Clannad founder who changed traditional music

(A slighly edited piece was published in the Irish Times of August 20th 2016)

Pádraig Duggan - born 23 January 1949 – died 9 August 2016

Pádraig Duggan, who has died after a long battle with ill-health, was one of a generation of musicians who set new frontiers for Irish traditional song, with harmonies and delicate instrumental accompaniment. With his twin brother, Noel, his niece and his nephews he founded Clannad in the early 1970s. Their innovations found entirely new audiences and new life for ancient songs and melodies.

Duggan achieved an impressive body of work, being one of the founders of the Celtic music genre. In the early 1970s, he wrote ‘Liza’, the first successful pop song in Irish. In it, he took the lesson of the Beatles and brought a new style of music into Irish. The song is still lively and attractive.

Duggan was involved in composing the first Irish-language song to feature in the UK charts, the 1982 theme from ‘Harry’s Game’. This made millions aware that Irish existed, and was vibrant.

He was a great musical talent with an instinctive understanding of harmony. He first learnt the piano, then the guitar, mandolin, flute, harmonica and drums. He grew up surrounded by traditional music. Growing to maturity in the 1960s, he absorbed their musical influences, particularly the Beach Boys and their harmonies. He learnt, too, by being drummer in the danceband led by his brother-in-law, Leo Brennan.

He and his twin brother Noel were born in January 1949, youngest of six children, two girls and four boys, to Aodh ‘Gog’ Duggan, a National Teacher and his wife Máire (née Nic Giolla Easpaic). The family was musical. He was educated at Dore National School, followed by secondary schooling at Ard Scoil Mhuire in Gweedore. After school, he studied to be a marine radio officer, until the call of music became too strong.

When Brennan bought a pub in the area in the late 1960s, he had begun to play there with his twin. Their niece and nephews, little older than they were, sometimes joined them. Initially, they mostly played conventional English-language material.

However, they had a spirit of musical invention. They sang the occasional song in Irish, and found listeners wanted to hear those.

With Noel, he went out and recorded songs all round north-west Donegal. Many were old and almost forgotten. The twins then made their own arrangements of the songs. These found an enthusiastic response, initially among patrons of Leo’s pub, then further afield.

The family group needed a name to enter a folk music competition, and decided to use the name Clannad. The roots of the name have little of its Celtic magic: it was ‘Clann as Dobhair’ or ‘A Family from Dore’.

Duggan was a hard worker. The band had toured and gigged on the folk music scene for almost a dozen years until success came with the theme from Harry’s Game.

As well as playing with Clannad, Duggan had personal projects. He and Noel recorded an album as ‘The Duggans’. They toured Germany as part of the band ‘Norland Wind’.

As a teenager, Duggan began playing music because he enjoyed it. He never lost that enjoyment. Thus, the internationally famous musician was a member of Dore marching band for over 50 years. He last played with it at Easter this year.

His death, so soon after that of his brother-in-law Brennan, marks the end of an era. Ní bheidh a leithéidí arís ann – their likes will not be seen again.

He is survived by his wife, Jan: sister Máire (Baba): and brothers Eoin and Columba. He was predeceased by his sister Bríd.

EU did not bring any great Irish unity

(an edited version of this piece was published in 'Village' July-August 2016)

The spectre of strict Border controls was raised round the UK referendum on membership of the European Union (EU). Certainly, it was part of the ‘Project Fear’ tactic of the Remain campaign.

It has also struck a chord with many in communities round the Border.

However, this ignores the historical fact that controls were at their tightest after 1973 when both states on the island were members of the EU. For a generation most traffic had to pass through round 20 fortified military checkpoints on the Border. Those passing through usually had to produce identification. Long waits were common. Prolonged and unpleasant searches were also common, particularly of young males whose names indicated they were Catholic.

Small roads across the Border were open from 1922, long before either state was in the EU. For a generation after 1973, during EU membership, at least 192 were closed. Farms were divided, with farmers having to do round journeys of up to 30 miles to access fields a hundred yards away. Every single road on the Border between Leitrim and Fermanagh was closed.  Border towns were strangled economically. Kiltyclogher in Leitrim is half a mile from the Border. Historically, it was the market town for a large part of West Fermanagh. The three roads leading into Fermanagh were closed, leaving the nearest legal crossing a dozen miles away. Six of eight pubs have closed. The population has fallen by approximately 50% since the 1960s: it can no longer support a GAA team, or the secondary school it once had.

Clones in Co Monaghan was for a long time the market town for much of South Fermanagh. Much of that trade continued after Partition. For a generation after EU accession in 1973, five of eight roads into the town were either blocked or had permanent military checkpoints. As a result, in 20 years the population fell by over 33%. There are at least a dozen closed businesses on its principal street, Fermanagh Street.

Paradoxically, the pro-Brexit DUP has been strong in saying that free movement of people across the Broder has to continue.

Currency is another area where differences between North and South have developed since EU accession. Before 1979 there was currency union: it was possible to use the same notes and coins from Bushmills to Baltimore. That changed after 1979. In Border area, sterling and euro notes are both accepted, and frequently coins also. That is not the case further away. However, there are great problems with bank payments, with heavy charges levied on cheques.

Another strengthening of division is that since both states joined the EU, there has been a lessening of free movement for students, with fewer Northern students coming South.

TCD historically educated significant number of Northerners, notably sizeable numbers from Protestant backgrounds. Their numbers are greatly reduced. There were only 160 Northerners there in the academic year 2014-5. UCD also used to attract many Northerners. Its numbers have held slightly better, with 229 in 2014-5.

Dundalk IT is approximately four miles from Co Armagh, thus within walking distance for a fit student. On most recent figures, it only had 17 Northern students. Letterkenny IT is only 17 miles from Co Tyrone. It only had eight Northern students, according to the most recent figures.

Thus, on some counts, division cannot be worsened by Brexit.

There has also been an element of moral panic round the whole vote. Certainly, there was a significant right-wing racist element. However, what was most significant was the way in which the political elites are out of touch with those they purport to represent.

In the North, the majority voted Remain. However, being the North, there was a sectarian element to it – as there is to most elements of society.

Forty-four point two percent voted to leave the EU. That indicates that a majority of Unionist voters followed the DUP’s lead to do so. Seven of the North’s 18 constituencies voted for Brexit, all majority Protestant. However, North Down, the second most Protestant of the North’s 18 constituencies, voted Remain. So did the majority Protestant constituencies of North Belfast and East Derry.

There were divisions, however. The majority of the Ulster Unionist Party was pro-Remain. The two People Before Profit Assembly members called for a leave vote, from a left-wing perspective and thus on a different basis to the two Leave campaigns. The annual Conference of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), the largest public-sector union, also voted in support of withdrawal.

There was a significant ‘leave’ vote from the Catholic community. Many were embarrassed to come out publicly on this, given its perceived connections to right-wing Unionism: in private conversation, quite a number admitted as to how they voted.

While the Sinn Féin leadership was enthusiastic, the party base was much less so. This was another u-turn, the Party having opposed membership and opposed every previous referendum in the South. Significantly, the electoral machine did not swing into action to mobilise Remain support.

In West Belfast, the need to vote is part of the culture. This time, it had the lowest turnout in the UK, at 48.9%. The constituency is 80% perceived Catholic, and 25% voted leave.

From a constitutional point of view, the vote will not have an immediate effect on the North. However, in the long-term it will. It has strengthened calls for Scottish independence.

Scotland is a significant part of Unionist-Loyalist identity. Not only did many come from Scotland during the Plantations, but there has been movement before and since. Presbyterianism is the largest Protestant denomination. Scottish flags used be common round the 12^th. There has been a growing interest in Ulster-Scots culture.

On a day-to-day basis, Glasgow Rangers Football Club was a major part of identity for many young people. Before its implosion, and removal from the Premiership, buses left every sizeable town for games every Saturday.

It now seems the momentum towards Scottish independence will be unstoppable. The UK state will be at an end. The effects on Northern Unionist-Loyalist identity are as yet unclear. It will certainly be changed.

Meanwhile, the result is throwing up paradoxes. Ian Paisley Junior, known to Loyalists as ‘Baby Doc’, has tweeted encouraging Northerners to apply for Irish passports to keep EU citizenship: “My advice is if you are entitled to a second passport then take one.”

New book examines Maamtrasna murders - how a community turned on itself

Céad tríocha’s a dó bliain ó shoin, réab fiántas trí gleann 

iargúlta ar an teorainn idir Gallimh agus Muigh Eo, ar 

bhruacha Locha Measca. Dúmaraíodh cúigear as an

aon teaghlach amháin: athair, máthair, iníon, mac

agus seanmháthair. Thug triúr ón bpobal fianaise

bréige, mar go raibh naimheas idir iad agus comharsan.

Díoladh suimeanna suntasacha airgid leo. Gabhadh deichniúr 

de bharr an fhianaise. Ar an deichniúr sin, thiontaigh beirt ina 

n- ollbhrathadóir: crochadh triúr: agus gearradh príosún saoil 

ar chúigear. Fuair beirt den chúigear sin bás agus iad faoi ghlas.

Ar an triúr a crochadh, bhí Maolrua Seoighe iomlán 

neamchiontach. Ba i mBéarla a cuireadh cúirt airsean, 

agus ar an seachtar eile, i gcúirt mar nach raibh Gaeilge 

ag breitheamh, dlíodóirí – idir cúisithe agus cosanta: 

cainteoir Gaeilge a bhí ann, gan focal Béarla aige.

Bhí Mám Trasna i mbéal an phobail ar feadh na mblianta, 

gur chuir an dóigh gur cuireadh Mhaolrua Seoighe chun

 báis alltacht ar dhaoine. Pléadh i bpairlimint Westminster é.

Anois,tá leabhar amuigh ar an chás, ‘Éagóir’ le

Seán Ó Cuirreáin, Iar-Choimisinéar teangan agus Conallach atá ag cur faoi i gConamara. Dúirt Seán go bhfuil sé ag cur suime sa scéal “nuair a thug mé faidir go raibh grúpa thall sa Bhreatain i mbun feachtais le iarracht a dhéanamh go bhfógródh rialtas na Breatine gur iomrall ceartais nó miscarriage of justice a bhí i gceist sa chás sin. Agus na daoine a bhí i gceist beirt bhall de Theach na dTiarnaí, Lord Avebury agus Lord Alton. Anois, Lord Alton, is de bhunadh na Gaeltachta Gaillimh-Muigh Eo é.” Chaitheadh Alton an samhradh i gcónaí i Muigheo, gur chuala scéal Mhám Trasna cloiste aige. “Nuair a bhí deis aige, shíl sé brú a chur ar rialtas na Breataine pardún iar-bháis a fháil do na daoine sin,” arsa Seán. “Bhí mise ag plé le cúrsaí cearta teangan ag an am sin, mar Chomisinéar Teangan, agus d’eagraigh muid ocáid i nGallimh, le béim a chur ar an cheart atá ar fáil anois Gaeilge a úsáid sna cúirteanna.... “D’úsáid muid cás Mám Trasna mar shampla, mar ní raibh ceart dá laghad ag na fir bhochta, cainteoirí aonteangacha Gaeilge a bhí ina bhformhór,” ar seisean. “Cuid acu, ní raibh focal ar bith Béarla acu. Cuireadh ar triail iad trí córas a bhí rite go hiomlán trí Béarla. Níor thuig siad cad é bhí ag dul ar aghaidh formhór an ama.” Ba cheist cearta teangan a tharraing aird Sheáin ar an scéal i dtús báire, ach de réir mar ar chuir sé suim ann, rinne sé taighde.... “Duine ar bith a dhéanas taighde faoi scéal den chinéal sin, nó go deimhin duine ar bith a léas an leabhar seo, caithfidh sé dul i bhfeidhm orthu muna bhfuil croí acu atá déanta de cloch. Scéal truamhéileach an dóigh gur réabadh trí pobal beag daoine, Scrios an méid a tharla an pobal sin, gur dúnmaraíodh teaghlach bocht... Ina dhiaidh sin gur tháinig daoine áitiúla chun cinn sa phobal le fianaise a thabhairt, fianaise mar a tharla a bhí bréagach, ansin gur cionntaíodh ochtar as an phobal sin as an dúnmharú, gur crochadh triúr acu agus gur cuireadh cúigear acu i bpríosún ar feadh a saol... agus go bhfuair beirt acu bás sa phríosún, duine amháin i ndiaidh trí bliana déag, an duine eile i ndiaidh ocht mbliana déag. Agus an triúr deireannach, níor scaoileadh as an phríosún iad go dtí go raibh fiche bliain déanta acu, agus nuair a scaoileadh as an phríosún iad, cuireadh abhaile ar an traen iad, agus shiúil siad an t-ocht mile déag deireannach ó stáisiún na traenach trasna an chnoic san oíche agus sa dorchadas agis sa bhaisteach go dtí a n-áit dúchas... Is scéal fíor-brónach go deo é, ach is scéal fíor é. “Sa léargas a thug mé den scéal, tá mé iomlán dílís don fhírínne. Chuaigh mé siar go dtí na bun-cáipéisí atá ar fáil ins na cartlanna anseo in Éirinn agus sa Bhreatain, go dtí na tuairiscí nuachtán, taifead na gcúirteanna, agus tá taifead iomlán ar an chás cúirte ar fáil ins an Chartlann Náisiúnta i mBaile Átha Cliath. ...  “Sin rud amháin, nuair a bhí réimeas na Breataine i gceannas ar an tír seo, bhí siad iontach maith ag rud amháin, ag coinneáil taifead ar rudaí, agus tá na cáipéisí coinnithe go hiontach ar fad. Mar shampla, tá chuile focal a labhraíodh sa chúirt ó thús an chéid trialach go dtí an ceann deireannach, tá sé ar fad ann. Chomh maith le sin, tá go leoir leoir ábhar eile i gcartlanna sa Bhreatain. Tá go leoir altanna sna nuachtáin. Mar shampla, fuair mé dhá mhíle sé céad alt i nuachtáin na Breataine amháin faoi chás Mám Trasna idir ocht gcéad ochtó’s a dó agus ocht gcéad ochtó’s a cúig. “An chúis go bhfuil an taighde níos simplí anois, tá go leoir den ábhar seo ar fáil go digiteach anois, ar líne. Mar shampla, pléadh cás Mám Trasna go minic i bPairlimint Westminster. Agus má tá tú ag éirí aon rud a léamh faoin bplé a tharla i Westminster faoi, níl le déanamh ach dul go dtí an suíomh idirlíon in a bhfuil taifead iomlán ar dhíospóireachtaí Westminster, Hansard mar a tugtar air. Téann tú go dtí Hansard, cuireann tú isteach an focal ‘Mám Trasna’, cuireann tú isteach na focail b’fhéidir ‘Myles Joyce’, agus gheobhaidh tú na h-altanna ar fad, na h-óráidí ar fad, na ceisteanna pairliminte ar fad.” Tá lorg na n-eachtraí ar an áit i gcónaí “nó bhí na daoine uilig ansin gaolta le céile, cairdiúil le céile, mór le céile. Mhair an t-aighneas agus an choimhlint agus an scoilt sin i measc an phobail ní ar feadh na mblianta ach ar feadh na nglúnta, agus maireann riain dhe go fóill. Nílimid ach ag caint ar trí glúin siar, céad tríocha bliain ó shoin nó mar sin. ... Tuigeann daoin cén taobh go raibh said ceangailte leis, ar thaobh an teaghlaigh a dúnmaraíodh, ar thaobh na daoine a thug fianaise bréige, an raibh siad i measc na daoine a crochadh go héagórach nó a cuireadh i bpríosún go héagórach, nó an raibh siad i measc an dream a rinne an coir millteanach seo agus nár cúisíodh riamh iad. Tá sé seo fágtha i measc an phobail fós, a thionchar agus a lorg, agus is dócha go mbeidh ar feadh i bhfad.” Faoi chionn trí bliana, b’eol an fear a rinne na dúnmharuithe a phleanáil. Ainneoin gur mharaigh sé ar a laghad duine amháin de na mairbh é féin, níor cúisíodh riamh é. Labhair duine de na brathadóirí amach i detach an phobail, agus Ard-Easpag Thuama i láthair, gur ainmnigh an fear a bhí ciontach. Mhair Rialtas na Breataine bodhar ar achainí, nó “b’ionann é agus a rá go raibh siad iomlán mí-cheart sa rud a rinne siad go dtí sin.” ‘Appalling vista’ a bheadh ann, i bhfocail an Tiarna Denning faoi seisear Birmingham. Tá brú anois ar rialtas na Breataine admháil oifigiúil a dhéanamh, gur iomrall ceartais a tharla. Leis, tá fad-scannán fáisnéise le déanamh, bunaithe ar an leabhar, agus maoiniú ceadaithe. Tá súil ag Seán go spreagfaidh seo ar fad plé.” Éagóir le Seán Ó Cuirreáin. Cois Life €15

Father Ted - now as Gaeilge!

(A slightly edited version of this was published in An tUltach, Samhradh 2016)

Tá sprid Gaelach trí Father Ted. Anois, tá Father Ted as Gaeilge againn.

B’iad Aisteoirí na hÓmaí a chuir ar an stáitse é. Tá achan duine ann, ina measc an tAthair Jack ina chathaoir rotha agus an tEaspag Brennan – a fulaingíonn an cic cáiliúil sa tóin ag deireadh.

B’é an t-aisteoir aitheanta Bean McCaugherty a scríobh an scriopt, fear a feictear go measartha minic ar TG4. Is eisean an tAthair Ted é féin, riain maith den Dermot Morgan ann – ach é ag cur a lorg féin ar an charactar chomh maith.

Tá aisteoireacht mhaith sa phíosa. Chomh maith le Bean, caithfear Mary Cahill a lua. Cuireann sise cuid geaitsí Mrs Doyle uirthi go huile is go hiomlán.

Go dtí seo, ní raibh an leagan seo le feiceáil ach i Lár-Ionad Ealaíne na Sruthaíle ar an Ómaith don aon oíche amháin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ar an stáitse arís.