By: Jeff Meade

Chris, right, with fiddler Peadar O'Loughlin at the Philadelphia Irish Center April 6, 2006

Chris Brennan Hagy is the nurturing, encouraging mother hen leading the fourth Wednesday session at Chestnut Hill's venerable Mermaid Inn. She's a well-known and highly regarded Suzuki violin teacher. With Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley, she helps guide the Next Generation of Irish traditional musicians.

And no one I know seems to derive such unalloyed joy from playing Irish music. The first time I played bodhran in a session, it was at the 'Maid, with Chris occupying her usual chair in the corner. I was a shrinking violet that night, afraid to so much as tap my drum in the presence of so many fine musicians.

I needn't have worried. The only thing I could have done that night to disappoint Chris would have been not to play.

Here, then, is a brief insight into this talented, nurturing and encouraging friend.

1. There seem to be a lot of Brennans in Philadelphia traditional Irish music. Where and how do you fit into that clan?

My Brennan connection comes from my father (obviously), Bernard F. Brennan, VMD. His father, Martin Brennan, came from County Meath. His mother (Catherine Elizabeth O'Shea) came from a little town in County Kerry, Sneem. I visited there close to 30 years ago and noted that it was one of Ireland's tidiest towns. (I think it got the designation in 1982.) I also got to see a sheep shearing competition (hand shearing) at that time.

The majority of Brennans playing the music in these parts are not "officially" related to me. They include John, who plays fiddle and guitar; Eugenia, fiddle and the "voice of an angel;" Judy (Brennan ) Wisecarver, keyboards.

However, I have called them (and they, me) cousin for as long as I have known them. Hence, my nickname "Cuz" or "Cuzzie."

2. I watch you sometimes at sessions (and, yes, I know that sounds vaguely creepy, but ...) I don't think I've ever seen anyone who loves playing the music more than you do. What are you thinking about when you're playing? What's going through your head? (Or heart?)

Thanks , I do love it !!

Well, it probably depends. Sometimes I'm just listening to the music others around me are making and enjoying that Sometimes I am remembering who taught the tune to me and thinking of those folks. The music has a calming effect on me. I am just happy to be able to play it. I am happy to share it with others. The music can take you away from the worries of daily life and gives me space to breathe.

3. When did you first start playing fiddle?

I started out on learning to play the violin along with my daughter, Tegan. That was 25 years ago when she was only 18 months old. I had been introduced to the Suzuki method of violin a few years earlier when I had the opportunity to see the Suzuki tour group. I heard a little 4-year-old girl playing Humoresque by Dvorak. It amazed me. I resolved that, if I ever had children, I would like them to learn to play. So I did.

I had befriended a woman violinist, Linda (Ware) Fiore, who had studied with Dr.Suzuki in Matsumoto, Japan. She offered to teach Tegan as soon as she could stand and hold the violin. She encouraged me to go on to study more and to teach. I now have a very active home studio teaching violin.

My daughter Tegan was again instrumental in my learning to get into the Irish music. When she was 5, she wanted to learn to do Irish dancing. So I called around and found that Pat O'Donnell was teaching at the Commodore Barry Club. Parents were not allowed to stay to observe the classes so we retired to the bar. I sat down next to a mother of one of the dancers, Kay Gering. She said how she always wanted to play Irish music. I said that while I didn't know Irish music I could play the violin. That started me out teaching her while the girls danced.

Charlie Meiris, who played banjo—a wonderfully convivial fellow—encouraged Kay and me to come to the Friday night ceili. We would stand in the back and squeak out a note here or there and so it evolved. Kay and I then learned to play the Irish music from John Kelly. Mr. Kelly was from Sligo and had played the fiddle as a young man. He came to the U.S. and raised a family and took up playing later in life. He was the senior musician at the Friday night ceilis at the Irish center. Ed Kelley, Kitty Kelly, Mark and Marianne Carroll, Tim Britton, Dave Miller, and Chris Carpenter were regulars. Eugene O'Donnell would come in as well. He kindly offered to teach us and we became regulars at the ceilis. We even played on the St. Patty's Day float in the parade.

4. How long have you been associated with the Mermaid Inn session? It has your mark all over it. People just seem to like playing along with you.

Thanks, I like to play with them too!.

I've been assocated with the Mermaid session since its inception. A bunch of us had been going to McGurk's in Wyndmoor. One night I finally had a bigger group of folks come in to play and McGurks had some jazz group in, so I thought—why not try to go up to the Mermaid to see if we could play there? We did, and that started the (still) longest running weekly session in Philadelphia. I believe that Ed Kelley, Kay Gering, Helen and Daniel Pilling Moore, Carol Sandler, Jack Armstrong (RIP), Dave Miller, Enid Diamante and Jack Crowley were there as well.

5. Ten years ago, you produced your own CD, "Live At the Mermaid." I listen to it from time to time, and I find myself wishing I'd been there the night of Nov. 16, 1996. It sounded like a great night. When I listen to it, there are parts that remind me of the CD, "Music at Matt Malloy's" in that it's a bit rough around the edges, yet what really comes through is the life and spontaneity of that night. What are your memories of that night and cutting that CD? Were things really that spontaneous and fun? Were you really as relaxed as you seemed?

I don't know if "relaxed" is the word." But it was an amazingly fun time. We had close to 70 friends and family there to support us.