R - Comhaltas Archive

Che Pipes, the Pipes are callingD6irin Mhic MhuTChuI,- recent delve into literature,especially from the pens ofJ}vis itors to Ireland, revealedmany different reactions to the pipesand pipe music down the centuries. Itwas something completely alien tomost visitors to our shores and theirreactions varied, depending on theirhumour at the time or on theirperception, or lack of it.John Dunton, a slightly loopy Englishbookseller, came to Ireland in 1699. Hehad a bookshop in London 'The BlackRaven' and published hundreds ofbooks. He also published a weeklypaper the' Athenian Gazette'. But hebecame beset by debts, and took towandering, first to America, then toHolland and Germany. In 1697 after hiswife died, he went travelling agai n andcame to Ireland in 1698 to auctionbooks in Dublin. After he had a disputewith an Irish bookseller, he wrote ascu rril ous account of thi s man in the'Dublin Scuffle', adding his Irishexperiences on to the end of it. He alsowrote a long essay on the death of hisown Madge who had caught mice forhim for 30 years!He said he had stud ied the Indians inAmerica and now wanted to do thesame for the 'Irish savages' and so wentto Connemara. He visited a chief of theO'Flahertys who took him stag huntingand to a christening where the musicwas, he said, melancholy 'as su itin g thehumours of a people always insubjection'. On his way back to Dublinhe went to a wake, and to a farmer'swedding. He seems to have enjoyedthe wedding very much.There was much piping and dancing,he remarked. The bridegroom was 'astrapping young fellow with a greyfrieze su it on', the bride wore a 'redfrieze petticoat and waist coat withgreen tape about the skirts', and awhite linen hood on her head .He also went to a hurling match,played between parishes. The prize wasa barrel of ale, and 'the conquerorswere attended by pipers who playedthe victors off the field '. Poor oldDunton died in London, mad and everybit as poverty-stricken as the worst'savages' he had described in Ireland.Dr Campbel l, a very astute observer,travelled this country mostly onhorseback in 1777. His first experienceof the pipes was at MacCarthy's ofSpringhill, near Tipperary, where he wasstaying. 'Here we were at meals, evenon Sunday, rega led with the bag-pipe,which, to my uncultivated ear, is not aninstrument so unpleasant as the lovers ofItalian music represent it'. He continues56 ____________________________________________________ _