riverdargle

The Donkey, The Fiddler and the Sugarloaf

from National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 17 older comments, and then…
• Mike Grimes said:

  Probably a different Tom but he too had a donkey. rushymountain.com/2016/04/30/tom-billy-murphy/

• Mike Grimes said:

  No, not the same Tom. Here's the guy. One time a man lived in Bray who was a great fiddler. He was called "Tom the Fiddler". He had no legs but he went from house to house in a box which was made for him. It was drawn by a donkey. The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 069 Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5044705/5033303/5139604

• Wendy: said:

  Mike Grimes great sleuthing!!

• Mike Grimes said:

  Curate’s Diary continued July & August, 1877 Monday 2nd …. In afternoon went to see Miss Larkin, Lady Monck, Mrs Hobson, Mrs Keegan. Had a chat with Tom the Fiddler…. From: www.powerscourt.glendalough.anglican.org/test/parish-info...

• beachcomber australia said:

  That condensed script titling again. How about this from 1890 via Trove ? ... " ... Passing through the turnstile, we hear. the sound of music, and, seated in a little box car, drawn by a donkey, is '"Old Tom," the musician of the Dargle, made famous by the description written of him by Canon Wilberforce. While yet a boy he lost the use of his legs, and for 25 years, every day in succession, Tom was at his post by the turnstile. A man of splendid physique; with a broad and handsome countenance, yet having to be lifted, night and morning, to this little conveyance. He speaks Irish fluently, and tells capital stories of his recollections of the nobility from all quarters of the globe. Tom is reported in the "Magazine of Music" as thus concluding a conversation with the celebrated Blackie, who hinted at whiskey during the interview. The fiddler replied, "No, sir; I don't hold by the sentiment ; I am a teetotaller, although called 'Old Tom.' Peer and peasant alike are kind to me. It was Lord Powerscourt who gave me this cart, and his children the donkey. I have a number of kind friends in England and Scotland, too, and when you go back, tell them that if they come over to the Dargle they won't find men with blunderbusses lying in wait for them behind a hedge as used to be commonly reported of Ireland, but all the same not true. Sir. that cock won't fight any more, and if they come to have a chat with 'Old Tom' they are welcome." After hearing him play some Irish reels, we obtain a copy of his music and proceed to Powerscourt Waterfall through the deer park ... ..." See - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65678697?searchTerm=to...