Background
Byrne was born in 1946 in Mín na Croise (Meenacross), Glencolmcille in south west County Donegal, Ireland. He learned his first tune from his father John Byrne at the age of 8.
Byrne was born in 1946 in Mín na Croise (Meenacross), Glencolmcille in south west County Donegal, Ireland. He learned his first tune from his father John Byrne at the age of 8.
He has been called one of Ireland"s leading fiddle players. His style is the old Glencolmkille, Company Donegal style. He was the link between the older generation of musicians in his area - his neighbours, the Dohertys, the Cassidys, the McConnells to name but a few - and the young generation of Donegal fiddlers today whom he taught and inspired.
By 1980, many of the older local musicians had died, and Donegal music was being played only in isolated publications
Ironically, it was a time when Irish traditional music was becoming increasingly popular throughout Ireland, Britain and America due to groups such as Planxty and the Bothy Band. Claddagh Records, the Dublin label, recorded The Brass Fiddle: Traditional Fiddle Music From Donegal, featuring Byrne.
He followed this with a solo album, (a lake near his home in Mín na Croise), in 1990. A young band from Donegal, Altan, started playing many of his tunes and became popular internationally.
He has taught and inspired musicians all over the world and was instrumental in keeping the rich fiddle tradition of Glencolmcille alive.
On many occasions he took part in Ceol sa Ghleann, an arts project hosted in Glencolmcille which includes the annual Féile Ealaíon Traidsiúnta Ghleann Cholm Cille. This is a week-long annual music festival held around Easter time. They also run annual Donegal Fiddle school "Scoil Samhraidh James Byrne" every July in his memory.
He was interviewed by British Broadcasting Corporation Northern Ireland on an educational programme about the connection between Donegal and Scottish fiddle music
He was also interviewed by Michael Robinson for Fiddler Magazine on The Donegal Fiddle tradition.