Terry O’Neill is entering his third year as the leader of the Common Ground First Wednesday Celtic Jam. He has played fiddle for over 50 years, as well as mandolin and guitar. He recently retired after teaching music for 23 years in Harford County (Md.) Public Schools. As a private teacher, Terry has worked with students of all ages and skill levels. Over the course of his lifelong involvement with music, Terry has played in many genres, from orchestras to bar bands. Since retirement, Terry has returned to his first love, Irish Traditional music. He came of age in the Washington, D.C. Irish scene in the 1970s’s, and shared stages with groups such as The Irish Tradition, Celtic Thunder, and many others. He attended the Willie Clancy Summer School in Ireland to learn first-hand from legendary fiddlers such as Bobby Casey and Tommy Peoples. As a member of the Celtic group Dogs Among the Bushes, Terry performed at the Festival InterCeltique in Lorient, Brittany. He has performed and recorded with many Irish groups, including Reel Time, Kinsale, and O’Malley’s March. Currently, Terry can be found playing at local sessions, festivals, and other venues, often with his group Gallagher’s Frolics.
