Josie McDermott

Josie McDermott (1925–1992) was a traditional Irish musician: a flute and tin whistle player, composer and singer.

Background McDermott was born, and lived all of his life, in the townland of Coolmeen, County Sligo, just outside Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon. His mother sang and played concertina. McDermott used to visit the local house dances and was taught music by James Flynn, a local fiddler. Later he travelled with his whistle, fife and flute and played at many sessions or dances throughout the countryside. While traditional music was his first love, his interests were much broader; he sang in a modern band for a while as a youngster and later joined various combinations playing saxophone and trumpet, also enjoying country and western music, jazz, and céilidhs. He played with numerous groups including the O'Carolan Country Ceili Band, The Down Beaters Ceili Band, and Josie McDermott and the Flynnsmen.

Throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s McDermott was to be found playing regularly with button accordion player David Sheridan and fiddler Tommy Flynn; this trio were popular all over Connaught and further afield and appeared on many radio and television broadcasts including Ceili House and Bring Down the Lamp.

In 1967 "Josie McDermott and Flynnsmen" were formed with various combinations over the years, the most recent combination was David Sheridan on Button accordion, Tommy Flynn on fiddle, Michael Patrick Sheridan on drums, Mai Harte on flute and McDermott on vocals and playing flute, whistle and sax. Other members over the years included John Flynn, Bernie Joe Mattimoe on drums and Liam Purcell on accordion. For many years this group was popular, playing several nights a week. They appeared on a number of television and radio programmes, including Bring Down the Lamp, Trom agus Éadrom and Ceili House. The group disbanded in the late 1980s. McDermott also made many trips to play in Birmingham along with another flute-player and good friend Peggy McGrath.

In 1962 McDermott, shortly after the death of his mother, lost his sight, living as a blind man for the last 30 years of his life. He continued playing both in a céilidh and a modern dance band. He also composed dance tunes, wrote a number of songs and ballads and took a particular interest in the music of O'Carolan, the great blind harpist.

He died a bachelor with no close relatives in May 1992. "Father O'Grady's Trip to Bockagh" "The Kylemore Maid" "Peg McGrath's"

Sings and Airs "The Ballad of O'Carolan Country" "The Boatman of Lough Key" "Lament for a Fiddle Player" "The Pride of the West"