John Doonan (1922-2002) was born and bred in Newcastle of an Irish father and mother and brought up in an atmosphere strictly Irish. His father was a well respected traditional fiddle player in the Newcastle area and it was through his strong influence that John inherited his fine style of flute-playing. John, in turn was the father of uilleann piper, Mick Doonan, who is the father of Rosie Doonan.
Links to Peel[]
Peel was a fan of the flute player and would often play his tunes in the early 70's, including a session he recorded for his show in 1974. He would sometimes revisit the artist in later years, including playing a tribute track from the musician in 2002 when Peel heard that he died the previous month.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 1974-07-22. First Broadcast: 13 August 1974, repeated 29 October 1974, 29 July 1977.
- 3 Irish Jigs: Comb Your Hair And Curl It/I Have A Wife Of My Own/Any Old Jig Will Do / Lament To Oliver Goldsmith / The Piper Through The Meadow Strayed / Fiddler Round The Fairy Tree / Jigs: Banish Misfortune/Gillian's Apples/Morrison's Jig / Reels: Jacky Coleman's Reel/Brennan's Reel
Other Shows Played[]
- 22 March 1973: Set Dance: The Ace And Deuce Of Piping (LP – Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 10 April 1973: Slow Jigs: Saddle The Pony (LP – Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 12 June 1973: Ace & Deuce Of Pipering (LP - Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 1974
- 08 January 1974: The Ace And Deuce Of Piping (LP: Flute for the Feis) Leader
- 1978
- 06 February 1978: Slip Jigs: Any Old Jig Will Do / The Butterfly (album - At The Feis) Topic 12TS368
- 09 February 1978: Set Dance: Rodney's Gloryy (album - At The Feis) Topic 12TS368
- 01 March 1978: Hornpipes: Spellan The Fiddler / The Right Of Many (album - At The Feis) Topic 12TS368
- 09 October 1978: 'Set Dance: The Ace & Deuce Of Piping (LP-Flute For The Feis)' (Leader Sound Ltd.)
- 1981
- 16 February 1981: unknown LP - Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 16 February 1981: The Ace And Deuce Of Piping (LP - Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 1991
- 16 March 1991: The Ace And Deuce Of Piping (album - Flute For The Feis) Leader
- 1994
- 29 April 1994: ‘Saddle The Pony/Shandon Bells (LP - Flute For The Feis)' Leader
- 07 May 1994 (BFBS): Slow Jigs: Saddle A Pony; Shandon Bells (album - Flute For The Fleis) Leader
- 06 June 1994 (Ö3): 'Set Dance: The Ace And Deuce Of Pipering (LP-Flute for the Feis)' (Leader)
- 1996
- 15 December 1996: 'Gilligan’s Apples / The Prize Jig (Compilation CD-Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part: Classic Recordings Of Traditional Irish Dance Music)' (Globestyle)
- 2000
- 16 March 2000: 'Set Dance: The Ace & Deuce Of Piping (LP-Flute For The Feis)' (Leader)
- 2002
- 11 April 2002: The Ace And Deuce Of Pipering (LP – Flute For The Feis) Leader