Jam Sessions at McKinnon's Irish Pub

By Shanise Bultron

DT Hartford Staff

Every Wednesday, you can find Jeanne Freeman and other local musicians playing traditional Irish music at McKinnon’s Irish Pub in downtown Hartford. In the small dimly lit pub with a small but loyal crowd, people are able to kick back and enjoy a couple drinks while listening to the fiddlers play. In a circle by the door, a group of friends are smiling and playing on instruments such as the Irish pipe, bodhron, mandolin, concertina, accordion, and guitar.

Freeman, head fiddler, has been playing music for over 12 years. Five years ago, Freeman was taken under the wing of the fiddler who first created the weekly jam session, P.V. O’Donnell. In downtown Hartford, he is remembered as one of the most influential fiddlers to ever play because of his lifetime of experience and his dedication to teaching others Irish music. Today, Freeman continues the legacy of her mentor by leading jam sessions every Wednesday night, which is open to any musicians that would like to join.

O’Donnell, who is from Donegal, Ireland, was introduced to the fiddle at a very early age. He had his first recital when he was four years old and music has been a big part of his life ever since. As a schoolboy he joined “The Little Gaelic Singers,” where he went on his first extended tour in America. As an adult, O’Donnell traded in a desk job to practice on his professional music career. He then began traveling throughout North America with his band “Barley Bree,” who produced eight successful albums.

After traveling for ten years, O’Donnell settled down in Manchester, Conn. where he continued practicing the fiddle and taught students. He played the fiddle in downtown Hartford with other local musicians until he died in 2011. The Milford, Conn. Branch of Comhaltas was renamed the P.V. O’Donnell Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in honor of him. Jeanne Freeman, the fiddler continuing O’Donnel’s legacy said, “I continue the jam sessions by sending out weekly emails to a few followers.”

One of the group’s main followers, local man Robin Guthrie, has been following the fiddlers for about five years. “Back in the day they used to play at other places downtown like the Hartford Steam and Mad Murphy’s,” he said. “I’m mostly Scottish and English, but I still come to enjoy the music. P.V. O’Donnell was the best of them.”

Cindy and Jack Donovan, an older couple, are also longtime fans of the traditional music. “You can hear the main theme of the traditional music anywhere,” said Jack. “People can put their own twist on the way they play it. We traveled to New Orleans and heard people playing traditional music we hear up here, but they played it a little different.”

When McKinnon’s Pub owner, Matt Corey, was asked about the group Freeman was running, he said, “I had little control over it because it had already been happening before I even owned the pub.” The weekly jam sessions are simply tradition and Corey helps advertise for the group. Although there are a small number of loyal followers, the group does not have a name. Any musician who can play traditional Irish music is welcome to play, which is exactly how P.V. O’Donnell would like it.