Eddie O’Gara (1926 -)

(7th June 1926 -)

Eddie O’Gara

Eddie O’Gara, a son of Denis’, was born in Mín na bhFachrán in 1926. He learned to play the single row melodeon and also the piano accordion which he obtained through the local group of The Ancient Order of Hibernians.* Eddie’s music was very much influenced by his cousin, Patrick Doherty and by the music of the McGinleys of Loch Inseach. As a young man he formed a playing partnership with his brother Paddy, (fiddle) and they often played as a duet or as part of a group at the ‘Spink Hall’ in Gleann Cholmcille and at other dances throughout the parish. He emigrated to the United Kingdom in the late 1940s but enjoyed travelling back to Gleann Cholmcille where he passed a repertoire unique to Mín na bhFachrán and Loch Inseach to the current generation of musicians. He relocated to Donegal Town in 2012 where he resides with his son, Brendan and daughter-in-law, Michelle Laffer, both of whom are fine fiddle players.
*(a Catholic nationalist movement of a ribbon tradition who established local fife, drum and accordion bands – very prominent in rural areas in early 20th century Ireland ).

Eddie O’Gara