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August 5,, 2009
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I never met Bob Dylan but I sang with Pecker Dunne - Christy Moore
Pecker Dunne was born into a Wexford travelling family.
He was actually born in a horse-drawn caravan in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on
April 1, 1932. He tells us in the song Wexford that his
father was a fiddle player and was known as “The Fiddler
Dunne”. He also says his father taught him how a man will
never starve with a banjo, fiddle or song.
He was christened Padraig. “We were living on the side of the
road in New Ross and I used to ride horses for a Major Peckard - they
called me 'Major Peckard' after that and then shortened it to
‘Pecker’.”
He performed on the street, outside race meetings and GAA matches, most
memorably the Munster Final in Thurles (the joke at the time was that
he played more Munster Finals than Cork). He also busked in England and
France and performed in Australia and New York.
Resembling a Mexican bandit with his trademark beard and stocky build,
he is a colourful character, as widely known around Ireland as Margaret Barry was to a
previous generation. He is best known for Sullivans John,
which he wrote and which was recorded by Sweeney’s
Men and The Dubliners.
He also wrote The
Miximatosis Rabbit and a humorous version of The Black Velvet Band
called The Old Morris
Van.
In a book* published in 2005, he recalls his travels in Australia,
playing for huge audiences in New York, working with The Dubliners and
with Richard Harris on the film Trojan
Eddie. He gives a glimpse into many aspects of Traveller
culture which are under threat today and discusses the history of his
own group, the fairground or showpeople. His description of his battle
with alcoholism, the hardships of life on the road, and the prejudices
and racism endured by Travellers give a special poignancy to his life
story.
In the 1980s and 90s, he could be heard singing and playing the banjo
in Killarney. Nowadays he lives in Killimer in south-west Clare, with
his wife Madeleine and four children, all of whom play musical
instruments.
Aged 74, he was treated in Limerick Regional Hospital in
November, 2007, for a throat illness. His spirit was as high as ever.
Sr Carmel O'Sullivan said: "Part of his healing process is playing
music and we've found that he has brought a lot of pleasure to other
patients in the hospital as well. He has been playing the banjo behind
his back, playing it with a biro and also with a part of a
bicycle pump." - RN
Shay Healy wrote the sleeve notes in 1976 for the album Margaret Barry & Pecker
Dunne: Travellin’ People from Ireland:
The
Pecker Dunne is one of Ireland’s last surviving Travelling
Musicians. He is a brilliant storyteller, musician, father and above
all one of the greatest of Travelling people.
The Pecker
uses many of the techniques that are essential features to the
Traveller style of fiddle playing such as
“hacking”, “snapping” and
feathering along with other rhythmic devices. He is a highly
accomplished banjo, fiddle, melodeon and guitar player.
The first time
I saw Pecker Dunne was in the basement at the Jug of Punch pub in
Kilkenny. This awesome man looked like a cross between Zorba the Greek
and Cochise.
He still looks
the same. He sings much better now. Pecker is a tinker. He has
travelled the length and breadth of Ireland for years, playing his
banjo and singing his songs. Tinkers are a restless breed and Pecker is
no exception.
Since that day
in Kilkenny fourteen years ago our paths have crossed many times. As no
more than a tender youth, I produced Pecker in his first real stage
show at the Gate Theatre, Dublin. On closing night, he upstaged my
curtain speech and stole all the thunder. He looked so fearsome, I was
afraid to complain.
Surprisingly,
nobody bothered to put Pecker in a recording studio until now. The
results are extremely pleasant. He has a warm voice, that has the
character one would expect of a man who has spent his life travelling.
Some of the
songs are Pecker’s own compositions. We have tried to
concentrate them on one side. His lyrics are as strong as the
resentment he has met in his days on the road. Tinkers have never been
the most popular breed of men. These songs are evocative of the times
and places that have scarred and inspired Pecker.
We had good
fun making this album. I swore three years ago that I would never write
sleeve notes again.
But I had
another look at Pecker and this time I wasn’t afraid to
complain. I was happy to do it.
Discography
Margaret Barry
& Pecker Dunne: Travellin' People from Ireland, Emerald.
1976. EMCD 8001.
Re-released as The Very
Best of Pecker Dunne in 2001. EMCD8003
http://www.emeraldmusiconline.com
In
Print
Parley-Poet and
Chanter - A Life of Pecker Dunne, transcribed by
Micheál O hEadha. Published by A. and A. Farmar Press,
Dublin. Price 14.99 euro (including free CD). http://www.ul.ie/~library/publications.html
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