Michael Gallagher (1906 – 1986)

Mickey Golly

(13th December 1906 – 1st November 1986)

Michael, or Mickey Golly as he was known locally, was from the townland of Rann na Cille, Teileann where he was a close neighbour of the fiddler, Connie Haughey. As a young man he played regularly with Jimmy Lyons, Connie Haughey and Mick McShane and as a group they often played locally for dances and céilithe. Not a purist, Mickey was also fond of different genres of music, especially jazz and swing. He regularly spent winter and spring working in England or elsewhere but always made a point of returning home at the start of the summer for the salmon fishing season. In later years Mickey rarely missed a local music session along with his close companion, John Mhánais McBrearty and he was friendly with many visiting players such as John Doherty, Joe Burke and Dermot McLaughlin.