IвЂ™m fully aware that some of the session variations wouldnвЂ™t be to everyoneвЂ™s taste but I get a great buzz from such mischief. When playing in a concert or session, most of the variations are instinctive as I react to the other players. Can you tell us how you approach variations in a tune? Do you get an idea in your head and work it out on the flute, or do the variations come out in your fingers on the fly - or is it a little of both?ДЄ: ItвЂ™s the latter. You also sprinkle in a few chromatic variations, reminding me a bit of Niall Keegan and Joe Skelton. Q: The first thing that struck me about your playing on the new CD was your musical inventiveness: you have a great ear for variations and twists on a tune. These people were gods and it proved a seminal experience. FlannanвЂ™s CГ©ilГ Band вЂ“ an album called вЂњReunionвЂќ which featured past pupils of my school such as Tony Linnane & Noel Hill, GearГіid Гі hAllmhurГЎin and Paul Roche, flute player with StoctonвЂ™sWing whom I still rate very highly. Once I got started on the flute, the fiddle took a back seat and I finally discarded it aged 19, not before using it on my first recording gig вЂ“ with St. Bruce introduced us to his new wife MaryвЂ¦Bergin! (the first time IвЂ™d even heard of her).

My father brought me to order one from flutemaker Bruce Du VГ© in Spiddal when I was 16. Though playing fiddle, I longed to play a flute because of its similarity to whistle. At that stage, it was a very long road to have to go back to square one. My sisters Majella, Sharon, and Mary began after me when they in turn reached the age of 8.ДidnвЂ™t change to a decent instrument (fiddle) til age 13. There were neither musicians nor instruments in the immediate family. What drew you to the flute?ДЄ: IвЂ™m the eldest and started whistle aged eight. Q: You come from a very musical family, and there must have been quite a variety of instruments around the house.

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