THE death has taken place of one of Newtownbutler’s finest musicians.
Eamon Connolly, aged 75 years, of Drumboghena, Newtownbutler, died peacefully at his home in the care of his family last Wednesday 30 December.
“My father grew up in Derry Elvin, Wattlebridge, Newtownbutler. He was one of the founding members of the Newtownbutler Game Club and also a member of Newtownbutler Game Fowl Club,” explained his son John, who added that he was also involved in the Republican movement.
“He was big into his traditional music, it was his great love and his life was built around the fiddle. Anywhere the traditional music sessions where he would be there, in particular of a Sunday night as he enjoyed going to the old Frank’s Bar in Lisnaskea.
“He travelled to Fleadh right across the country and would always go with big Terry Maguire, the two of them were very great.
“There was parties in houses years ago filled with traditional music, song and dance and he just loved that entire culture, it was very important to him.
“In later life, the birth of his grandson Tiernan became his greatest love of all. My father and Tiernan had a very close bond and he enjoyed showing Tiernan the farming way of life and bringing him on the tractor for spins.”
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