TUNNEY TRADITION
(7 Generations . . . and counting)
‘Paddy Tunney has always been special. Out of his gifted throat many old songs have been breathed to life again! A special man. A National Treasure.’
Cormac Mac Connell [Journalist]
The Tunney Tradition
At the heart of the Tunney song tradition lies a deep continuity, with songs passed from generation to generation within families and close-knit communities.
From the early 1950s onward, Paddy Tunney and his mother, Brigid Tunney, came to be recognised as leading exponents of a rich singing tradition that had been long in the making.
This tradition combined a remarkable repertoire of songs with a distinctive style of performance. It was handed down through a small number of families living in the hill country of south Donegal.
Families and Source Singers
A number of intermarried families played a central role in preserving and sharing this tradition. Most notable among them were the Gallaghers and Meehans of Tamur, pronounced “Chower”, and Rushen.
The influence of Biddy Travers should also be acknowledged. She came to the district from Eglish, in the Blue Stack Mountains above Lough Eske, and contributed to the richness of the local song tradition.
Other important local singers, including William Monaghan of Tullyhasson, also added greatly to the repertoire. All the identifiable contributors to the tradition came from Donegal, though they lived only one townland away from County Fermanagh.
Songs Across Generations
Some of the songs in the Tunney tradition can be traced back to a small number of source singers who were already adults during the Great Famine of 1845–1852. These songs survived through memory, voice, and family connection, carried across generations long before they were ever recorded or broadcast.
From Donegal to Fermanagh
In the mid-1920s, Patrick and Brigid Tunney moved their family to Mulleek in County Fermanagh. As a result, Paddy and his siblings (Maureen, Bridie, Phyllis, Joe, Annie, Mick, and Christina) grew up speaking in the soft, musical tones of the people who lived along the northern shores of Lower Lough Erne. This helps explain how their songs and singing style later came to be associated with Fermanagh, even though the roots of the tradition lay just across the county border in Donegal.
A Living Tradition
Today, the Tunney tradition endures through those who continue to carry these songs forward in both memory and voice. It remains a powerful example of how music, family, place, and community can preserve a living cultural inheritance across generations.
We welcome all who share a love of or an interest in traditional song, whether you are a singer, listener, researcher, or supporter. Together, we can keep these songs alive, ensuring they continue to be sung, shared, and celebrated for generations to come.