The Heduan story

William J. Mullally, born on February 5, 1884, in Milltown, Rathconrath, County Westmeath, holds a distinct place in Irish traditional music history. In 1926, he made the first known recording of the concertina, marking a significant milestone for the instrument in Ireland.

William was the youngest of eleven children. After his father’s death in 1898, he trained as a carpenter. Although neither of his parents was musical, the Mullally household was steeped in music, with siblings playing various instruments. William learned the concertina from a neighbor, Mrs. Ann Heduan, and was known to play at local house dances by 1905. His life mirrored the experience of many in post-Famine Ireland; nine of the eleven siblings emigrated to seek opportunities elsewhere. He spent three years in Birkenhead, England, where he was likely exposed to the popular concertina players of the music hall scene. It was there that he purchased the fine concertina he would later use for his historic recordings. William left in 1907, traveling via Liverpool to join his brother in New York.

Upon settling in New York, William lived with his brother Michael, a policeman and fellow concertina player, who likely introduced him to the local Irish traditional music circuit. This connection proved pivotal. By the 1920s, many records of Irish music were being produced, but the concertina remained unrecorded until Columbia recognized William’s talent.

In 1926, he recorded several sides accompanied by the prominent pianist Ed Geoghan. He also performed on the radio and completed a second recording session for the Victor studio in New Jersey with pianist Edward Lee. In total, he issued ten sides, with tune titles that honored his Westmeath roots, such as “The Humours of Mullingar” and “The Races of Athlone.”

Following this brief but brilliant career, William faded into obscurity. He drifted through various jobs, never married, and eventually lost contact with his family. He passed away in an institution in the southern United States in the 1950s.

Despite his quiet end, William’s legacy endures. His recordings are still regarded as some of the finest concertina playing of that era. In Milltown, the musical tradition was carried on by neighbors like the Seery family, and today, it is championed by the local Frank Gavigan branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, chaired by Mick Foster.

The site of the original Mullally home, which stood until it was demolished in 1965, now serves the community through the local GAA. To commemorate the centenary of William’s historic recordings, the branch will host a special event on October 3rd, 2026. Musicians, including Mícheál O’Raghallaigh, will gather at the site of the former Mullally home to play, and a new memorial trophy will be presented to a senior concertina winner, ensuring that William Mullally’s contribution to Irish music is never forgotten.