A Left and a Right Hand

Martin Hayes is an internationally-renowned, virtuosic, traditional Irish fiddle-player. The Irish Times newspaper said of him that, 'In the decades to come, we’ll surely talk of having seen this man in the way others talk of Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix or John Coltrane.' In this series of The Essay, in conversation with Olivia O'Leary, one of Ireland's most respected journalists and presenters, he brings us on a deep dive into the world of the traditional Irish fiddle.

In the third episode, we hear about the success of the partnership between Martin, a traditional Irish fiddle-player, and Dennis Cahill (1954-2022), an American classically-trained guitarist. Their concerts became legendary, not least because of their extended medleys of tunes, which brought audiences to a pitch of emotion and excitement.

Music:

My Love is in America, performed by Martin Hayes
My Love is in America, from the album The Lonesome Touch, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
The Lament for Limerick, from the album The Lonesome Touch, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
The Morning Dew, from the album The Lonesome Touch, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
Jimmy on the Moor, from the album The Lonesome Touch, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
Port na bPúcaí, from the album Live in Seattle, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
P Joe's Pecurious Pachelbel Special, from the album Live in Seattle, performed by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill

Presenter: Olivia O'Leary
Producer: Claire Cunningham
Executive Producer: Regan Hutchins
Sound Supervisor: Sean Byrne (Tinpot Productions)

Martin Hayes Turns The Tune is a Rockfinch production for BBC Radio 3.