The concertina music of Tim Collins draws on a rich tapestry of cultural history from his iconic homeland in Sliabh Luachra, a region of astonishing natural beauty that straddles west Limerick, north Kerry and northwest Cork. Birthplace of poetic luminaries like Aogán Ó Rathaille and Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin, as well as fiddle masters, Pádraig O'Keeffe and Denis Murphy, Sliabh Luachra is also a storehouse of Irish concertina music.

Introduction to the music
Tim's formal introduction to music began at the age of 10 when his parents bought him a 'black dot' Hohner accordion in O'Neill's in Newcastle West. He and his brother John picked up tunes by ear from their father before attending Celia Regan's music lessons in the old hall in Templeglantine. Three years later, Con Herbert, a family friend from Killeedy, who had learned music from Collins' granduncle Tadhg, introduced Tim to the concertina. Herbert, a highly respected musician and teacher, trusted the thirteen-year-old with a 28 key rosewood ended Jeffries to practice on. Within a year, Herbert found a 38 key metal ended Jeffries that put Tim firmly on the road to concertina music. Herbert also loaned his young charge two key recordings of Irish concertina music, The Flowing Tide by Chris Droney and Irish Traditional Concertina Styles, a compilation released by Topic in 1977 that featured several legendary players; among them, Tom Carey, Solus Lillis and Paddy Murphy. Both discs had a seminal impact on Collins' style and repertoire.
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The Kilfenora Ceili Band
Like his predecessors, Collins brought his music across the river to Clare, where he has taught music for almost a decade and played with Clare's legendary Kilfenora Céilí Band, one of the most decorated traditional ensembles in the country, with an unprecedented seven All Ireland titles and several award winning albums to its credit. While the musical ethos and philosophy of the Kilfenora, especially, the importance of tune structure, rhythm and lift has had a profound impact on his music, Collins has also contributed in no small way to the Kilfenora; not least, the seminal stock of slides and polkas that he has given to the band.
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Music research
Tim's eclectic portfolio also extends to historical research on Irish traditional music for which he was duly awarded a First class Masters degree from the University of Limerick in December 2003. His research focused on the original Aughrim Slopes Ceili Band and their early recordings as well as the phenomenal contribution of Jack Mulkere as both a musician and teacher in both counties Galway and Clare from the 1920's to the late 1970's. Collins' production of the Jack Mulkere tribute concert at Fleadh Nua 2003 is regarded by critics as one of the most outstanding events ever hosted by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann since it's inception in 1951.
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Teaching career
Likewise, his reputation as a musical pedagogue has been marked by a distinguished history of teaching at Scoil Éigse gatherings all over Ireland and at several music schools in Europe, Japan and North America. Collins has devoted considerable attention to learning and preserving the slides and polkas of Sliabh Luachra and regards teaching and the 'passing on' of the tradition as an integral part of his own musical journey.

A wonderful 13 year period of teaching in Tuar Na Fola in West Limerick has resulted in a "mushrooming" of young concertina players along the Limerick, Kerry and Cork border, many of them with All Ireland titles to their credit.

Critics regard Collins' concertina music as tastefully ornamental and rhythmic, with a focus on older concertina and piping techniques. His deep appreciation of the music and its origins is evident in his interpretation of that same music.
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Recordings
To date, Tim has recorded on many albums, some of which include:

'Dancing on Silver' (2004)
'The Kilfenora Ceili Band' (1995) GTD
'Set on Stone' The Kilfenora Ceili Band (1997) Dara Records
'Live in Listoonvarna' The Kilfenora Ceili Band (2002) Dara Records
'Light the fire' Liam Lawton
'Sacred Story' Liam Lawton
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Tim plays
38 key Bflat/F Jeffries (1927)
38 Key C/G Suttner with Ebony ends.

Order one from www.suttnerconcertinas.com
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