Here’s Mike Walsh, Chair of the Birmingham Irish Heritage Group talking about their April event. The next event will be at 7pm on Wednesday 6th May at the Birmingham Irish Club.
Chief O’Neill and Pat O’Neill
A tenuous combination brought together by the talent of Vince Jordan and South Birmingham Comhaltas at the Birmingham Irish Heritage Group Event, upstairs at the Irish Club on the first Wednesday in April.
As recounted by Vince, Chief O’Neill was not as might be expected a Chieftain of the O’Neills of Ulster, but a Chief of Police in Chicago to whom Irish traditional musicians are indebted, for his magnificent collection of traditional music. Pat O’Neill is of course our own Pat a stalwart of Irish Community organisations in Birmingham over many years. Pat’s skills even extend to the playing of the bodhran much to the enjoyed by the large crowd attending this Heritage Event, also staged on the first Wednesday of every month.
Chief O’Neill not always a Police Chief, carried out his most valuable work on behalf Irish traditional music when he was a young patrolman. Whilst pounding a lonely beat in the early hours of the morning, he would hear the enchanting strains of traditional Irish music, coming from the window of some fellow exiles home. Moved by this, he then took the important step of locating the correct window, and when off duty in plain clothes he would visit, to make friends, listen again and write down the music.
As these exiles came from all over Ireland bringing their part of Ireland with them, in the form of traditional music, over a lifetime he able to build up a priceless collection of tunes. When he reached the rank of Police Chief, and was able to afford it, he performed a final service to Irish heritage at home and abroad, by having his collections published. We were treated to an enjoyable and varied rendition of tunes and taste of Irish music from “down under“, Vince having just returned from a successful tour of Australia.
About the only thing that could vie with such very enjoyable music, was a presentation of gifts to Mary Niblett, the long serving treasurer of the Heritage Group, who is returning to Ireland. It was acknowledged that she is the person who perhaps above all kept the Heritage Group solvent, and thus affords to bring speakers to over seventy events, during her period on the committee.
Mary’s successor as treasurer Kate MacManus and Anne Scott the event organiser, made a bright and vivacious presentation. The crowd, most of whom had been lucky enough to enjoy the fruits of Mary’s financial stewardship over the last seven years, spared no effort in their appreciative applause. Next month will see Peter Mulligan come all the way from Northampton to unveil a series of surprises at the Heritage Group Event at 7pm on the first Wednesday in May upstairs at the Irish Club in Deritend.
Michael Walsh
