Alec Finn
Encyclopedia
Alec Finn is an English-born Irish
traditional musician who is famous for his unique style of accompaniment on the bouzouki
. He is best known for founding De Dannan
with Frankie Gavin, Ringo MacDonagh and Charlie Piggott after a series of music sessions at Tigh Hughes, An Spidéal, Co. Galway in 1975.
in the 1970s. In contrast to most Irish players, he plays a round-backed Greek bouzouki, one of the older-style trixordo three course (six string) instruments tuned DAD. The Greek tuning gives him a versatile modal rhythmic background on which to create counterpoint to the melody. In the late 1970s and early 80s, he accompanied several prominent Irish instrumentalists including Frankie Gavin, Mary Bergin
and Noel Hill. He performed with De Dannan
up to its dissolution in 2003.
After the dissolution of the group, Finn copyrighted the name De Danann. Ironically, a dispute arose in 2009 with his former colleague Frankie Gavin in July 2009 for using the name De Dannan
for the Frankie Gavin Quartet, a group which had been in existence parallel to De Dannan since 1991.
Finn, along with fellow original De Dannan member Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh, has recently reformed De Dannan with banjoist/keyboardist Brian McGrath, accordionist Derek Hickey, fiddler Mick Conneely, and singer Eleanor Shanley.
. He changed the spelling of his surname form Phinn to Finn upon moving to Ireland from his childhood home in Rotherham
, South Yorkshire
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
traditional musician who is famous for his unique style of accompaniment on the bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
. He is best known for founding De Dannan
De Dannan
De Dannan was an Irish folk music group. They were formed by Frankie Gavin , Alec Finn , Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh and Charlie Piggott as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in An Spidéal, County Galway, subsequently inviting Dolores Keane to join the band...
with Frankie Gavin, Ringo MacDonagh and Charlie Piggott after a series of music sessions at Tigh Hughes, An Spidéal, Co. Galway in 1975.
Music
Finn took up the bouzoukiBouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
in the 1970s. In contrast to most Irish players, he plays a round-backed Greek bouzouki, one of the older-style trixordo three course (six string) instruments tuned DAD. The Greek tuning gives him a versatile modal rhythmic background on which to create counterpoint to the melody. In the late 1970s and early 80s, he accompanied several prominent Irish instrumentalists including Frankie Gavin, Mary Bergin
Mary Bergin
Mary Bergin is an Irish folk musician who is widely acknowledged as one of the great masters of the tin whistle. She plays in both the Irish Traditional and Baroque styles.- Biography :...
and Noel Hill. He performed with De Dannan
De Dannan
De Dannan was an Irish folk music group. They were formed by Frankie Gavin , Alec Finn , Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh and Charlie Piggott as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in An Spidéal, County Galway, subsequently inviting Dolores Keane to join the band...
up to its dissolution in 2003.
After the dissolution of the group, Finn copyrighted the name De Danann. Ironically, a dispute arose in 2009 with his former colleague Frankie Gavin in July 2009 for using the name De Dannan
De Dannan
De Dannan was an Irish folk music group. They were formed by Frankie Gavin , Alec Finn , Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh and Charlie Piggott as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in An Spidéal, County Galway, subsequently inviting Dolores Keane to join the band...
for the Frankie Gavin Quartet, a group which had been in existence parallel to De Dannan since 1991.
Finn, along with fellow original De Dannan member Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh, has recently reformed De Dannan with banjoist/keyboardist Brian McGrath, accordionist Derek Hickey, fiddler Mick Conneely, and singer Eleanor Shanley.
Family and name
Alec Finn is the older brother of the author Gervase PhinnGervase Phinn
Gervase Phinn is an English author and educator. After a career as a teacher he became a schools inspector and, latterly, Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Teesside....
. He changed the spelling of his surname form Phinn to Finn upon moving to Ireland from his childhood home in Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
.