sligo for all-ireland? - Comhaltas Archive

PADDY KILLORANtives and friends was able to get a j ob onthe docks. Ambition overtook caution,however, and Hugh left his employmenton the docks for what he considered tobe a mor~ prestigious calling- a realestate salesman. His gift of "theBlarney" coupled with the shrewd salestechniques acquired at sheep sales madehim a good salesman, but nothing couldovercome the recession of the times andthe bottom fell out of the market.Hugh was determined that he was notgoing to be just another number in asocial security hand-out so he set towork for himself as a door to door salesmanselling tea. His wares, lib. packetsof tea in attractive "Irish Cottage Tea"wrappers, were packed into a large suitcasewhich he carried around with him.Business became brisk and he took in apartner. Other lines were added, likefree range chicken eggs "fresh from thehens", vegetables, and since those weredays of prohibition, "a drop or two ofhome made beer and whiskey".The police soon got wind of theirillicit distillery, but it wasn't altogetherthe threat from the police that madethem close down their distillery operationbut rather a fear that the mobster;-and there were a number ofthese in the area- would take moreruthless action if they discovered thatsomeone, even a small time operator,was moving into their territory. Hughalso gave up his legitimate door to doorround to take up a permanent job. Hispartner persisted, however, and went onto become a millionaire.By now Hugh was augmenting hisearnings by playing the fiddle in the"Old Log Cabin" for $3 a night. He hadalready met Michael Coleman and theyhad become firm friends. Coleman'sname was synonymous with the greatresurgence of traditional music in theStates in the 30s and he was hailed asthe greatest living exponent of Irish traditionalfiddling. He always attractedlarge audiences to his concerts, he had awide listening public when he broadcast,and his records had excellent sales, particularlyamong the Irish exiles inAmerica. Coleman's memory, and hisgreat talent, were honoured in his nativeKillavill, Co. Sligo, a few years ago, andupwards of a thousand people gatheredto see the unveiling of a monument totheir native son. Hugh Gillespie wasColeman's only student ever and theybecame inseparable friends. They appearedtogether in many concerts andco-operated in numerous recordingsessions. They had their own fournights a week spot on radio from CarnegieHall. Hugh had married in theHUGH GILLESPIE and FRANK KELLY11meantime to a girl from Westmeath, arefmed, channing woman who shares hislove of music and is content to "be agood listener and entertain. his friends" . .For those of us who have enjoyed th~hospitality of the Gillespie home I mustsay it is an accomplishment she hascertainly mastered.When Michael Coleman died in 1954Hugh was distraught. They had beenlike brothers. In recognition of thisgreat friendship the Coleman familypresented him with Michael's "Cosgrove"fiddle . Some years later therewere claims by a number of people whosaid they were in possession of Colemanfiddles but the family rejected theseclaims saying that the only violins whichbelonged to Coleman were now in thepossession of Hugh Gillespie and a Mrs.McGovern from Sligo. Coleman's niece.During his musical career Hughbecame friendly with many prominentpeople including John McCormick andFritz Kreisler, the latter a weekly coffeedate. Even Henry Ford found time todemonstrate his own dexterity on thefiddle with- Hugh and Coleman in J oeMaguires, in New York.Hugh's album of memorabiliacontains many precious items includingletters from Ford himself.Hugh Gillespie made his first recordingin 1937 in New York. A collectionof his best have been reissued by theTopic Recording Company. A musiccritic has described Hugh as "evenbetter than Coleman" but modesty andloyalty to his friend makes Hugh rejectthis claim out of hand. Other criticshave said that it was a pity that greatplayers like Hugh Gillespie, Killoran andMorrison had not received the sameattention Coleman had.Hundreds of students passed throughthe Gillespie School of Music but themost accomplished of these was his own