Limerick city born musician and dancer Roy Galvin, director of Tigh Roy, is well known for his many RTE television appearances and contributions to radio programmes. As a young boy, Roy was introduced to traditional Irish music while in his final year at primary school by harpist and tin whistle player Deirdre O’ Brien Vaughan. Shortly thereafter he started performing in public providing musical intervals between the readings of poetry by the Limerick City Poetry Circle at King John’s Castle. Roy learned to play his first jig from well known Limerick fiddle player Con Foley. Soon after Roy started playing in sessions in and around Limerick city and county with musicians Donal O’ Connor (fiddle), Séamus Connolly (fiddle) and in particular Peg Ryan (flute) who was very generous in helping Roy.

He frequently visited her home in Murroe, Co. Limerick and spent many an evening playing music late into the night. Around this time Roy began travelling back to Co. Clare for music sessions and spent many an evening in the company of Junior Crehan, Willie Clancy, Micho Russell, and Tony McMahon.  With a love of playing slow airs Roy was hugely influenced by the Connamara tin whistle and flute player Festy Conlan and in 1971 won the All-Ireland Scór music competition playing Festy’s version of the slow air An Raibh Tú Ag an gCarraig along with the jig Banish Misfortune which he picked up from the piper Willie Clancy. Pilib O’ Laoghaire adjudicating remarked on Roy’s sensitive rendition of the slow air. The following year Roy attended the official opening of Raidió na Gaelteachta and was the first non-Gaeltacht musician to play on the radio station later that year. Read more . . .