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Píobaire, An, Volume 2, Issue 23, Page 4

Píobaire, An, Volume 2, Issue 23, Page 4
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Píobaire, An
volume Number
2
issue Content
BISHOPS AND REELSIn The Irish Magazine ofPolitics and Literature forJanuary 1834, DominickRonayne, MP for DungarvanCo. Waterford, publishedhis memories of Patrick 0Rahilly, a grandson of thefamous Kerry poet, Egan 0Rahilly. 0 Rahilly, and ec-centric schoolmaster withthe manners of a gentle-man, flourished during theperiod I 7701 800. Every twoor three months he brokeout in a wild drinking-bout,which he called a reel , andRonayne describes the con-sequences of a reel thathappened about 1790 in thetown of Cloyne, Co. Cork:-on these occasions he gen-erally contrived to associatewith himself one or two ofthe neighbouring pedagogues,of Bacchanalian propensitiesand secured, if possible, thecompany of some thirstyfiddler of punch-lovingpiper, for he inherited aconsiderable portion of hisgrandfathers taste of bothpoetry and music.The little town of CloyneI remernber , was the theatreof one of his most splendidreels ; he induced a man, Ibelieve of the name ofHigginsp who was at thattime parish clerk in thecathedral of that place, andwho was, like hilse lf, apassionate lover of music,to join in his revels. Theyhad each a favourite piper;one named 0 Sullivan, theother, Claughisy: Rahillybacked the former - Higgins,the latter. When one of thepipers had played a tune,the other was commandedto play the same; and thencommenced a fierce disput-ation as to the rival meritsof the musicians, eachrespectively claiming vict-ory for his own favouritepiper, with mutual ejacul-ations of Well played,Claughisyl - Well played,o Sullivan l. Their orgieswere continued from Thurs-day night until a late houron Sturday night, or ratheran early one on Sundaymorning; when poor Higginsrecollection that he hadsoon to dishcarge officialduties in the presence ofbishop, went home tosnatch a little repose, andto prepare himself for adecent and orderly attend-ance in church, where heaccordingly occupied hisusual station, and gave theofficial responses, as usual;but during the performanceof the anthem, exhaustednature asserted her suprem-acy, and he sunk into aprofound steep: when thepealing organ, at the closeof the humn, ceased tosend forth its solemn andmelodious strain, he sudden-ly started - struck the deskviolently with his clenchedfist, roaring out in a voiceof thunder, Well playedClaughisy by God!. Heinstantly became consciousof his situation, and rushedout of the church in astate of frenzied agitationThe benevolent bishop washorror-struck at this out-break of what he verynaturally deemed the effectof insanity; he directed oneof his injuring himself orothers. The curate soon dis-covered the real state ofthe case, which, afterservice, he communicatedto the bishop, who sum-moned Higgins to his pre-sence. It was with greatdifficulty he could beinduced to appear, as herepeatedly protested thathe never again would showhis reprobate face to hisLordship; he, however, atlength presented himself tothe Bishop, to whom hemade a full discourse of allthat had occurS - told himhow he had been seducedfrom the path of virtue andmorality, and obtained fromhis Lordship a full pardon,but on the express conditionof his never again holdingintercourse with that manof sin, Mr Patrick Rahilly.SEAN DONNELLYFOR SALEFULL SET BYKENNEDY, CORK.coNcERT PITCH..DETAILS & PRICE FROM:Mick OConnor,34 Haze lwood Avenue,Bay Estate,Dundalk,Co. Louth.Tel: (042)32276, 9am - 5pm.RECITALin 15 HENRIETTA STREET, DUBLIN ISaturday 15 December 1984Connie OConnell,Jimmy Doyle,Neillidh MulliganAdm 2(students, o.a.ps & unwaged Sop)4
issue Number
23
page Number
4
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
1984-11-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Píobaire, An, Volume 2, Issue 23

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