The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #118007   Message #2547292
Posted By: Jim Carroll
23-Jan-09 - 03:56 PM
Thread Name: Seamus Ennis Appreciation Society
Subject: RE: Seamus Ennis Appreciation Society
Peter (an excellent piper himself) is right of course, the air is 'An Riabh Tu an gCarraig?', (Were you at the Rock - referring to the mass rock where illegal religious services were held during Cromwell's reign of terror).
Ennis would not have thanked you for describing him as a fiddle player - the cassette released by Kennedy (Pigeon on the Gate I think) was issued without his knowledge or permission, and when he heard it was being sold he went Vesuvius - he did not consider himself a fiddle player and claimed he was tricked into being recorded.
Consistently one of the best pipers I have ever heard - especially his slow-airs, which he played with the feel of a singer.
Never thought of him as a particularly good singer, but an amazing raconteur and storyteller.
Superb Irish speaker - during the BBC collecting project in the 50s he won the respect of Gaelic speakers in the Hebrides because of his mastery of their language.
Great, charismatic (if somewhat overpowering at times) man - many wonderful memories of him.
Jim Carroll