Ducie Arms, Manchester

Subject: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 05:50 AM

I've learnt Howard Bonds' song Danny's Fiddle and realised I know next to nothing about Danny except he worked on building sites and was a superb fiddle player who kept his fiddle in the Ducie Arms. I was really too young to frequent the pub and only heard him once or twice although he has a reputation across Manchester as a great fiddle player. Can anyone fill in any details about Danny, his fiddle and the Ducie Arms at the time.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:24 AM

I knew Danny Shovlin, to give him his full name, extremely well. This being from the days when I lived in Manchester in the early 1980s. He was resident fiddler at the Ducie, as far as I remember, on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday lunch times.

One of nature's gentlemen, he hailed from Killybegs, Donegal and migrated to Manchester (I think around 1940), where he did indeed work on building sites in the Manchester area. I presume most of his early days would have been spent on the shovel, although by the time I knew him, he'd become a digger driver.

I don't know where or when Danny learned the fiddle, although I presume it would have been back in Donegal. I can only observe that he played with a fierce drive of the bow, and a very strong rhythm, with practically nothing in the way of decoration.

He was musically literate, and most of his tunes came from tune books, although which ones I've no idea. I remember him saying to me once "O'Neill's tunes are no good". By which I think he meant he didn't find the settings very interesting.

I did once witness an object lesson in Danny's musical literacy. Somebody once asked him if he knew a reel called The Templehouse. Danny said, "I know it, but I haven't played it in years". From somewhere or other, a copy of the tune was produced. Danny's eyesight wasn't so good, so he perched it right across the other side of the table. Then like Rolf in the muppets, played the whole thing right the way through while squinting like mad at the notes!

I presume he must be dead by now. If so, I can only hope that he's gone where all the good folks go, for he surely was one of the nicest and most warm hearted people I ever met.

BTW., I was too poor and broke to afford a recording machine in those days. But did anyone have the good sense to record him?

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:29 AM

I went to 2 x Ducie Arms in Manchester - 1 near Piccadilly Station that ran a singaround/playaround for many a year and one at the back of the University that had a legendary Irish session. The landlord of the latter used to let people sleep on their seats overnight and charge about a pound for huge bacon butties and mugs of tea in the morning.

Which one was this?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:37 AM

It was the one at the back of the university. The nearest thing I've ever seen in this country to a genuine Irish pub, and no, I don't mean the kind of place that has leprechauns and shamrocks and sewing machines hanging from the ceiling. I don't remember any bacon butties though.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:41 AM

Danny Shovlin played in the Ducie behind the University. I first heard him in the late 80s I think. It was a terrifically well attended Sunday afternoon session. Quite wild if memory serves. This was before the great divide when the more sensitive players moved themselves away from the rest. When I started attending sessions as a player in the late 90s Danny ploughed a more lonely furrow.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Jack Sprocket
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:42 AM

Danny was most disconcerting to play with, as besides playing tunes with a highly variable number of repeats of the parts, he had a way of skipping bars apparently at random. This of course threw the rest of the session out of synch, at which he would glower fiercely at any neighbouring fiddlers as they struggled to get back in time. We lesser breeds of instrumentalists were immune from his wrath however. This foible didn't stop his sessions (he was very possessive of them too) from being packed to bursting.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,JJ
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 11:20 AM

DtG: I think you may mean the Jolly Angler round the back of Piccadilly.

JJ

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 11:55 AM

The Ducie was also the home of anther group of folkies - The Song Carriers. The SC were a group people who generaly sang English traditional songs. The had previously been at The Millstone on Thomas Street and included the late Terry Whelan, Dave Bishop, Kate Rygate and Mary Humphries.

Dave and Kate were founders of our current Singaround at The Beech M21 9EG and you may have heard Ms MH far and wide.

We are currently on holiday at The Dulcimer M21 0AE and all are welcome

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 12:22 PM

Ah the Jolly Angler, another pub that brings back great memories, is on Ducie street. Singarounds on Sundays and Mondays and sessions Thursdays and Saturdays and the best pint of Hydes in town.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 03:42 PM

Ahhhh - JJ, you are quite right! The old grey cells have suffered to much at the hands of the type of landlord at the Ducie :-) The Jolly Angler was, of course, on Ducie street which is all I have to say in my defense, m'lud.

:D tG

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:22 PM

mike m

Just to update you Stanron The Jolly Angler is still going on Sunday night as a folk/acoustic night (i try to keep it so). Monday night is no longer a singaround , and i dont think that the Thurday sessions happens anymore. But yes the best pint of Hydes in town

mike

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 06:36 PM

Ah well, I've missed it tonight. Maybe next time.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 26 Jan 13 - 04:35 AM

Thanks to those good people who have put information on this thread. I am surprised however at the limited number of people who remember Danny. He was seemingly well known when I lived in Manchester pre 1980.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 13 - 10:41 AM

Still surprised

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Simon
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 05:58 AM

Hi,

I always remember my dear old Dad raving on about this guy called, Danny, who was a brilliant fiddle player and mentor to my dad during the period that he was learning to play.

I've been checking through some old photos and believe that I may have a picture of Danny although I never met himself because I was too young.

Is it possible to post the picture here to see if anyone can verify whether it's Danny or not?

All the best,

Simon

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 06:35 AM

Hi Simon

You will have to find a host site to place your photo, something like photobucket, and post a link here to that other site.

Cheers.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,ex jolly angler attender
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 07:12 AM

Hi Mike
Is Sunday night still going as a folk/acoustic night. Would be great to re-visit.John

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Simon
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 10:58 AM

Hi Stanron,

Thanks for the info.

Ok, here goes...

Is this Danny?

http://gyazo.com/199c40786714196fe250353b6ac45db1

Cheers,

Simon

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 11:35 AM

I'd say that's almost certainly Danny. Also that is the room of the Ducie Arms, where we used to congregate. Anybody any idea when it was taken, or who the fiddler with the beard is?

Come to think of it, does anybody recognise any of the other faces in the photograph?

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Simon
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 12:58 PM

It will have been my dad that took the photograph and I believe this would have been circa 1976/8.

I'm so happy to have learned that it's the room where you all used to congregate because I'd never visited the Ducie and didn't know what the interior looked like.

There's one more picture in our collection that I can scan and upload over the next couple of days.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 02:38 PM

Can anyone put a link on please. Ta

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 03:06 PM

Try this

Danny

A bit younger than I remember him in the 90s I suppose.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Simon
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 06:45 AM

This is the second picture, probably taken on the same evening.

My dad is the fiddle player on the left.

Apologies for the text below; I'm not sure how to make a link.

http://gyazo.com/a4b12c2cb143fa81917e08ec703be018

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Stanron
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 08:11 AM

Here's a blue clicky

Pic 2

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 03:44 AM

Great photo Simon. Can't help with names but could the guy playing the tenor banjo and the young woman with the fiddle be bother and sister?

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 04:52 AM

"bother and sister" Well that's one way of putting it.

I can't identify any of the people in either of the photographs although they were obviously taken several years before I discovered the Ducie. That was not until about 1981 when I first moved to Manchester.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 06:57 AM

Sorry folks. The one above was me. Forgot to fill in the From box.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Pete Young
Date: 16 Mar 23 - 12:44 PM

A bit late to this thread, I know, but I'm the guy with the beard and the fiddle in the first picture. I've since realised that I have no talent for the fiddle.

And I'm also the guy playing the banjo in the second picture. This would have been taken in 1977 or 78. The first picture slightly later but still before '79.

I don't recognise the girl with the fiddle in the second picture, I don't think she was a regular player in the sesssion.

The guy in the jacket with red and white stripes was a regular listener but not a player. I think his name was Richard.

Very happy to come across these pictures after all this time. Thanks for sharing them Simon.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Mar 23 - 05:22 PM

Lovely to see this thread pop up again too. I have fond memories of the Ducie. Getting there in about 10 minutes from Salford eith a driver well over the limit being about 5th on the list:-)

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,GUEST.Pete Young
Date: 01 Feb 24 - 06:20 AM

Here are a couple more photos of Danny that I stumbled across today:

https://gyazo.com/f711bb93cb40812b4396912aba3fe9f8

https://gyazo.com/562120edb72404cab7470cf1c0843c4e

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Aug 24 - 05:04 PM

This is a lovely thread to stumble on. I was born in 1979, my parents met as students at the uni & the Ducie was our regular while I grew up. Danny’s music was the soundtrack of my childhood so lovely to see the photos here. I wonder if anyone has any photos of Marion who was the landlady (& my babysitter!) - so many memories of the Ducie! Thanks

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Pete Young
Date: 28 Aug 24 - 12:49 PM

Guest, you're in luck. I have four more photographs from that set.

Marion the landlady collecting for the Little Sisters of the Poor https://gyazo.com/c68d66f38bc552657efc8487a00812fd

Scary shot of a box player called Bobby, maybe Murphy?
https://gyazo.com/1124c74692049f7efc47500ee56de9ff

This dude was called Eamonn, not a player, but often at sessions and concerts
https://gyazo.com/47eeb5b26807834c1fc180743701e815

Finally, Vinnie Shaw in mid-song. Vinnie was a fine bodhran player and the nicest man you could wish to meet. May he rest in peace.
https://gyazo.com/43e751ab997b48c157ca0b3b6174fe49

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Jack Sprocket
Date: 02 Sep 24 - 05:27 AM

That's Bobby Murphy all right. I'd have been in Mountjoy yet if he hadn't hidden me when I got stotious on the Dublin night ferry and peed all over a radiator thinking it was a urinal. Fine box player, though a sad life towards the end.

Subject: RE: Ducie Arms, Manchester
From: GUEST,Simon
Date: 24 Dec 24 - 02:53 PM

Dear Pete Young,
I drop by this (10 year old!!) thread every couple of years or so to check on the messages. What a lovely surprise to read your posts! Thank you for joining up some dots and putting names to a few of the faces in my family's photo collection.
Such a wonderful Christmas present!
With best wishes,
Simon Davies