The Able Reel (Reel)
This tune was written around 2003 and was dedicated to my uncle, Tony Purcell, after his company’s slogan “We are able”.
Seán McElwain playing “The Able Reel” by Sandie Purcell on the banjo, March 2024.
From Co. Monaghan, Seán McElwain is a multi-instrumentalist performing regularly on banjo, bouzouki and guitar. A member of the traditional group Téada – with whom he original played banjo – he has also undertaken considerable research into the musical traditions of the Sliabh Beagh region.
This research has informed the TG4 Gradam Ceoil winning album ‘Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over It’, as well as the recent publication focusing on the life and music collection of Monaghan collector James Whiteside.
