Austin Kelly and His All Ireland Irish Orchestra: The Duke of Leinster/Down the Broom (reels)

This set of reels from Austin Kelly and His All Ireland Irish Orchestra features a flute quartet, presumably members of Kelly's ensemble. The band was broadcast on WTEL in Philadelphia. The first tune is The Sligo Maid followed by The Duke of Leinster.

According to Nicholas Carolan, Kelly was from Cloonlough, near Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon. The band recorded this one disc in the late 1940s. The flute players were Austin Kelly, Pat Kelly, Tom Doonan, and Tommy Doherty, and the piano player was Ed Lee. Accordion player Danny Smith also played with Kelly in the 1950s along with John Vesey, as well as flute player Charlie Gaffney (Philadelphia Ceili Groups's Traditional Irish Music and Dance Festival program, 1996). Jackie Small interviewed Danny Smith for the Irish Traditional Music Archive in 1992 in Clare, and can be heard on the ITMA website. Kelly's family also mentions that Michael Gallagher was a member of the band. Besides appearing performing and playing on the radio, the band also marched in many parades.

Released on the Aqua Record Company label (A-5001). From the David Giovannoni Collection, DG 78 00-003.

Many thanks to Michael Brock, great-grandson of Austin Kelly, for information and photos which can be viewed here.