Annotation:John Egan's Reel (3)
X: 1 T: John Egan's (Reel) [3] R: reel M: 4/4 L: 1/8 K: Dmaj cF F2 AFEF|AFEF A2 AB|cF F2 AFEF|Acec B2 AB| cF F2 AFEF|AFEF A2 AB|cF F2 AFEF|Acec B2 cB|| A2 AA ABcB|ABcB AFEF|A2 AA ABce|faec B2 cB| A2 AA ABcB|ABcB AFEF|A2 AA ABce|faec B2 AB||
JOHN EGAN'S REEL [3]. AKA and see "Many Things I Saw," "Tom Dowd's Favorite." Irish, Reel (4/4 time). F Sharp Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Brendan Breathnach collected the tune as "Tom Dowd's Favorite," and printed it in 1963 in his Ceol Rince na hÉireann vol. 1. Flute player John Egan was originally from County Sligo, but is famed for his playing in the Dublin session scene in the mid-2th century. This brief bio was published in Treoir in August, 2002:
The legendary flute player John Egan (1903-1989) was born in Ardleybeg, Ballingtogher, Co. Sligo. John learned a lot of his music from local musicians such as Andy & James Doyle (father and son), flute players from Lackagh, Drumfin, which was also the birthplace of the great fiddler, James Morrison. He also met and played with two other great flute players, Brian Luby and John Joe Gardiner, of Corhubber, Ballymote. He also learned to play the fiddle.
He left home in his early twenties to work in Donegal and later in London. He returned to Dublin in 1937 where he worked as a barman. Over the years he met and played with many of the musicians from rural Ireland who lived and worked in Dublin. For some years he was a member of the famous Kincora Ceili Band which was founded by Kathleen Harrington, from Corhubber.
In 1952 John and other musical friends established St Mary’s Traditional Music Club in Church Street. It became popularly known among traditional musicians and followers as the Church Street Club. Music sessions were held there every Wednesday night, for many years until John’s death on the 10th January, 1989.
