Michael Slattery (1855-1924)

Michael Slattery, born in 1855, was a highly respected fiddle player and teacher from Kilfenora, Co. Clare. He played a crucial role in the formation of the original Kilfenora Céilí Band in 1909, establishing a musical legacy that would go on to define the sound of North Clare for generations.

Michael married Bridget Byrt, and together they raised a household steeped in music. As Fr. Fabian McCormack noted:

“The value of music in attracting suitors to the house and ‘soothing savage breasts’ etc… All his children learned to play traditional music to a high standard, either the fiddle or the concertina, the older teaching the younger. John Joe went twice weekly to the famous Michael Slattery (founding member of the Kilfenora band in 1909) for special tuition on the fiddle…”

Michael’s skills as a music teacher were widely admired. His pupils included John Joe Lynch, who would become a central figure in the band’s future success. Michael’s influence didn’t stop there — his musical lineage spans generations. He was the father of Molly Conole, who later coached the Kilfenora band in the 1950s; grandfather of Phil McMahon of the 1990s lineup; and great-grandfather to Aidan and Fintan McMahon, members of the current Kilfenora Céilí Band.

Michael Slattery died in 1924.