Series V. Commercial Recordings, 1916-1992, undated, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series consists of approximately 2,500 commercially produced audio recordings collected by Dorothy Hayden Cudahy and John J. Cudahy for the Irish Memories radio program. The recordings date from 1957 to 1989 and were acquired by the Cudahys directly from the artists or purchased during trips to Ireland. A wide variety of Irish music is featured, including both domestic and international artists, and ranging from sean-nĂ³s singing, ceili bands, show bands, and popular songs. Musical groups represented in the collection include The McNulty Family, the Gallowglass Ceili Band, the Tulla Ceili Band, the Clancy Brothers, the Boys of the Lough, the Bothy Band, Clannad, the Chieftains, and the Wolfe Tones. Individual artists include John McCormack, Michael Coleman, Willie Brady, Delia Murphy, Anne Greehy, Michael O'Duffy, Birdie Gallagher, Carmel Quinn, Teres Duffy, Ruby Murray, Frank Patterson, Connie Foley, Mary McGonigle, Dermot O'Brien, Jackie Roche, and Paddy Noonan. Of particular interest are a collection of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann tours of the United States and Canada, circa 1972 to 1989; two tribute albums to President John F. Kennedy and his address to Dail Eireann; and the albums of various New York Emerald Society Pipe bands.
Arrangement
These recordings are arranged by format; 33 rpm, 78 rpm, and 45 rpm grooved disk recordings. Within the format groupings the recordings are not further physically arranged. The inventories list the recordings alphabetically by the artist's name, or by title when no artist was identified.
Processing Information
While packing these recordings for offsite transfer and storage in May 2022, several disks were found to be cracked or broken into pieces. When damaged, a disk was surrounded by foam to fill in empty space in the box.
Inventories of the 33 and 78 RPM records were provided by the donor at the time of donation. In summer of 2023 an archivist created updated inventories to reflect the rehousing of materials; these inventories were then added to the finding aid.