Comhaltas Archive

"Your man that was to play thepiano .... he never came." "Go away"!"He never turned up." "You mean totell me so?" If it happened to be anyone else who came but Billy he wouldnot have gone . "Come on JeremiahBoy ~ Come on and we 'll show them athing or two."The two fiddlers were receivedwith resignation by the Mrs.Hannigan and Mrs. McGuinness,with wild acclaim by some ofthe waiting dancers. Schoobertgave a little kick at the helpless, silentpiano and viewed it with a scornful eye.Jeremiah and himself sat on chairs inthe corner and together they swishedthrough one tune after another. "Lieon it, you're doin' mighty", the Schoobertwould whisper.As the night wore on, a kind of alangour came over the Schoobert. Inthe middle of playing he told Jeremiahto keep it going and edged sidewaysaway and in among the older folks sittingdown along the side. "Could I getyou something Mr. Connolly?", askedMrs. McGuinness with concern. "Justfeelin' a bit tired".He was sitting all alone now and itthrilled his very heart to listen to theyoung lad playing. Every note seemedas if it were his own. He was lashing itto "The Mason's Apron". "Play J ermiah,my son, play . You're showin'them how its done my boy. Aftertonight they will surely be callin' youthe young Schoobert. More talk fromone end of the parish to the other abouthow good you are ~ more talk aboutMasie's passin' out or whatever it wascalled ~ those darned pianos, theywould rot in every room and make firewoodin every house. Food for thewoodworms and the mice ~ there'sJeremiah swingin' into "The MountainRoad" ...."Clapping and applause as he had notheart in all his own years performing.His head was beginning to feel heavyand his chin began to glag down restingthe point on his chest. The people andJeremiah and everything began to dimas if a shadow had been drawn across hiseyes. The clapping and the wildapplause had died down. The hearingwas beginning to slip away from his earsand he didn't hear the voice shoutingup: "What about a solo from theSchoobert?" .The young Schoobert had already begun,his fingers quivering up and downthe notes of "Raisin Dubh". When hehad finished there was louder cheeringand wilder clapping but the light hadgone out completely from the eyes ofthe master, the hearing had left his earsand he never heard a thing.IHistory Made in D.unloySaturday the 12th of January, 1985proved to be a red-letter day far Dunloyand District Branch of Carnhaltas CeoltoidEireann, when to a packed housethey opened their new ComhaltasCentre. The first of its kind in NorthernIreland, it is a neat, beautifullydecorated building, comprising of twoclassroomS, toilets, kitchen and a MainHall area with se.ating for two-hundredand fifty to three hundred people, also alarge and very functional stage area.The homely atmosphere is veryapparent, as soon as you enter and youcannot but feel relaxed and easy, withthe first class seating and bright tastefuldecor. Who would have thought thatjust fifteen months ago, when this wasonly an idea, that the reality would haveturned out So well.A reality which could not have c.omeabout WIthout, firstly, the very gener.ousge.sture of John Rerron, of Herron Brothers,Draperstown, who sold the structureto Dunloy branch of Comhaltas ata very m04est price. Secondly, theDunloy G.A.A. Club, who made the sitefor the cQnstruction of the Centre available,and gave Comhaltas every assitancepossible. An object-lesson in howthese two great organisations can andshould work together for the commongood of our Irish culture. Thirdly, thelocal businessmen and contractors whoresponded very generQusly to everyrequest made by Comhaltas in Dunloy.And all those people who gave so unsparinglyof their time, their talents andenergies at the construction and thecompletion of the new Centre. The Co.Antrim Board ' of Comhaltas, for theitfaith and encouragement and the localpatrons who very generously offeredmuch needed financial suport which isyery r1uch apF.r~ciated . Mr . Banley ,Manager of The Government TrainingCentre at Ballymena and his staff fortheir all-out co-operation Oh the projectwork done on curtains and seating.At the official opening ceremony, allspeakers had very ~ncouraging commentsto make about 'the. work undertakenby Comhaltas in Dunloy.Speakers included Willie Richmond,Chairman of Dunloy G.A.A.; AlphonsusAgnew and Jeamtie McGrath, Chairmanand Secretary respectively of Co.Antrim Board of CCE; Alex ken, Chairmanof the Deny and Antrim FiddlersAssociation; Frank McMahon, Chairmanof Dunloy and District CCE and HarryMullan, Chairman of Ulster Council ofeCE who performed the openingceremony.The offiCial opening was followed bya feast of music, song and dance in theform of a concert - the first half ofwhich was done by some of the childrenattending Comhaltas classes in Dunloyand the Allen school of Dancing fromDunloy; all put together and rehearsedby Sinead McGrath one of the tinWhistle tutars and full marks must go toSinead and all the young singers,dancers and musicians for a first classperformance. . Other tutors teachingmusic at Comhaltas classes in Dunloy,are: Ronnie Bamber, John Kennedy andTommy McGoldrick. The second halfwas opened by senior musicians from allover Co. Antrim. John McCracken fromHead-Office was Fear a' Ti and also arrangedfor the appearance at Dunloy ofspecial Guest Artistes Fdeda Gray andSeamus Meeban from Dublin and fromDonegal Rita Gallaglter and FrankKelly. John has always done us proudup here in Co. Antrim when arrangingfor guest artistes and this was no exception.He is also very popular himselfwith audiences here in Dunloy. Manythanks, John, for a great job very welldone. The Concert closed with a sessionmar including senior musicians from allover the County. The entire performancewas recorded on video by BameyCunning and Aiden Duggan.But ' no . Cornhaltas gathering inDunloy would be complete without acup of tea fOr everyone, and once againthe ladies of Dunloy rose to the occasionas only they can do - only thistime they really excelled even themselves.The evening finished off with aCeni and Old Time, music supplied byGerry Kealy, Vincent ReiUy, John Mc. Gourran, Alex Crawford,Denis Sweeney,Tomrny Robinson and MichaelROdgers. The Dunloy branch of Comhaltas are deeply indebted to all thosepeople who before and on the 12th ofJanuary made it pOSsible for their dreamto come true.concerned.Many thanks to .allP.R.O. Dunloy and District Branch CCE15