Bernard McGuire's Bergonzi

In November 2010 our youngest daughter Sarah announced she would like to learn how to play the fiddle and commenced classes in Boyle.  To our delight she took to the lessons with enthusiasm and what’s more was enthralled by traditional Irish music.  More lessons were sought and there were murmurings of her making good progress.

Bernard (Centre) John Touhey, Kilkenny Piper (Left)
 with Harry Bradley Flautest (Right) The chanter was made
by John from wood sourced by Bernard & presented to Harry
at our house February 2016

Our good friend, Bernard McGuire is a native of South Sligo and he and my father Peter Burke were near neighbours.  Apart from the fact that Bernard is our friend, he has been our family doctor for thirty years and has seen three generations of our family through many trials and tribulations. 

Peter and Bernard spent many happy hours arguing and debating the style, quality, pace and interpretation of musicianship in South Sligo.  Peter developed cancer and during the final years of his illness, he always looked forward to seeing Bernard because he knew that despite whatever professional ministrations would be undertaken, the musical debate would provide an entertaining distraction. 
Peter died in 2007 and when Bernard saw and heard Sarah playing the fiddle, he determined that he would get a fiddle for Sarah.

Sarah playing 'Uncle' Paddy McGuires
 Fiddle in  May 2014

As far as Bernard was concerned, the fiddle must have a connection to South Sligo and in this way, the old connection of the families would continue.  Bernard had several uncles but two of them, Jimmy and Paddy, were both fiddle players and long deceased.  Both men had resided in England. Some years previously a new patient came to his surgery Bernard threw the chat on him regarding his life in England.  This patient was John P. Carty, a native of Trenagry, Ballinameen and a keen traditional musician.  It transpired that not only did John P. know of Bernard’s uncles, his uncle Paddy McGuire had organised a gig for John P. in England many years ago.

John P. had passed his music on to his sons, John and James.  John lives in the old home place in Ballinameen and enjoys an international reputation as a fiddle player.  James resides in London and is a renowned flute player.  To Sarah, John was her neighbour, father to Maggie and James and provider of the lift to school in the morning.  John spent many mornings highly amused by Sarah’s latest discovery of virtuoso traditional fiddle players.  With the awed tone of a recent convert, one morning Sarah announced she had found the greatest fiddle player in the world; Kevin Burke, and asked John had he ever heard of him to which he responded with the word, ‘traitor’.  Little did Sarah know that Kevin and John were not only colleagues but that Kevin was in John’s house that morning!

A year later, John Carty had noted that Sarah was making some progress on the fiddle and by then, Sarah had realized that John was a virtuoso and was mortified at her ignorance.  John invited Sarah to bring her fiddle to the house and gently pointed out a couple of technical points to improve her playing. 

In the spring of 2012, Bernard attended a family funeral in England and put out the word that he wanted Jimmy or Paddy’s fiddles if no one in the family was using them.  Five fiddles arrived in the post over the following weeks four of which appeared to be in reasonable condition.  The fifth fiddle was dilapidated, had been bought second hand many years ago, and the intrepid Bernard decided he would keep this fiddle and attempt restoration.  Another of Bernard’s’ many talents was wood turning.  He had successfully made himself a set of pipes and was in the process of making a concertina. 

Having removed the top plate of the fiddle the Bergonzi name and the year was branded on the base.  Having searched the internet, Bernard insisted that we go to visit Kevin Sykes a Luthier, based in Ballyvarry, Co. Mayo early on a Sunday morning.   Kevin must have been quite bemused to receive such at call so early on a Sunday but with grace and some inquisitiveness invited us to his office.  Kevin was professional and reluctant to say more than that the wood, patina and scale of the instrument were beautiful. 

Three other fiddles were given to Kevin Sykes for refurbishment.  Sarah was given a Strad copy which belonged to Paddy McGuire.   Roisin O’Donnell-Bradley, eldest daughter of the infectious Belfast Flute player, Harry Bradley now residing in our next townland, Knockarush, got the ¾ fiddle which belonged to Rosemary McGuire’s family and the third was kept at as a practice fiddle.  A fourth fiddle also a Strad copy, was given to John Carty, this belonged to Jimmy McGuire. 

Bernard made some other enquiries regarding the Bergonzi.  Bernard had decided that the fiddle, if it was any good, should go to someone who would appreciate it and do it justice musically.  Kevin reflected that the instrument could indeed be restored; but there was no way of knowing if it would suit the recipient as each player formed a different bond with their instrument.  At this stage Bernard knew that Kevin was familiar with John Carty, his work and his instrument preferences.

In all of the years that I have known Bernard, his feisty and brusque manner has successfully hidden his very soft heart and intuition from the general public.  He would not thank me for describing him as a romantic Irishman who has both knowledge and appreciation of history and traditional music.  At the time of writing and throughout this little saga, Bernard has been at war with cancer.  He started out this little journey with the idea of keeping up a connection by way of a gift to my daughter, one which my father would have loved to fulfil had he lived to see her play.

Last Saturday, Sarah and I visited with Bernard, she had learned his two favourite tunes, gave a rendition and took some correction.  When we were leaving he instructed us to bring the untouched Bergonzi to John Carty ‘with his thanks for the great tunes and good wishes for many more’.  Bernard wanted John to have it, as he is both musically and emotionally appreciative of the instrument and the families involved.

So there you have it, this Bergonzi, whether it be a mediocre or phenomenal instrument represents to us the importance of emotional connectivity and appreciation of a musical culture which is primitively embedded in our psyche. 

Bernard’s favourite tunes are Colliers and Miss Monahans reels, I sincerely hope the Bergonzi is up to it.