Donegal fiddler Frank Kelly was a ‘true gentleman’ who imparted his gift to others

Renowned Donegal fiddle player Frank Kelly was a “true gentleman” with “a gentle spirit”, mourners at his funeral have been told.

Mr Kelly, who was 89, passed away on Wednesday after a short illness.

The youngest of a family of 12 from the townland of Mullaghaneary near Crossroads and later of Ballinacor, Killygordon, he began learning the fiddle from a young age and was regarded as one of the finest Donegal fiddle players of his generation.

He won the All-Ireland Senior Fiddle competition in Buncrana in 1979 and took part in a Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann tour of North America the same year.

Fr Patrick Arkinson told mourners at Mr Kelly’s requiem Mass on Saturday in St Patrick’s Church, Crossroads, that Mr Kelly was “a lovely, lovely man”.

“Frank was gifted with a lovely, lovely nature. Frank carried a lovely, lovely, gentle spirit and Frank was a true gentleman.”

He was a man who was “always very much at ease in other people’s company”.

“Frank was a man who not only delighted in company but seemed to get energy from company.”

A gifted musician, he “had a great love and appreciation of all types of music, but especially of traditional Irish music” and always tried to impart his gift to others.

In a profile of Mr Kelly, Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí said he grew up with neighbours and visitors calling to the house for chat, music and dancing. 

He started playing on a tin fiddle made by Mickey Mór Doherty, patriarch of the Doherty clan of fiddlers, while his next fiddle was made by his grandfather from a shoe polish box.

His playing was learned from local players and also from the records of the renowned US-based Irish fiddlers like Michael Coleman and Hugh Gillespie.

Active in Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for many years, he was a driving force behind the regular session in Crossroads.

Mr Kelly was predeceased by his wife Sarah, and is survived by his children Tommy, Marie, Bernard, Frankie, and Brigid and his partner Rita.