Sad news just arrived of the death of Fermanagh singer Paddy Tunney.
Sad news.
I think he had a big influence on Cathal McConnell.
Ulster’s lilters are dying out, and few are replacing them.
Boyd
It is sad indeed. He was a fine singer, to most of you here probably best known by his song ‘The Green Fields of America’ which he partly learned fro mhis mother Bridget Tunney, he wrote several of the verses himself so skilfully blending them in with the few existing ones they fit in seamlessly.
ANother of his great songs which he passed on to Cathal McConnell is ‘the Mountaintreams where the Moorcocks crow’.
His books like ‘The Stone Fiddle’ paint a vivid picture of musical life in Fermanagh.
I have one particular memory of him, during one Willie Clancy week somewhere during the alte 80s, Geoff Wooff and myself played some tunes in the NPU shop in the Community Hall [all pubs were taken], several people were present: Chris Langan was there, Wexford reedmaker Seamus McMahuna, NPU’s Liam McNuUlty. After playing for a bit Tunney walked in. He had been listening to us when we were playing earlier that afternoon. He struck up a conversation in between tunes, telling some great stories. At one point I played the Blackbird, when I finished Paddy jumped in and sang a lovely version of the song finishing it off by a great lilted version of the tune as I had played it before. Great lilting. It was yet another memorable few hours of music.
Ever after that, when I’d see him, a quick glance of acknowledgment would be exchanged. It’s sad to loose the familiar faces, it leaves us in a poorer place.
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-12-08 09:21 ]
Oh Peter, that is sad news.
I had the priviledge to meet Paddy and hear him lecture and sing at Carmel Gunning’s Queen Maeve Irish Music Summer School in Sligo this summer. He was a delightful, charming, talented man with a great sense of humour. He will be sorely missed. Thanks for letting us know.
Sue
Woah! I had the great privelage of eating dinner with Paddy and his wife during the South Armagh Singing Festival a couple months ago. He was an amazingly wonderful guy and a fantastic storyteller. When his wife got up he sang me a song about some wild red-haired girl he’d chased after in his youth, and then he told me how beautiful my girlfriend is and that if he was my age he’d chase after her like there was no tomorrow. What a wonderful guy!
I feel blessed having had that brief time with him.
Chris
It’s nice to see such warm feelings expressed about my father. He died peacefully after a short illness on Saturday morning, December 7 at 3.15am. He remained in great fettle almost to the end, telling stories and even singing along with us. Chris, he and my mother both spoke warmly of you on their return from Armagh, so either you or your girlfriend made a good impression. John
Dear John -
Thank you so much for your message. We did, indeed, have a wonderful time with both of your parents and it is a really special feeling to know that they appreciated our company. Rebecca (my girlfriend) and I were both a bit embarresed because neither of us had actually heard of your father before we met him. For all we knew, sitting down with your parents, they were just another pair of cheerful old folks along for the craic. Your dad was really humble and delightful… kindly and mischeviously letting us know about his love and involvement in the music and his many wonderful contributions. Rebecca and I were both a little bit stunned by it all and felt really humbled to have had dinner with two such wonderful people as your parents. After the dinner we got talking to some folks who seemed quite amazed that we had just gone and sat with your folks… they spoke of your dad as if he were a legend and were very curious to hear what stories and songs he had shared with us.
Later during the festival Rebecca had a chance to sing with your father (he invited her to do so) and it was a really amazing experience for her. Before the festival she had done very little public singing, and she sings mostly Appalachian music and gospel, rather than Irish music, so she was really shy about singing. Everyone at the festival, including your parents, were amazingly kind and encouraging towards her. I think her time time there with such a wonderful group of people, and especially your father’s encouragement, has become a real milestone in her musical life and will inspire her for many, many years to come. It has certainly worked wonders so far!
Thank you, John, and please send my love, prayers and thanks to your mother and the rest of your family.
Best,
Chris