrim fiddler Sean McGuire R. I. P. As well as being an excellent Fiddler he also composed a number of lovely tunes like ‘McLaughlin’s Dream’, ‘Golden Shadows’ and McLaughlin’s Lament’. He was a fine painter too and most local folk remember him by his nickname ~ 'The Shadow'."...

There's a good few Googled references on The Session.org (http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/6177) of someone chatting to a relative of the deceased (could be you?).

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CD double set "Seoltaí Séidte" (which I have, and is easily available online, and is WELL worth the 'price of admission' so to speak) :

SEOLTAI SEIDTE - SETTING SAIL - FORTY-THREE HISTORIC RECORDINGS
Sean 'ac Dhonncha, Seosamh O hEanai, Aodh O Duibheannaigh, Aine Ni Ghallchobhair, Sean de hOra, Diarmuid O Flatharta, Maire Nic Dhonnchadha, Sean Ryan (fiddle), Denis Murphy (fiddle), Joe Devlin (fiddle), Johnny Pickering (fiddle), Sean McLaughlin (fiddle), Paddy Canny (fiddle), Tommy Reck (uilleann pipes), Willie Clancy (uilleann pipes), Vincent Broderick (flute), Joe Burke (accordion)

"The Irish label Gael-Linn is celebrating its Golden Jubilee and has commemorated the event with the release of this magnificent collection, comprising all the recordings (43 in all) which the label released on twenty 78rpm discs between 1957 and 1961. Remastered to perfection by Harry Bradshaw, this collection is presented on two CDs, in a handsome DVD-style box, with a 96-page companion booklet authored by Irish Traditional Music Archives head Nicholas Carolan. The booklet, almost a book really, contains the detailed story of how the original records came to be made, comprehensive notes on all the performers and on each track, in particular with the full lyrics in Gaelic and English translation of the sean-nos songs which constitute about half the recordings. And what recordings! Since Gael-Linn's original goal was the promotion of the Irish language, it won't be a surprise that more than half of the tracks feature a real who's who of sean-nos singers, representing the major Gaelic-speaking areas, Donegal, Connemara, and Kerry/Cork. The list of instrumentalists is no less impressive, and the unaccompanied tracks by fiddle players Sean Ryan, Denis Murphy, and Paddy Canny have to be among the best recordings of traditional music of all times. Folks, this is how it should be done!"

Track Nos: Disc 1 : 17 (Reels) The Earl's Chair / Tom Steele and 22: (Reels) Rhattigan's / Mrs. McLeod's

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Anyway, good luck with the research. A noble undertaking.

Beir bua!

[philipchevron]

Bloody brilliant! Now I can stop shelling out £50 a pop for the old 78s and buy them on pampered, spoiled brat CDs instead.

[CraigBatty]

Bloody brilliant! Now I can stop shelling out £50 a pop for the old 78s and buy them on pampered, spoiled brat CDs instead.

Is this the first time you've seen this CD set, Sensei? If so, I'm delighted to have pointed you it's way. Delighted. I bought it while in Cork city at Living Traditions, the loveliest wee shop I ever did see (now, I believe sadly out of action). It is an inspiring and humbling collection of some of the finest music I have ever heard, from seminal players; transmitters of tradition. Beautiful.

[philipchevron]

Bloody brilliant! Now I can stop shelling out £50 a pop for the old 78s and buy them on pampered, spoiled brat CDs instead.

Is this the first time you've seen this CD set, Sensei? If so, I'm delighted to have pointed you it's way. Delighted. I bought it while in Cork city at Living Traditions, the loveliest wee shop I ever did see (now, I believe sadly out of action). It is an inspiring and humbling collection of some of the finest music I have ever heard, from seminal players; transmitters of tradition. Beautiful.

I look forward to it all the more now.

[expat lancs]

I had a few sessions with Sean in Ballymoney early 1960;s.
In the late 70's whilst in London I heard he was living in Brixton but couldn't track him down
then some years after I heard he had passed away.
He had suffered from arthritis of the spine I was told..
If it was the one and only then he would only have been in his early 60's.

Best Wishes

[Guest]

I had a few sessions with Sean in Ballymoney early 1960;s.
In the late 70's whilst in London I heard he was living in Brixton but couldn't track him down
then some years after I heard he had passed away.
He had suffered from arthritis of the spine I was told..
If it was the one and only then he would only have been in his early 60's.

Best Wishes

I'm the original poster. Thanks for responding. Sean passed in his early sixties, and his wife, Marianne, followed in about '89.

What were your memories of the man, if you've the time to share them?

[Chris F]

I knew Sean and his wife and various of their children in Brixton in the seventies and early eighties. I first heard him play at a benefit gig in the White Horse (I think it was) on Brixton Road. He played Lord Gordon's Reel and I was so impressed I started to practice Irish fiddle myself. I was vaguely interested in it already but it was his playing that really turned me on.

Some years later I started going to visit him in a house where he lived in Strathleven Road. At the time he was trying to get back into playing, which his ill health and other problems had prevented.

I understand that he used to play regularly on BBC radio in Belfast, so there ought to be a lot of recordings stashed away in the archives. The only recording of his I ever heard was a single on a pub jukebox in Junction Road Holloway. It was the same Lord Gordon's Reel. His fiddle style was unusual and unmistakable. Brilliant, I'd say. I'm sad to hear of his death which must have happend shortly after I left that part of the world.

[irishandproud]

My grandfather, sean mclaughlin would be amazed to know people still spoke of his music. Thank you

[soulfinger]

The Setting Sail double CD is at the astonishing, bargain price of £4.99 at Amazon! It is fabulous.