Johnny Moynihan is the person who is credited with bringing the Irish Bouzouki to Ireland and adapting it to Irish music. In the 1960’s he played in a band called “Sweeney’s Men” with Andy Irvine which brought about the revival of folk music and helped it begin to spread. They made two albums before disbanding and Moynihan later joined “Planxty” and then “De Dannon” for a spell, and can be found on one of their albums. “Planxty” may be the most well known of these bands although Mary Black who was in “De Dannon” has become quite popular. Moynihan is known as quite a character which is probably what endears him to a tradition of music about whiskey and love and courting. Bouzouki players have him to thank for bringing this insrument to the revival of folk music, both at home in Ireland and abroad. |
