When I had a ceilidh band we used to play at the M.S. home in York. and it was always a reasonably good night, but on one occasion a man of about 35 asked us if we knew Masons Apron and could we play it for him. We thought this was an unusual request and asked him where he had heard it before. He replied that he was once a fiddler in a ceilidh band before he developed M.S. and produced a cassette of his playing. Our fiddler, the late John Carey, offered him his fiddle and asked him to play but he declined saying that he couldn't get his fingers moving any more, John then said perhaps next time we were there he would play with us.
Well about two months later we returned to the home and started playing again and our friend turned up with his fiddle and asked if he could join in, "I've been trying to practice" he said. We started to play Masons Apron and he did indeed join in. One by one each of us dropped out till in the end he was playing solo. When he finished there was a standing ovation from the rest of the band and there wasn't a dry eye in the place including members of staff and the band. We'll never forget that night.
Bill