RTE Doc: Our Father, Seamus Ennis

Poststructural Pub
1

My trawl through RTE’s archive of vintage radio broadcasts has turned up another that might interest the board.

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/2011/0615/646708-radio-documentary-our-father-seamus-ennis-uilleann-pipes-trad-irish-music/

A tribute to Uilleann piper Seamus Ennis, as remembered by his son Christopher and daughter Catherine.

In this poignant documentary Catherine and Christopher remember tin whistle lessons until seven in the morning as they reflect on their childhood, their years apart from their father and reunion after his car crashes.

They talk of his battle with throat cancer and their last trip to see Seamus.

Includes music by Catherine Ennis and Liam O’Flynn recorded at St. Michael’s church Dun Laoghaire

First broadcast 10th April 1988.

2

Thanks for that link. Bitter-sweet, painful memories, but glad Catherine and Christopher Ennis were willing to let them be recorded and broadcast.

3

Well we are talking about a kind of “god” here.

So First, I went off to listen to his rendition of An poc ar buille .. because to me, it was in his singing, as much as his piping that I could know the great man.

And in the mean time, I have a friend who has all the transcriptions that Seamus made of his tunes in a book. And he can play them all. And my friend says : “Seamus Ennis - a pig of a man .. A man of cruelty - He would pretend to lick his reeds!! As a Joke??!!” Full knowing that to lick a reed would not only destroy the reed, but the chanter attached to it. ( a chanter is a wooden contrivance used to give voice to a reed- says he - change the reed? Maybe such a thing can be done - but rarely - better to make a new chanter).

So I listen to the documentary and listen to the great man’s children. And I look at that man singing an poc ar buille ..

This is not cruelty - this is life being lived. Seamus, in the video of the an poc ar buille clip - as many from that era, show a very attractive man. A man, not only skilled in the pipes - but skilled in life as masterful as his piping - well beyond the normal mortal .. and who can judge?

If that is cruelty, then yes - life is cruel. Live it anyway.

Personally, I do not see cruelty. It puts me in mind of another good friend who plays pipes. He plays all the instruments to a master’s degree. He runs tap water down his old German flute to close the cracks. And he plays a strange 5-string double-course guitar-thing to render Irish tunes like they have been destined to play. And he, again has written it all down in notation for who ever can receive it.

Unlike Seamus, my friend is a hermit right now. It is difficult to get him to a session - and when he does, it’s like the teacher has come. And that’s not always popular.

Seamus would never fall into that. In him I see a master - in every sense.

Beyond the judgement of a lesser such as me.

I am honoured to receive what little our media can transmit… and be content.

We live on the shoulders of giants.

Thank you for this thread. It inspires me.

4

@ceolmochroi has just tweeted a few photos of Séamus as a sweet-looking little boy. He could be generous, but he had his character flaws.

5

Wasn’t he just like the best of us, only more so?

I’ve had the great pleasure and honour of spending time and late nights with Seán Ac Dhonncha. The esteem that Seán held for Ennis (and Clancy) was remarkable.

6

I just gave this another listen. It really is astonishingly bittersweet. I can’t think when I’ve heard a more poignant radio broadcast.

7

Trolling an old hard drive, I found this again. If the link doesn’t work, let me know and I’ll re-post it. But if you’re interested in Seamus Ennis, this is gold. His children’s relationship must have have been painful, and in 1988 they told RTE about it. Whilst his daughter, Catherine was playing duets with Liam O’Flynn. It’s worth hearing. Nice playing from O’ Flynn.

His playing is so crisp. No one else sounds the same.