sligo for all-ireland? - Comhaltas Archive

BOGUSBLUNDEROn the 28 August the "EveningPress" retracted a story which they hadpublished in a previous edition andwhich was based on a bogus phone call.It seems that the phantom caller was"out to get Comhaltas" but the tableswere soon turned on him through thequick action of Pat Sweeney of Manchester.The following is the "EveningPress" retraction:MUSICIANS 'TREATED. VERY WELL'A group of traditional musicians whowere forced to spend an extra night hereafter a traffic accident on their wayhome to England have paid tribute toComhaltas Ceolt6iri Eireann for providingfood and accommodation.The 53 musicians were travellinghome from the all-Ireland fleadh cheoilat Listowel when their bus struck abridge over a flooded river at Portlaoise,on Monday night. They arrived at.Culturlann, the CCE headquarters inMonkstown, Co. Dublin, at midnightand stayed there overnight.Their Donegal-born spokesman, PatSweeney said "The staff -at headquartershave been most helpful and havegone out of their way to make uscomfortable."When we arrived at midnight wewere met by the manager, JohnMcCracken, who put on a huge log fire,provided us with a meal and drinks andmade us as comfortable as possible. Thefollowing day we were given a firstclassbreakfast, a lovely lunch and tea".Mr. Sweeney said that a minibus wasordered to take them to the boat andthe CCE national director, Mr. Labhnisb MurchU ordered that they should beprovided with free hotel accommodationif the boat did not sail.Mr. Sweeney said that a report inTuesday's Evening Press expressing concernof the group's treatment wasincorrect. The caller purporting to beMr. Sweeney, on whose claims thereport was based, was bogus, he said.FRANCIE McPEAKETomas b CanainnIt was in the early fifties that I firstmet Francie McPeake in Belfast. Fourof us used to play for a Sunday-nightceili in Cumann Chluain Ard - Francie,his fathe\", his brother James and myself.Seamus 0 Mealliin was Fear a' Ti, controllingdancing, music and song to thehighest standard.My abiding memories of Francie areof his humour, his gentleness and of hispoetic playing of Irish airs on theuilleann pipes. He visited us often inCork and would keep us laughing longinto the night, enjoying his power overus.I was at the Welsh Eisteddfod inLlangollen thirty years ago, when theMcPeake family trio, with two pipes anda harp, stopped the show and took firstprize from the folk-musicians of theworld.It had all started with his father -'Me Da' - who had been patronised byFrancis J oseph Biggar in the early yearsof the century. It was Biggar who convertedthe young flute-player to apiper- even buying for him a prize setof pipes from the Belfast maker,O'Mealy. As if that were not enough,he paid a Galway piper, blind O'Reilly,to come to Belfast and teach him. Atone of the music soirees in Biggar'shouse , old Francie played for RogerCasement, who gave him a sovereignthefirst he had ever seen. His fatherpassed his piping on to Francie and ithas now gone into his family and intotheir families too.We have seen and heard four McPeake generations, though the secondbegan to slip away from us whenFrancie died on the seventh of July.I have written this poem for him.IN MEMORIAM FRANCIEMcPEAKEd.7.7.'86That talk of the perfectSet of pipes you'd turnOn the garage latheIn Theodore Street is finished.The "Coolin" has goneFrom fingers that felt the pulseOf reels O'Mealy taughtYour father to playIn Biggar's for Casement,Who paid him in royal gold:A story told between tunesIn Springview, where IWas strapped into pipesAnd took from you much moreThan piping. How can ICondone your goingInto a place that diminishes;Whose shuttered doors,Will try to hide Llangollen,Where I saw you, Francie,Bewitch the crowdedEisteddfod with airsThat you inhabit still,Whoever plays the tune.UILLEANN PIPER WEDSEamonn . Lane of 39 CherryfieldRoad, Walkinstown, was married recentlyto Una Crowley .of 24 AshingtonAve., Navan Road, Dublin. Thewedding was in the Iona Road Churchand Fr. Roy Donovan, C.C., officiated.Miirin de Brun sang at the Mass accompaniedby Emir and Etna O'Connor andAidan Clancy. The Reception was atHowth Lodge Hotel and theHoneymoon was in Cyprus.Eamonn is one of the youngergeneration of uilleann pipers to comefrom the Cumann na bPiobairi Branch28.UNA and EAMONN LANE photographedwithFR. ROY DONOVAN.of Comhaltas and his father Ernie is astalwart of that Branch.