R - Comhaltas Archive

'~=_n~ ••• IIJust Like Homein White PlainsMary HartnettWhite Plains - If you thought you hadto book a flight to Doolin, CountyClare, just to hear good live traditionalIrish music, think twice before you callyour travel agent. It may be the bestkept secret in White Plains, New Yorkbut, on any given Wednesday evening,you don't have to look any farther thanDunne's Pub, 15 Shapham Place, for anauthentic seisiun of traditional Irish andCeltic music.A Monaghan native, Sean Dunne cameto the United States almost 25 yearsago. Having grown up listening to theChieftains, he sought out the traditionalIrish music scene in New York. I-! isfavourite musicians include Planxty, theDubliners, Cherish the ladies, JerryO'Sullivan, Clannad, Altan, Sol as,Dervish, and Moving Cloud. In additionto being a member of ComhaltasCeolt6iri Eireann (Gathering of IrishMusicians), an internationalorganisation that promotes traditionalIrish music, Dunne is also a fan of arelated musical genre, Americanbluegrass.When he bought the bar, formerlyknown as Cooke's Tavern, more thaneight years ago, Dunne's goal was toturn the place"into a neighbourhoodIrish pub. He wanted to promote Irishculture to those already steeped in thetradition as well as to those who werenot even Irish. A Celtic cross hangsprominently over the bar. The cosyarrangement of tables and chairs arecomplemented by Edmund O'Sullivanlandscapes, and signs proclaimingbrands such as Guinness, Harp,Murphy's and Foster's dot the walls. Inthe back corner, the dartboards providea home to the Tuesday night DartsLeague as well as a halo to theWednesday night musicians.Dunne's vision of hosting a seisiun athis pub was realised when he metBronx native Brian Conway afterfollowing Con way's musical career atfestivals. In addition to being anAssistant District Attorney forWestchester County (north of New YorkCity) working in the office of JeanninePirro, Westchester County DA, Conwayis a world class fiddler. He earned hisfirst All Ireland title in 1973 at the ageof 12 and went on to capture theSenior All Ireland title in 1986. Afterretiring from competition, Conwayrecorded Green Linnet's Apple in40 __________________________________________________ __