Patrick Byrne (musician)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Byrne was the last noted exponent in Ireland
of the historical Gaelic harp and the first Irish traditional musician to be photographed.
Following on from the Belfast Harp Festival
of 1792 various attempts were made to revive the playing of the Irish harp . An Irish Harp Society was established in the city and a harp school for young blind boys set up. Patrick Byrne, , who was born around 1794 in the parish of Magheracloone
, Co. Monaghan was enrolled as a pupil in the harp school in 1820. The Belfast Society records him as graduating in 1821 “having acquired considerable proficiency on the instrument (60 tunes)”.
He then moved to London
playing in various houses of the nobility and in 1829 was presented with a silver medal by the Shakespearean Club of Stratford on Avon in recognition of his abilities. From 1837 to 1845 he was based in Scotland
where he played before Queen Victoria and received a warrant as Irish Harper to Prince Albert
.
While in Edinburgh
he was photographed on or around 1 April 1845 by David Octavius Hill
and Robert Adamson
. The series of calotype
images taken by Hill and Adamson are thought to be the first photographs of any harpist worldwide and the first of a traditional Irish musician. Some examples of these images are held in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
.
Byrne returned to Ireland in 1846/47 and was employed by the Shirley family as their harper. He is recorded in several contemporary newspaper articles as being a celebrated and accomplished musician. One description says “his touch was singularly delicate yet equally firm. He could make the strings whisper like the sigh of the rising wind on a summer eve, or clang with a martial fierceness that made your pulses beat quicker” Edward Bunting
collected two pieces from Patrick Byrne, Nurse Putting the Child to Sleep and Rose McWard. Among other tunes he is known to have played are An Chuilfhionn and Brian Boru's March.
In 1855 Patrick Byrne was honoured at a meeting in the Shirley Arms Hotel in Carrickmacross
and presented with “a purse of gold collected from the inhabitants of his native town”. He died in Dundalk
on 8 April 1863 and is buried in Carrickmacross. Patrick Byrne’s final resting place - in what is now known locally as ‘bully’s acre’ - is marked by a slate alter-tomb.
Described by the great collector of Irish music Francis O'Neill
as “the last of the great Irish harpers”, his death marked the passing of the old style of playing the Irish harp – a tradition stretching back hundreds of years. One other photograph is known to have been taken of Patrick Byrne in his later years and this was published in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology in 1911. There is no record of who took the photograph or when and where it was taken.
Since 2007 the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
have organised a weekend of music workshops in honour of Patrick Byrne. Called the Féile Patrick Byrne the festival is held annually on the weekend before Easter
in and around Carrickmacross.
Ireland
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...
of the historical Gaelic harp and the first Irish traditional musician to be photographed.
Following on from the Belfast Harp Festival
Belfast Harp Festival
The Belfast Harp Festival, 11-14th July 1792, was a four-day event organised by Dr.James McDonnell, Robert Bradshaw and Henry Joy McCracken, following a six year lapse from the last Granard harp festival...
of 1792 various attempts were made to revive the playing of the Irish harp . An Irish Harp Society was established in the city and a harp school for young blind boys set up. Patrick Byrne, , who was born around 1794 in the parish of Magheracloone
Magheracloone
Magheracloone is a parish in County Monaghan. Its name comes from Machaire Cluain which is Irish for the Pasture Plain. It covers 12,952 statute acres, making it the biggest parish in south Monaghan. The parish shares borders with three neighbouring counties:Cavan, Louth and is the only parish in...
, Co. Monaghan was enrolled as a pupil in the harp school in 1820. The Belfast Society records him as graduating in 1821 “having acquired considerable proficiency on the instrument (60 tunes)”.
He then moved to 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...
playing in various houses of the nobility and in 1829 was presented with a silver medal by the Shakespearean Club of Stratford on Avon in recognition of his abilities. From 1837 to 1845 he was based in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he played before Queen Victoria and received a warrant as Irish Harper to Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
.
While in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
he was photographed on or around 1 April 1845 by David Octavius Hill
David Octavius Hill
The Scottish painter and arts activist David Octavius Hill collaborated with the engineer and photographer Robert Adamson between 1843 and 1847 to pioneer many aspects of photography in Scotland.-Early life:...
and Robert Adamson
Robert Adamson (photographer)
Robert Adamson, was a Scottish pioneer photographer.Adamson was born in St. Andrews, he was hired in 1843 by David Octavius Hill , a painter of romantic Scottish landscapes. He was commissioned to make a group portrait of the 470 clergymen who founded the Free Church of Scotland. Hill required...
. The series of calotype
Calotype
Calotype or talbotype is an early photographic process introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox Talbot, using paper coated with silver iodide. The term calotype comes from the Greek for 'beautiful', and for 'impression'....
images taken by Hill and Adamson are thought to be the first photographs of any harpist worldwide and the first of a traditional Irish musician. Some examples of these images are held in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery on Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. It holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. In addition it also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection...
.
Byrne returned to Ireland in 1846/47 and was employed by the Shirley family as their harper. He is recorded in several contemporary newspaper articles as being a celebrated and accomplished musician. One description says “his touch was singularly delicate yet equally firm. He could make the strings whisper like the sigh of the rising wind on a summer eve, or clang with a martial fierceness that made your pulses beat quicker” Edward Bunting
Edward Bunting
Edward Bunting was an Irish musician and folk music collector.-Life:Bunting was born in County Armagh, Ireland. At the age of seven he was sent to study music at Drogheda and at eleven he was apprenticed to William Ware, organist at St. Anne's church in Belfast and lived with the family of Henry...
collected two pieces from Patrick Byrne, Nurse Putting the Child to Sleep and Rose McWard. Among other tunes he is known to have played are An Chuilfhionn and Brian Boru's March.
In 1855 Patrick Byrne was honoured at a meeting in the Shirley Arms Hotel in Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which...
and presented with “a purse of gold collected from the inhabitants of his native town”. He died in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
on 8 April 1863 and is buried in Carrickmacross. Patrick Byrne’s final resting place - in what is now known locally as ‘bully’s acre’ - is marked by a slate alter-tomb.
Described by the great collector of Irish music Francis O'Neill
Francis O'Neill
Francis O'Neill was an Irish-born American police officer and collector of Irish traditional music.O'Neill was born in Tralibane, near Bantry, County Cork. At an early age he heard the music of local musicians, among them Peter Hagarty, Cormac Murphy and Timothy Dowling. At the age of 16, he...
as “the last of the great Irish harpers”, his death marked the passing of the old style of playing the Irish harp – a tradition stretching back hundreds of years. One other photograph is known to have been taken of Patrick Byrne in his later years and this was published in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology in 1911. There is no record of who took the photograph or when and where it was taken.
Since 2007 the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is the primary Irish organisation dedicated to the promotion of the music, song, dance and the language of Ireland. The name of the organisation is often abbreviated to Comhaltas or CCÉ...
have organised a weekend of music workshops in honour of Patrick Byrne. Called the Féile Patrick Byrne the festival is held annually on the weekend before Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
in and around Carrickmacross.