Peter Herron (c.1911 – 1988)

Peter Herron, locally known as Peter a’Ghréasaí was born and raised in the highest house in An Leac Liath on the northern slopes of Cruach an Airgid. Peter’s father, James was a noted shoemaker and the ‘Gréasaí’ title is still associated with the Herron family. Their closest neighbours were the Devaneys, a house where the Doherty family would often stay on their travels through the Bluestacks when Peter was a young man. As well as influence from the travelling fiddlers, Peter and his brother, Con who also played fiddle were surrounded by a strong tradition in the locality through older players such as Hugh O’Donnell, Peter Campbell and Pat McDevitt. Peter played in a group along with John Mac a’Luain and Joe Ward (fiddles) with his brother, Con on drums and they played regularly at dances in halls at An Mullaigh and Éadan Fhionn Fhraoich. Peter and his wife, Sarah reared a large family at An Grianáin and he passed on the fiddle tradition to their son, Peadar who lives in the United Kingdom. As a young man Peter worked as a seasonal labourer near Cushendall, Co. Antrim and returned with a new jig ‘The boys of the town’ that became part of the local repertoire.

Peter Campbell plays the jig ‘The boys of the town’