The committee of NKTMA consists of:

Chair: Kerry Barrett: fiddler, Ballyheigue, inheritor of a vast musical legacy from his late father Tom Barrett, from Bedford, Listowel, a fiddler and music teacher, many of whose tunes were published by Breandán Breathnach in his internationally renowned five-volume collection, Ceol Rince na hÉireann.

Secretary: Ciarán Dalton: musician and local historian, Lissodeige, Fenit; author of “Ardfert by the Sea: A Century of Music, 1900-2000″, published in 2009.

Treasurer: Mick Dooley: uilleann piper, pipe maker and music collector, Tralee.

PRO: Paul de Grae: musician and traditional music researcher, The Spa, Tralee, author of “Traditional Irish Guitar” and a work-in-progress study on Ardfert fiddler Paddy O’Sullivan; authority on the traditional music collections of Francis O’Neill.

Other founder members include:

Sean Abeyta: fiddler, Kilflynn.

David Hegarty: uilleann piper, Tralee, Chairman of Na Píobairí Uilleann and authority on reed-making.

North Kerry lies between Sliabh Luachra and south-west County Clare, but has not received nearly as much attention in traditional music circles. There is, however, a long and distinguished musical history in the region, from the famous harper Nicholas Dall Pierse around 1600, through to 19th century fiddle masters such as Jeremiah Breen (some of whose music was printed by Francis O’Neill) and George Whelan (who was very influential on the music of south-west Clare).  Later, we have accordion player Tom Carmody (who recorded with the great Sligo fiddler James Morrison in the 1930s), and many highly regarded players of more recent times; as well as these, we are also aware of many fine traditional practitioners whose fame was purely local. We have no doubt that there is a vast untapped treasury of music, song, dance and lore out there, which we hope to explore and bring to a wider public.

The NKTMA is an organisation with a tendency towards inclusivism rather than a narrow exclusivism. Membership is not restricted to musicians, nor indeed will strict geographical definitions be a deterrent to examining the heritage of adjacent, historically connected areas such as West Limerick. The NKTMA is intended to be more than a passive repository of the musical heritage of the region, and will be active in spreading the knowledge and appreciation of this heritage in North Kerry and beyond.

The principal aims of NKTMA are:

• Collecting and preserving the musical culture of North Kerry;

• Researching and analysing the repertoire and the playing, singing and dancing styles of the area;

• Making this rich heritage accessible to all who are interested in it, via a permanent archive, and outreach programmes in local schools.

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