News
Music legend marks 50 years teaching

By Michelle Crean
Last Saturday night was very special for one local music teacher who marked 50 years unbroken service with the Killarney Comhaltas branch.
And to celebrate the very special anniversary members of the branch surprised Nickie McAuliffe, a world renowned fiddle and flute player, to a get together in the Heights Hotel afterwards. There they treated Nickie and his wife Ann, who is also coming close to her 50th year teaching for the branch, to tea, cake and a music session. He was joined by members of the local branch as well as some of his very first students which he taught at Parlour 5 at the back of the Friary in 1971.
"We are so honoured to have a man with so much knowledge of music," Geraldine Guilfoyle (O'Sullivan), chairperson of the Killarney branch, told the Killarney Advertiser.
"He's so good to his students. He has a wealth of knowledge. He has not only taught them to play but given them a love of music. He gives of his time and is so passionate about teaching the history of the tunes."
Geraldine had asked Nickie to compose a tune to mark his 50th year.
On the night Nickie was presented with his composition 'Memories of Parlour 5' and a photo inscribed on a slate as a keepsake.