Elizabeth Crotty
Elizabeth Crotty, better known as Mrs. Crotty (6 December 1885 – 27 December 1960), was a famous Irish concertina player.
Elizabeth Crotty | |
---|---|
Birth name | Elizabeth Markham |
Born | near Cooraclare, County Clare | 6 December 1885
Died | 27 December 1960 75) Kilrush, County Clare | (aged
Genres | Traditional Irish |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Concertina |
She was born as Elizabeth Markham near Cooraclare, County Clare. In 1914 she married Michael ("Miko") Crotty and moved to Kilrush. Miko had been in the United States for a couple of years and used the money earned over there to buy a public house on the Market Square in Kilrush, now known as "Crotty’s Pub".[1]
Her fame began in the 1950s in the wake of the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. She participated in this movement of musicians from an early stage. When a local branch was founded in County Clare, Mrs. Crotty was elected president. She kept this position to her death in 1960.[1]
Mrs. Crotty did not make any commercial recordings. The RTÉ had made a few recordings for their programs and they used one for their commemoration LP of 50 years RTÉ in 1976.[1][2]
Death
Elizabeth Crotty died on 27 December 1960 from angina pectoris. She is buried in (old) Shanakyle cemetery.[1]
Festival
Mrs. Crotty was the namesake of the “Eigse Mrs Crotty” Traditional Music School and Festival, a yearly music festival in July in Kilrush. This festival was held from 1996 to 2009.[2][3] The festival later amalgamated to form the "Crotty Galvin Traditional Weekend".
Recordings
- Keepers of Tradition Concertina players of County Clare[4]
See also
References
- "Elizabeth (Mrs) Crotty (1885-1960)". Clare County Library. 27 December 1960. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
- Fear an Ti (22 July 2009). "Elizabeth (Mrs) Crotty". Ramblinghouse.org. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
- The Sceoil Eigse Mrs Crotty Archived 25 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- Keepers of Tradition Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine