Hey,
Has anyone heard of a flute player called Packie Dwyer? I just came accross a copy of a recording by him, really neat stuff, but I can’t find mention of him anywhere.
thanks
Philip
Name sounds familiar, but as a whistle-player - what was the recording?
The recording sounds like a homemade tape of him playing. He introduces several tunes, and it’s fairly lo-fi, but great playing, sort of in a Kevin Henry-ish but close to Josie McDermot style. Very punchy.
Philip
We are not supposed to call people Packies here. I don’t quite know why. If he were Irish I suppose nobody would care.
Have you tried the oriental labels ?
There should be an award for great postings like that!
djm
Do you perhaps mean Packie Duignan?
There was an award. I had my regisration cancelled, although the Moderator had not read any of the posts, and I now have to sign in under a silly name.( I typed silly mane ! I must get my hair cut !).
The old memory’s as good as ever!
I reckoned I had heard this name on 2 recordings.
I first heard of Packie Dyer on an LP called “By The Hush”, recorded by singer Donal Maguire, who still lives in the North-West of England. The record has a track and photo of one Packie Dyer [sic], and he plays 2 reels on whistle. The photo on the sleeve shows him playing a flute. Inside insert says the following about him:
“Packie, who plays whistle,flute and war-pipes, is a most highly respected musician. Packie comes from the Ballymote area of Co. Sligo and grew up with musicians like Joe Dowd, Martin Wynne and Fred Finn”.
The album was recorded in 1982. I’m sure Donal Maguire would be very happy to tell you about Packie if you contacted him through his web-site.
I also had a feeling he was on the CD “The Coleman Archive Vol.1”, where his name is given as “Pake Dwyer”, and he plays 2 reels, again on whistle. The CD sleeve notes say as follows:
“Pake Dwyer was born in 1921 in Curragh, Gurteen, Co.Sligo. He was influenced in his youth by local musicians such as the Giblin family from Clogher and also played with Martin Wynne before he went to America. Pake emigrated to Manchester in 1949 where he now lives.” The CD was recorded in May 2000.
Despite the differences in the spelling of his name, I reckon it must be the same person. He would be aged 83 this year.
Hope this helps.
[ Of course, there is always the possibility that your “Packie Dwyer” could be a different one all together ! ]
i expect that he will be rather different now he is 83. If he is not I would like to interview him, and patent him ,if possible.
Ah, Kenny, you’ve hit upon it! That makes perfect sense. The style sounded very old school Sligo, and in Tansey’s book (love it or hate it there are some interesting people) he’s got a whole two pages as “Pake Dwyer”. Thanks a lot!
And I think he gets a mention in Ciaran Carson’s book on ITM “Last Night’s Fun”
[Note: Thread resurrection. - Mod]
Pake Dyer is still playing away on the flute at 90! Plays regularly in Roscommon/Mayo area and maybe even further afield.
Fair play to him. I hope he is well.