It all started in 1970 when Tom Cussen and Benny O'Connor got together with friends in London and played in the Oxford Tavern in Kentish Town every Friday for almost a year. Moving back to Ireland around the end of 1971 both Tom and Benny wasted no time in getting the band flying. Over twenty years on and Shaskeen have produced no fewer than ten albums of fire-brand Irish traditional music. They have also produced singles and EPs along the way. The current revival of set dancing is very welcome and the band is as strong as ever. All the tunes (along with the chords as played) from five of their cassettes (which are now available in CD format) have been transcribed into two wonderful books. Copious cross-references have been appended, which go a long way to filling in the background to the tunes, encouraging the musician to look further. The tunes in the two books are those being currently played in Irish sessions which was the inspiration for producing them. The recordings are excellent examples of the sound of a working, authentic and respected céilí band and therefore the books aren't dusted-off reprints, but instead contain up-to-date, popular versions of tunes being played today.

Contents

Reels 

Anderson's  Bank of Ireland Boy in the Boat  Boys of Ballisodare  Cameronian  Cooley's  Crowley's  Dowd's No. 9  Earl's Chair  Eel in the Sink  Fahy's  Farewell to Connaught  Flower of the Flock  Foxhunters  Galway Rambler  Humours of Loughrea  Humours of Tulla  Jennie's Wedding John Brennan's  Lady Ann Montgomery  London Lassies  Longford Collector  Lord McDonald's  Love at the Endings  Mama's Pet

Maud Millar  McMahon's  Morning Dew  Mullingar Races  New Copperplate  New Policeman  Old Copperplate  Pigeon on the Gate  Redhaired Lass  Rolling in the Ryegrass  Sailor on the Rock  Sailor's Bonnet Shaskeen  Sheehan's  Ships are Sailing  Sligo Reel  Sweeney's Buttermilk  Tarbolton  Tear the Calico  Teetotaller  Ten Pound Float  Trip to Durrow  Turnpike Gate  Volunteer  West Clare Reel

Double jigs

Apples in Winter  Banks of Lough Gowna  Hardiman's Fancy  Joe Cooley's Delight Joys of Life  Malowney's Wife Morrison's  Mulally's  Scotsman Over the Border  Strike the Gay Harp  Tailor's Wedding  Whelan's  Miscellaneous tunes

Ballroom Favourite 1  Ballroom Favourite 2  Johnny Mickey's  Kieran Kelly's  Lawson's  McCarthy's  Murphy's  Wicklow