n ill . 1 - Comhaltas Archive

TREOIR
Now often it is said nowadays that
characters are fast disappearing.
Well, the traditional music scene
has lost one such character in the
person ofTommy Robinson RIP. He
passed away on to a well-deserved
rest, after a period of ill health on
June 23 rd 2002.
Tommy was a character indeed
and a very popular figure at
traditional music venues throughout
Ireland. He was one of the first (if
not the first) to peddle his musical
wares at fleadhanna - and many a
seisuin and bit of craic took place
around his fiddle rail and accordion
bedecked car.
Tommy had a roguish sense of
humour, never quite giving a
straight answer to a question,
especially if in involved a haggle
over a deal for an instrument.
Asked to give his opinion on the
value of the fiddle or an accordion
he would often say, 'Well it
depends now whether you are
buying or selling!" On one
occasion when asked the price of a
mandolin, Tommy quoted £275 -
the prospective buyer quietly left
the mandolin down and walked
away. Tommy turned to me and
whispered, "was it something I
saidl" He was never short of an
answer.
Tommy was a fine musician himself,
playing fiddle, banjo and I believe
the saxophone in his young days
with a dance band. He had a lovely
style of playing airs on the fiddlesoft.
plaintive and very traditional.
He was a member of Belfast CCE
and often entertained us with his
unique, sweet fiddle playing. He will
be sadly missed by all his
colleagues in the Belfast branch.
Although he lived in Belfast Tommy
was a Tyrone man and proud of it.
He often recounted his days
playing at dances around Tyrone
with noted musicians such as Pat
and Rose McKenna and it was at
one such dance that he met his
wife Maura.
We will all miss Tommy, his dry
wit, his music and his stall of
musical instruments. However. I'm
sure he's up there already selling
harps and maybe an odd fiddle or
two! We offer our sincere
sympathy to his wife Maura and
family - Ar dheis De go raibh a
anam.
Michael J. McCullough
(Sec. Belfast CCE)
From August 7th - 11th Granard had a
wonderful few days of Harp music.
Starting on August 7th and continuing
on Thursday & Friday there was a very
successful Harp Summer School with
participants from all over the country
availing of the opportunity to work
with top tutors .. On the same days but
at 2.00pm each day there were free
classes for beginners, which proved
very popular, as there were students
from all over including Dublin. The
School hoped to have some new
enrolments come September. On
Friday night the 9th the Official
opening was performed by a long
standing supporter of the Harp Mr.
Padraig O'Ceallaigh, Dublin who said
it was lovely to come to Granard for
the 21 st celebrations. He
congratulated the committee on the
work they were doing for the Harp
and wished them continued success.
He also thanked them for their
invitation and declared the
celebrations open. That was followed
by what could be described as one of
the best concerts held in the
Community Centre for some time. The
Concert was a tribute night for wellknown
piper Peter Carberry, Kenagh
MUSicians, singers and dancers from
all over attended, some from as far
away as Dublin & U. S. A. which proves
how popular and well known Peter is.
On Saturday morning the usual Harp
competitions commenced at 10.00am
with Aine Ni Dhubhghaill, Dublin as
Adjudicator who had a tough task on
hand as the standard was so high in
all categories.
- Josie O'Rourke
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