Packie Duignan
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Packie" Duignan (died 1992) was an Irish flute player, very well known by music lovers in his time. He was born at Collier Road, Arigna
, in the Iron Mountains of County Roscommon
, Ireland
, and worked as a miner all his life.
Duignan started learning to play on a Clarke's whistle while listening to the 78s of John McKenna. His deep diaphragm driven rhythm was strongly influenced by McKenna. From 1958 to 1973, Duignan played in the Drumshanbo
-based celi band Shannon Star. He recorded an album for the Topic label, "Traditional Music from County Leitrim", with the fiddler Séamus Horan in 1978 some of whose tracks later appeared on the compilation CD, "Irish Traditional Music" by Temple Records
. He also made many television and radio appearances. In his later years, Duignan mostly played in and around Drumshanbo, Keadue and Arigna with fiddler Séamus Horan and bouzouki-player Ciarán Emmett.
Duignan was renowned for his great sense of humour and was always up for a bit of fun. In 1992, he died, following a short battle with leukemia
. He refused the aid of chemotherapy, saying he wanted to die as he had lived and not a shadow of his former self. He was buried with his flute in the church grounds in the middle of Arigna
.
, called "A Tribute to Packie Duignan" . An annual tribute weekend featuring many bands and players is held in Drumshanbo
in late January. A memorial to Duignan stands in the village of Drumshanbo
, county Leitrim
.
Among a younger generation of flute/whistle players to cite Duignan's influence are Catherine McEvoy and Mary Bergin
.
. The Majority still live in the Arigna
area but some have moved to the United Kingdom
, namely Wales
and London
.
Arigna
Arigna is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is near Lough Allen , on a designated "scenic route" between Keadue and Sliabh an Iarainn .-Arigna coal mine:...
, in the Iron Mountains of County Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, and worked as a miner all his life.
Duignan started learning to play on a Clarke's whistle while listening to the 78s of John McKenna. His deep diaphragm driven rhythm was strongly influenced by McKenna. From 1958 to 1973, Duignan played in the Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains...
-based celi band Shannon Star. He recorded an album for the Topic label, "Traditional Music from County Leitrim", with the fiddler Séamus Horan in 1978 some of whose tracks later appeared on the compilation CD, "Irish Traditional Music" by Temple Records
Temple Records
Temple Records is a record label founded in 1978 by Robin Morton, previously a member of The Boys of the Lough.It is located in a village called Temple, 12 miles south of Edinburgh, near Gorebridge. Although Morton is from Ulster, the label is devoted almost purely to acoustic Scottish traditional...
. He also made many television and radio appearances. In his later years, Duignan mostly played in and around Drumshanbo, Keadue and Arigna with fiddler Séamus Horan and bouzouki-player Ciarán Emmett.
Duignan was renowned for his great sense of humour and was always up for a bit of fun. In 1992, he died, following a short battle with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. He refused the aid of chemotherapy, saying he wanted to die as he had lived and not a shadow of his former self. He was buried with his flute in the church grounds in the middle of Arigna
Arigna
Arigna is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is near Lough Allen , on a designated "scenic route" between Keadue and Sliabh an Iarainn .-Arigna coal mine:...
.
Legacy
In 1995, a tribute CD was compiled of a concert featuring Tommy Guihen, Patsy Hanly, Mick Woods, and Joe Skelton at the Joe Mooney Summer School in DrumshanboDrumshanbo
Drumshanbo is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains...
, called "A Tribute to Packie Duignan" . An annual tribute weekend featuring many bands and players is held in Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains...
in late January. A memorial to Duignan stands in the village of Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo
Drumshanbo is a small town situated in the heart of County Leitrim, Ireland. The town takes its name from the Irish, Druim-Sean-Bhoth or "Ridge of the old huts". Drumshanbo is surrounded by a scenic area of soft rolling hills, woodlands, lakes and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Arigna mountains...
, county Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Among a younger generation of flute/whistle players to cite Duignan's influence are Catherine McEvoy and Mary Bergin
Mary Bergin
Mary Bergin is an Irish folk musician who is widely acknowledged as one of the great masters of the tin whistle. She plays in both the Irish Traditional and Baroque styles.- Biography :...
.
Festival
On January 26 2007, the first official Packie Duignan Traditional weekend was launched by Comhaltas Drumshanbo. Following the opening at the Duignan memorial in the Main Car Park on Friday 26 January, there was a big session in Duignan's local Gunnings Pub. On the Saturday there was a workshop in flute, whistle, bodhran, fiddle, sean nos dancing.Family
Packie had a very large family that is scattered across the mid and west of IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The Majority still live in the Arigna
Arigna
Arigna is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is near Lough Allen , on a designated "scenic route" between Keadue and Sliabh an Iarainn .-Arigna coal mine:...
area but some have moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, namely Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Recordings
- Traditional Music from County Leitrim
- Irish Traditional Music
- A Tribute To Packie Duignan
- Happy To Meet You Sorry To Part