Na Píobairí Uilleann

Chairman, NPU

An Píobaire

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7 2 27 20110510 27 M ICK TOOLAN was born in Cloon- bunny, near Loughglynn, in west county Roscommon. The youngest of seven, his parents were Tom Toolan and Bridget Hanmore. As his father died shortly before he was born, he was assumed to have the cure for the “foul mouth”, or thrush, and many people visited his house in Cloonbunny throughout Mick’s adult life, to get the cure for themselves or for their children. Mick married Margaret Hunt, and together they had two children, Patricia and Tom. The writer is the son of Patricia, who married Bernard Harten from Mullaghoran in County Cavan. Their other son is Barry. Mick was well-known in the locality as a mu- sician, playing pipes, flute and whistle. The accompanying photograph, which was taken around 1940, shows Mick seated outside his house, with a half- or practice set. In the back- ground can be seen his wife and children. About a quarter of a mile from this house is the home place of Andy and Mick Conroy (locally pronounced Condry), and Mick would have known both of these men very well. His best friend and playing partner was Mick Conroy, who died around 2002. Both men are buried in Cuiltiboe Graveyard, near Loughglynn. I re- member both of these men playing tunes on tin whistles beside the fire in my grandfather’s house, but Mick Toolan had put aside the pipes before my recollections of him begin. Mick Toolan’s was a great céilí house, and many local musicians were hosted there. Among them was a travelling piper called Mickey Rainey, who always turned up before the two Fair Days in Loughglynn to play. The better-known piper, John Gorman, was born a few miles away in Gorthaganny in the 1880s, so the area appears to have had a strong musi- cal tradition, not least with the pipes. ~ Seanchas ~ Michael (Mick) Toolan 1907–1984 BRIAN HARTEN Mick Toolan

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