Ed Reavy

Who was Ed Reavy?

Ed Reavy was an Irish-American musician, composer of numerous traditional Irish dance tunes. Born in Barnagrove, County Cavan, he emigrated to Philadelphia in 1912 where he settled in the Irish-American enclave of Corktown. Except for two visits back to Ireland, he remained in the Philadelphia area for the rest of his life.

Reavy was a fiddler, and recorded in 1927 for the Victor record label, including two reels and two hornpipes. More than one hundred of his compositions have been published, and his sons have estimated that there may be more than five hundred in total. His most famous tune may be "The Hunter's House".

Reavy was president of the Irish Musicians' Association of America. In 2000, he was posthumously awarded the title "Composer of the Century" by an Irish-American organization.