Paul O'Shaughnessy played with Altan and can be heard on Horse With a Heart, The Red Crow, and Harvest Storm; more recently he appears on Cairdeas' compilation of Donegal fiddling, The Fiddle Music of Donegal, reviewed separately. In my opinion he is one of the best Donegal fiddlers alive, and certainly among the very best of the younger generation. His playing is highly articulated, lively, driving -- similar to that of Altan's other fiddlers, though there are clear differences in style among the three. Paul McGrattan's flute playing is excellent as well and is not, of course, merely an accompaniment to the fiddle.
The sound production is adequate but not outstanding. O'Shaughnessy's playing is very crisp and precise and this does not show off as well in the production as I would have liked (though it does show off pretty well).
The accompaniment here is largely unobtrusive and tasteful. Noel O'Grady, on bouzouki, adds a great lift. The bodhrán playing by Colm Murphy (who has a bodhrán recording out), is superb; the guitar playing by Seánie McPhail is good too.
There is an even mixture of southern tunes with tunes that were learned from Donegal players -- many of the southern tunes from Sligo flute player John Egan. Their rendition of the Con Cassidy slip jig "Doodely Doodely Dank" is wonderful. O'Shaughnessy has one composition of his own here, a fine tune called "The Tuesday Barndance." His solo playing of Donegal settings of three reels, "My Love is in America," "Paddy Ryan's Dream," and "Mother's Delight," displays his breathtaking abilities. A few tracks later, McGrattan's solo playing of the three reels, "President Garfield's," "The Rat in the Hatch," and "The Otter's Holt," practically had me dancing the first time I heard it (and I have no talent whatever for dancing). The playing is consistently good.
Since this recording has a lot of Donegal tunes and highlights fiddle and flute, it will inevitably draw comparisons with Ceol Aduaidh by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy. But the styles and production are quite different, and the accompaniment has a greater presence on the two Pauls' recording. Those who like Altan's stuff but didn't care for Ceol Aduaidh may well like Within a Mile of Dublin.
I recommend this recording to fans of Altan, to Donegal style fiddlers, to flute players, and to those who like fiddle-flute duets. Now we have recent non-Altan recordings from present or past Altan members Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy (on Ceol Aduaidh), Paul O'Shaughnessy, Dermot Byrne, and Dáithí Sproule. Hopefully the two Ciarans (Tourish and Curran) are next. (At least Ciaran Tourish, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, and Paul O'Shaughnessy can be heard playing solo on the tutor tape to An Ceol, reviewed separately.)