PLATFORM COLLAPSES
Music
has always played a central role in Irish culture - bringing communities together and forming bonds that created lifeling friendships.
In the late 1980s, with the internet in its infancy, mobile phones not yet in the mainstream and as readily available as nowadays, and during what seemed like simpler and more innocent times, traditional music was alive and well in many communities, with young and old able to turn their hand to playing a tune.
In the summertime of 1989, Caroline Walsh interviewed Johnny Mullins for The Avondhu and the article, accompanied by a classic black and white Rodger O'Farrell photograph (hereunder), painted a picture of the importance placed on music and the effect it had on many in a rural community.
IT'S ALL IN THE HANDS
'Perhaps the most experienced musician in Kilbehenny is Johnny Mullins, who has been playing the melodeon since 1921. Johnny can remember his father buying him his first concertina in July 1921, after going to Cahir to sell the wool. At the time, his father said that if he got £5 for the wool, he would buy the concertina. It happened that enough money was earned, besides the £5, to buy the instrument.
According to Johnny it only lasted for a few months as all his family were playing it. In September of that year, Johnny remembers his father buying another one of Henry Lyons's in Mitchelstown (now Burke's in Lower Cork Street) for 5/6.
Nobody in Kilbehenny had a melodeon until there was a circus there. The prize for the raffle on the final night was a melodeon. Everybody in Knocknascrow purchased tickets - the Heenans, Tom Mullins and his brother, Tom Cunningham and the five members of his own family. Tom Cunningham won the melodeon and after a short while gave it to Johnny Mullins.
Johnny says his father taught him how to play using numbers as he couldn’t read music. He says, “I just had to learn a few tunes from him and soon after, I was able to learn them by ear. I got new tunes from other musicians like Jack O'Gorman and his father in Skehaan’, Willie Fogarty and Paddy O’Donnell of Anglesboro.
One night Tommy Mullins and Johnny played for a ceili organised by Michael Casey in the hall in Kilbehenny (old school).
"We knew so many tunes that we played for five hours without repeating any. We also picked up a lot of new tunes from the street players in Mitchelstown on St Fanahan’s Day and from visiting circus musicians in Kilbehenny”.
Tommy and Johnny Mullins played at a number of venues including house dances and gambles. Johnny remembers playing at Rourke’s, Maguire’s, Heenan’s, at home in his house, Willie Hyland’s, Nolan’s, Walsh’s, Mossy Murphy’s and O’Brien’s.
“Gambles for sheep, turkeys or even a cow were held in different houses,” said Johnny. “I remember playing for a big gamble in Stantons. We were playing out in the barn while people were taking their turns at cards in the house”.
In 1935 Johnny and Tommy joined up with Jack O'Gorman, John Burke and Pats Tobin, to form a band in Skeheen’ hall. They played every Sunday and holiday night and earned 5/ a night.
The following year they joined Paddy Doherty, Charley Duffy and John Burke to play in Ballyporeen. Johnny remembers cycling to Ballyporeen with their instruments on their backs.
In summer time, the Mullins used to play in Kilbehenny at functions organised by the GAA club. Johnny particularly remembers one of these nights and says, “We used to play on a platform made from spars, and all the dancers put their coats, bicycle pumps and lamps on it. One night, a passing dancer came on the platform to display his steps and there was such a weight on it that the whole thing collapsed”.
Some dances which were popular at the time were the Galopes, the Lancers set, waltzes, fox trots, one-steps and set music.
Johnny remembers his father telling him about a party that was held in Buckley’s house in Garryleigh.
“When the party was over there were nine concertinas on the shelves – three stretched out on each shelf. What a sight,” he said.
In the ‘70s, Johnny got involved in the Scór competitions and with the Wrenboys in Kilbehenny. He says, “I love my music – and it gives me great pleasure when people are interested in my music.”
Johnny also says that he intends to be playing music in Kilbehenny, for many years to come.