A Singer's Dozen

About Mick Flynn

Mick Flynn is a sean nos singer, a, Clareman, born and reared (In 1940 youngest of the five children of Helena and James Flynn of Liscahane, a mile from Miltown Malbay on the Ennis Road).
With the exception of a few months in America in 1979 he has lived in West Clare, an area where occupational exile is as traditional as music, and every other house has children in England, Australia and/o America.
Of his schoolmates, at least 60 percent emigrated.
"They left in their droves during the 1950's and 60's” "Mick says.

The first traditional song Mick remembers singing was Glenswilly, at nine or ten year s of age. There were frequent impromptu sessions in the Flynn kitchen in Liscahane. His mother sang. "She had a lot of good songs, like 'Pat O'Donnell,' and a version of 'Kevin Barry' that I never heard anyone else sing. I heard the 'The Fairy Boy' first from her. " His fatherr Jimmy played the fiddle, as did James Jr. Mick himself played a small button accordion for a while, and the mouth organ for years. "I used to play it walking home from night shift at the factory."

His musical influences were almost entirely instrumental. He cites the piping of Willie Clancy and Martin Tally as most important. Even complete strangers to Irish music remark on the similarity between Mick's singing and the sound of the uilliann pipes. His emotive, unaccompanied voice is immediately recognizable, unmistakeable. His style is all his own and not regional, but he acknowledges a debt to local traditional singers Paddy Joe MacMahon and Paddy Malone of Church Street, Miltown Malbay, both R.I. P. "They were great followers of music and song and gave . a lot of encouragement. "Cathal Brugha " is one of Paddy Joe’'s songs.

The thirteen songs in this collection include refined drawing room pieces like "My Lagan Love," popularized ballads such as "The Lowlands of Holland," and localized, political Come All Ye's like “Mac and Shanahan.” They are all story songs with strong narratives and are rooted firmly in place, in Ireland.