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A Quest For The Perfect Whistle<br />
Pat O'Riordan pictured above at a<br />
recent Fleadh Nua in the Banner<br />
County is an instrument maker who has<br />
come home to his roots, musically . His<br />
west Limerick parents moved to<br />
Coventry back in 1922, but he adds, "of<br />
course I had the experience of holidays<br />
every summer in Foynes when I was<br />
growing up".<br />
Apprenticed to trade as a toolmaker,<br />
he did "what every youngster did then,<br />
I lied about my age and joined the<br />
Royal Navy" . Following time in service,<br />
he enrolled in a draughtsman's<br />
training fellowship which eventually led<br />
to an engineering career in the United<br />
States with the R.E .A. Magnet Wire<br />
Company of Fort Wayne , Indiana.<br />
Having a successfu vocation in engineering,<br />
the youthful grandfather of fiftyeight<br />
years of age has not failed to cultivate<br />
the music in his soul with an advocation<br />
towards instrument making.<br />
"This is where my original apprenticeship<br />
has served me well. It is those skills<br />
that I learned as an apprentice long ago<br />
that I am putting to use now in my instrument<br />
making".<br />
Being a resident of the United States<br />
and being situated well within the abundant<br />
Appalacian Mountain Radio signal<br />
belt, Pat began his hobby of instrument<br />
making by constru