The Boys of the Lough is a Scottish-Irish Celtic music band active since 1967.

Early years

Their first album, called Boys of the Lough (1972) consisted of Aly Bain (fiddle), Cathal McConnell (flute and whistle), Dick Gaughan (vocals and guitar and mandolin) and Robin Morton (bodhran and concertina and vocals).

Since the 1960s, the Forrest Hill Bar in Edinburgh had been a centre for folk singers and instrumentalists. In the pub, always nicknamed "Sandy Bell's" and now formally called that, fiddler Aly Bain played along with singer/guitarists Mike Whellans and Dick Gaughan in sessions. Aly Bain was from the Shetland Islands, and steeped in the Shetland style of playing. Meanwhile, in Ireland, Cathal McConnell was an All-Ireland champion in both flute and whistle. He was from a family of flute players in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Cathal's musical collaborators were Tommy Gunn and Robin Morton. The two halves met at Falkirk folk festival in Scotland, and formed Boys of the Lough.

In 1973, Gaughan left to pursue a solo career and the Northumberland musician Dave Richardson (concertina, mandolin, cittern) joined. This line-up was constant for the next six albums.

  • Lochaber No More (1976)
  • The Piper's Broken Finger (1976)
  • Good Friends ... Good Music (1977)
  • Wish You Were Here (1978)
  • Regrouped (1980)
  • In the Tradition (1981)
  • Open Road (1983)
  • To Welcome Paddy Home (1985)
  • Far From Home (Live) (1986)
  • Farewell and Remember Me (1987)
  • Sweet Rural Shade (1988)
  • Live at Carnegie Hall (1992)
  • The Fair Hills of Ireland (1992)
  • The Day Dawn (1994)

References

  • Facebook
  • Scottish Traditional Music Hall Of Fame