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Subject: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Andy Jackson Date: 12 Feb 07 - 05:09 PM I may be the first but I'm sure I won't be the last to wish this true gentleman of folk a very happy 90th birthday for Feb 17th. An ambassador for music laughter and sheer love of humanity. This Packie Byrne web site I found is a tad old but full of interesting facts. Andy |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: RTim Date: 12 Feb 07 - 05:42 PM Andy - you beat me to it!! I can remember Packie very well for a number of reasons, other than for his great singing and whistle playing. I remember one night at the Folk Club in Banbury he was performing with Bonnie Shaljean and there was a very noisy punter at the back of the room, I simply tapped him on the shoulder to ask him to be quiter - and he gave me a "Glasgow Kiss" - I was laid out and very bloody and have had sinus problems since! Secondly, at Sidmouth in the Beach Store he was compare for the Bothy Band - and at the end of a great evening after thanking everyone Packie said "If you are driving home, be careful - Because I'm walking." A Great Man and I wish him a very happy day. Tim Radford |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: John MacKenzie Date: 12 Feb 07 - 05:53 PM I haven't seen the man for about 25 years, but used to see him a lot in the London folk clubs in the 60s and 70s. He is a totally delightful gentleman, and I wish him all the best for this landmark Birthday. Giok |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:03 PM I've just had an idea - I'll be seeing him soon, and can print out this page as a sort of cyber Birthday greeting from everyone - but nothing after Thursday night (UK time: 8 hours ahead of California, 5 hours ahead of Boston) will get included because we're hitting the road for old Donegal, as the song sez. Wow, Tim, I never knew about that!! You certainly managed to get knocked out quietly - sorry about the sinus problems tho :-( Thanks for starting the thread Andy, you beat me to it too. (That's what I get for working when I should be Mudcatting.) |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Anne Lister Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:18 PM I, too, will be seeing him soon but in the interests of putting some memories into the archive, nothing will quite beat the evening I spent with Packie and Sean Cannon some time around 1975 in which we serenaded a Turkish restaurant while consuming our kebabs and then went back to Packie's bedsit where we continued to sing - and, if memory serves me right, consume a fair quantity of alcohol. I'm older than I look. I hope. Of course, I was but a babe in arms then.... Anne |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Herga Kitty Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:21 PM Bonnie - wish Packie a very happy 90th from me. And tell him to get off the cooker, because he's too old to ride the range! I treasure my autographed copy of "Recollections of a Donegal Man", and my own recollections of Packie. Kitty xxx |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: old girl 1 Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:34 PM Happy Birthday Packie enjoy |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:37 PM Bonnie give him my best wishes too. (He was partly responsible for me giving up drink for a year. Ali Russell and Tom Napper were staying with me for a night in Kilburn in the 70s. We wanted to have a session, and Packie - who was living a few doors away from me at the time, along with Bonnie, Anne Lennox-Martin and Sam Stephens - was the only one home nearby. We all went off to (IIRC) The Cock on Kilburn High Road and had a session fuelled by donated guiness. I suffered for it the next day and vowed never again; a vow I kept for nearly a year!) Mick |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 12 Feb 07 - 06:37 PM Packie Magnus Byrne - a lovely man, and one of the funniest storytellers I've ever heard. Though he always says "I don't tell stories, I tell lies". Lovely lies. There's an email address for sending him happy birthday down that link Miskin Man gave us in the opening post. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Kevin Sheils Date: 12 Feb 07 - 07:01 PM Happy Birthday Packie, you gave many happy times to me, more than could possibly be returned. Years ago and in more recent times. Kevin |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 12 Feb 07 - 07:16 PM Great stuff, kids - thanks! In fact, my calculations are out by a day, so let me amend the deadline: Nothing after FRIDAY night (not Thursday) will get included. Brain cells starting to deteriorate (wonder what I'LL be like at 90?!!!) |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Dave Hunt Date: 12 Feb 07 - 07:43 PM Maggie and I will be there too to help Packie have a great birthday. I first met him in 1965 at the first Keele festival, when he was singing and playing some wondeful stuff. I always remember him saying to me once when I enquired after his health "Well I lived through the winter and the Devil himself won't kill me in the summer" He's the Irish equivalent of a Good Old Boy! Dave |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Liam's Brother Date: 12 Feb 07 - 09:58 PM Best wishes Packie and congratulations. We hope you'll be coming to the Inishowen seminar March 23 - 26 and that we'll see you there. Happy Birithday from Dan & Bonnie Milner in New York |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Anglo Date: 13 Feb 07 - 12:19 AM Packie certainly won't remember me, but as an undergrad I was in the Manchester University folk song society in the early-middle sixties and remember him from that time. In the States now, I am happy to join this thread and wish him a happy and joyous 90th, and many more of them! |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Jim Martin Date: 13 Feb 07 - 02:41 AM Packie wouldn't know me either, but I have some very fond memories of you at 'The Cellar Upstairs Folk Club' & Sidmouth. Many Happy Returns Packie, & to everyone who appreciates yourself (whenever your birthdays are)! |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Dave Masterson Date: 13 Feb 07 - 03:44 AM Happy Birthday Packie from Dave & Eileen! Like Giok I haven't seen the lovely man for a long time - Sidmouth in the mid 80's I think it was, when he gave Eileen a big smile for a photo on the prom. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Tom Munnelly Date: 13 Feb 07 - 03:44 AM Many congratulations Packie - The creaking door lasts the longest! Would be grateful, Bonnie, if you can pass this on. I too hope Packie can make it down the road to Inishowen in March. Very best wishes, Tom Munnelly |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Dave Hanson Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:10 AM Happy birthday Packie. eric [ Dave Hanson ] |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: MBSLynne Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:20 AM A very happy birthday Packie!! I hope to be able to say the same in another 10 years! Packie would know me by sight but probably not the name. Last time I saw him was his last Sidmouth. One of the loveliest people you could meet with a wonderful sense of humour. Someone of whom I remain very fond despite not having seen him for years. Love Lynne |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: julian morbihan Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:23 AM Happy Birthday, Packie Just reading this thread has reminded me of the days spent sat outside the Marlborough in Sidmouth drinking coffee with you and Bonnie way back in Bill Rutter's days when we ran the Box Office and Information for the festival. Good old days - nostalgia ain't what it used to be.... Have a great celebration, Packie. And lovely to hear from you too, Bonnie. Love from Julian & Enid |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Folkiedave Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:41 AM I have told this story on Mudcat before - but in case he remembers the occasion: Hull in the 1960's and Packie stayed with us (four lads sharing a house)after doing the Bluebell. He came back to the house and we had a more than average stock of alcohol and soon PAckie and the rest of us were well stuck into it. For half-an-hour Packie regaled us with stories of his smuggling days cattle especially which as I remember were taken backwards and forwards to pick up subsidies at different ages on each side of the Land Boundary (Northern Ireland/Eire) At the end as he was finishing his last drink - he asked what we did for a living. We told him with great delight how we were all customs officers!!I suspect it was one of the few occasions he has spluttered. Happy birthday Packie and many more. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Scooby Doo Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:58 AM Happy Birthday Packie. Hope your still singing and playing. We often meet on the seafront at Sidmouth for many years. I then was married to Miskin Man. Lots of love. Yasmin. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:18 AM Sorry not to be there. One of my memories of Mr Byrne, whilst on route to Donegal, is the rest of us having an Indian meal in Chester, and Packie persuading the waiter to serve him bacon and eggs! Priceless. (He even told them how to cook the dish!) A Prince amongst men. And what a joy to have spent many journeys with Packie keeping me awake through the night with his fund of stories. Long may you continue to tell your stories. (All true of course!) Heres to the next 90 years. Have a lovely day Packie. You are much loved by all. Ralph Jordan. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Cllr Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:27 AM I remember entering the "singer of sidmouth" and Packie being one of the Judges. Listening to his comments on the singers and the songs was as enjoyable and informative as listening to the singing itself in many cases more so. Thanks again Cllr |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: The Sandman Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:32 AM happy birthday ,Packie and thanks for your music.Dick Miles |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:50 AM Happy Birthday Packie, and greetings, Bonnie, I have many fond memories of you both from clubs in the Bristol area in the early eighties. Coincidentally , looking through some photos at the weekend, we came across one of Packie performing with Jo Freya and Ralph Jordan at the Butlins Bognor Regis Folk Festival (1986 or 1987 I think). Best wishes Mo Bradshaw ( or you may remember me as Mo Marshall from the Lamb Inn Folk Club, Iron Acton.) |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: redsnapper Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:56 AM I remember Packie with Bonnie too from folk club days and also a delightful night's company spent playing music with the grand man in Oliver's pub in Ardara about 20+ years ago! Happy birthday Packie! RS |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 13 Feb 07 - 06:18 AM Just another weird thought. You share the same birthday as my mother, and, the same year!! You could have been my Dad.....(Nooooo!) Ralphie |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 13 Feb 07 - 06:19 AM Ah, that explains a LOT, Ralphie ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Helen Akitt Date: 13 Feb 07 - 07:40 AM I always carry great memories of Packie, who did a number of bookings for us at Capital folk Club - the playing two whistles simultaneously trick sticks in my mind. All the best for your 90th Helen |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler Date: 13 Feb 07 - 07:47 AM And I remember Packie with three wistles connected by rubber tubing. Two of them were set up with tape as drones and he played the other one. Best wishes Packie, from one of the many who listened, but never got to know you other than the occasional word in passing. Robin Madge |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Fiolar Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:10 AM Bonnie - wish Pakie a great day from me. Still remember the time both of you visited Ipswich. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: MBSLynne Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:31 AM Like Cllr, I remember Packie as a judge of Sidmouth Singer of the Year competition when I entered. His comment to me: "You aren't really a folk singer are you? Stick to what you do best, which is entertaining people and making them laugh" I always took that as a compliment, though some of my friends saw it in a different light....:-) Love Lynne |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Ralphie Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:40 AM Just an afterthought. Whatever happened to the "Sidmouth Tie"?? Will it ever arise again? R |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Howard Jones Date: 13 Feb 07 - 08:59 AM I'd like to join in wishing Packie the very best. I haven't seen him for years, but he and Bonnie were frequent vistors to Chelmsford Folk Club when I was living down there, and I have fond memories of both his playing and amazing sense of humour. Happy birthday Packie! Howard Jones |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Zany Mouse Date: 13 Feb 07 - 11:45 AM Some years ago I worked for a Westminster firm of solicitors. When I had my interview I was asked what my hobbies were. I listed them, including folk music, of course, and one of the partners immediately asked if I knew Packie. He had been their achivist some years before and his legend lived on long after he left the firm. So: happy birthday, Packie from Rhiannon (and Ziggy R too!) |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: The Borchester Echo Date: 13 Feb 07 - 01:02 PM I have hesitated to add to this thread as I haven't seen Packie (or Bonnie) for at least 30 years when I interviewed him. I saw no point in adding to the 'he wouldn't remember me' list because I scarcely think he would. He was, however, one of the factors that brought me back into music in a roundabout way, because I found and read Recollections Of A Donegal Man while exiled in Newcastle working on a doomed series which was never transmitted and got most of us involved fired. The other main factor was meeting Nancy Kerr and Eliza Carthy in the same library where I found the book, but I digress. Recollections contains tall tales of his time as outdoor clerk at the law firm Rhiannon mentions, some of which he had recounted to me in our conversation two decades earlier. I wish Packie a wonderful day. Bonnie: Make sure he has one! |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Little Robyn Date: 13 Feb 07 - 01:42 PM I first met Packie in 1972, in Cornwall and at Loughborough. When I was shut out of my accommodation in London he let me stay with him and took me around to Bill and Helen Leader's (where I bought about a dozen records). Then in 1990, we parked our campervan at his house in Ardara and had a wonderful night at Oliver's Bar. We also treasure our copy of Recollections of a Donegal Man. Thank you Packie. Have a great birthday. Love from Robyn, Mitch and Katrina in New Zealand. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: nickp Date: 13 Feb 07 - 03:37 PM Happy Birthday Packie. Have a great party With best wishes from Nick & Claire, once of Sidmouth and still of the Wine Bar Club at Towersey |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: nutty Date: 13 Feb 07 - 04:00 PM Sadly ... I've never met Packie but hopefully there will be many years in which to rectify that omission. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PACKIE. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Ned Ludd Date: 13 Feb 07 - 05:31 PM Happy Birthday Packie...Thanks for the book, songs ,tunes and stories. Also thanks for teaching me that entertaining is the thing! Hi to you Bonnie also.Have a good 'do' as we say round here. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Andy Jackson Date: 13 Feb 07 - 09:02 PM I started to write a piece about how well I knew Packie. No, that's not what it's about. I just want to say that during a chat over breakfast in the Ham Marquee one year at Sidmouth, I was adamant that he should return to his homeland for his final years. He was under a lot of pressure to stay in England, but I knew in his heart he needed to be at home. Well done Packie, you are loved my so many. I'll come and heckle for you any time. Andy |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Mick Tems Date: 14 Feb 07 - 03:34 AM Many happy returns of the day, Packie, and one to be treasured in your 90th year. As you are Llantrisant Folk Club's honorary president, feel very free to call in there on any Wednesday and we'll share a song and a ballad with you. You'll be most welcome! I think we were in the Cross Keys, Llantrisant when you and Bonnie brightened up our days. We've moved a number of times since then (the wonderful Ifor Arms where the beaming Ray Barker made us welcome with his considerable hospitality), the Brunel, The Bear and and the Cross Keys again) and we've been in the top room at the Windsor Hotel, Pontyclun, for seven years. Doesn't time fly? Wishing you all the best - as Miskin Man says, you are loved by so many. Mick Tems |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Leadfingers Date: 14 Feb 07 - 04:42 AM Too Many Memories over far to many years - Towersey , the Troubadour And far too may other Festivals and Clubs over the years . a VERY happy birthday Sir , and more of them ! |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,Mike O'Leary-Johns Date: 14 Feb 07 - 04:49 AM Well Packie Manus..... Have a great time on your Birthday! I wish I could be there but circumstances rule it out.But we will see you in March before we go to Inishowen[Hopefully at Inishowen also] Perhaps you can spare some Scones and "Barry's" tea. All the very best from Pat and Mike. |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: VIN Date: 14 Feb 07 - 08:52 AM Brilliant, i remember seeing Packie Byrne (i'm sure it was at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester as guests of the Spinners? - not sure - but it was way back in the late 60's or early 70's. I thought his whistle playing was amazing, so much that i decided i wanted to learn it myself. I'm still learning! Best wishes to a true maestro |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Matthew Edwards Date: 14 Feb 07 - 10:42 AM I've got a fond memory of Packie the last time he was at the National Festival in Sutton Bonington; he started singing one song but stopped part of the way through as he had just remembered something important that he meant to tell us before he had begun, and then as he was telling this he was reminded of a story which he went on to narrate, and then much much later when he had finished the story he picked up the song exactly where he had left it! May there be many more songs and stories from such a wonderful man. Happy Birthday Packie! |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Flash Company Date: 14 Feb 07 - 11:04 AM Come on, 'cats, surely we can get this up to 90 posts before the day! Andy...So the web site is a tad old but full of interesting facts, if that isn't Packie, what is? Happy birthday, many more! FC |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: Andy Jackson Date: 14 Feb 07 - 02:04 PM Oh lovely, Flash! Yes that is Packie now you mention it. Andy |
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Subject: RE: Happy Birthday Packie Byrne From: GUEST,pattyClink Date: 14 Feb 07 - 02:21 PM Sir, I only know you from your book, but I learned a lot from you. May your birthday be a bright reflection of the good wishes of so many people. |
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