Maths teacher Frank McArdle has been teaching Irish music to his pupils at St Roch's School in Glasgow and to the youngsters of the “Glasgow Irish Minstrels” – a branch of the Comhaltas movement - since 1977. Having run a folk club in the school for several years, he felt the need to diversify. Volunteers to learn the accordion, fiddle and whistle were sought and the band was born. Their earliest engagements involved playing a few tunes for local community groups. Within a couple of years, however, they were playing their first ceili. They never looked back. They became much sought-after throughout the West of Scotland.
Working closely with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann ( the tradional Irish music association), the music lessons started on Tuesday evenings, opening the band to pupils from all over the city. Nowadays around 200 converge on the school.
His “St Rochs Ceili Band” has launched the careers of several stalwarts of the traditional music scene including John McCusker, Gavin Pennycook and Claire McLaughlin. They have even managed to produce two All-Ireland Champions in the shape of Jerry Conlan (accordion) and Mark Maguire (bodhran).
While the Comhaltas movement has faded slightly in other parts of the UK with the decline in Irish emigration, it continues to thrive in the west of Scotland with one of the biggest brances in Britain.
The band still plays regularly for ceilidhes and are equally at home with Scottish or Irish dances. Demonstrations are given and dances called. For more information, contact frnkmcardl@AOL.com.
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