The Tulla Céilí Band is a noted Céilidh

Céilidh

In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...

 band. They were founded in 1946, by Paddy Canny

Paddy Canny

Paddy Canny was an Irish fiddle player. In a career that spanned over six decades, Canny was instrumental in popularizing Irish traditional music, both in Ireland and internationally...

, fellow fiddler P.J. Hayes, pianist Teresa Tubridy, and accordion player Joe Cooley

Joe Cooley

Joe Cooley was an Irish musician known for his traditional accordion music.Cooley was born in Peterswell, Co. Galway in 1924. Both his parents were melodeon players, and Joe began playing accordion at age 10. As a teen, Joe played in the Midlands area and eventually found himself in Dublin in...

 at Minogue's Bar in Tulla

Tulla

Tulla is a town in County Clare, Ireland. The town is the commercial centre for Tulla parish and the surrounding area. Tulla church was founded about 620 by Mochuille and the town received its town charter in the 13th century...

, County Clare, Ireland. The band won first prize at a Limerick

Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...

 fleadh and made their first radio appearance in 1948. In the following decade, they competed in the All Ireland competitions

Fleadh Cheoil

The Fleadh Cheoil is an Irish music competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann or more commonly known as "Comhaltas" ....

, initiating a rivalry with the Kilfenora

Kilfenora

Kilfenora is a small village in County Clare in Ireland, just south of The Burren. The village is noted for being the home to the Kilfenora Ceili Band and the location for much of the filming of the sitcom Father Ted.-Places of interest:...

 Céilí Band, which won the competition in 1954 and 1955. In 1956, Tulla tied Kilfenora for first place in the Munster

Munster

Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...

 competition but lost by a half point in the All Ireland. Tulla won first place the following year, however, and won again in 1960. The band toured Britain and the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 in 1958, delivering a memorable performance at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....

 in New York on St. Patrick's Day. The Tulla Céilí Band recorded five 78 rpms for HMV in 1956 and recorded their first LP, Echoes of Erin, in 1958.

In 2008 An Post issued a stamp featuring the band.

Other sources

• An entry in The Magazine for Traditional Music throughout the world (Accessed Nov 2010)