Kevin Burke Comes To Eastersnow

The way I heard it is that John Carty was chatting Kevin Burke who was planning to come to Cork and thought he’d swing by Carty’s.  Burke is based in Oregon in the USA so I suppose landing in Dublin and going to Cork via Knockroe Townland seemed logical.  Anyway, some way or other the subject of house concerts came up and John sez to Kevin, 'The Egans in Knockroe have never heard of you!'  Naturally this story was being recounted in Dickie Beirne’s Emporium at Eastersnow with the aid of a couple of creamy pints.  My Reason for Living was highly entertained and knew that if Burke was in the vicinity we’d go to see him play. 

Kevin’s Burke’s CD ‘If the Cap Fits’ has been worn to a thread in our house and the final set of reels is a particular favourite of mine.  When our Sarah started to play the fiddle I’d told her when she mastered that set she’d be sorted….

Well somewhere between Dickies and Carty’s, Kevin contacted me via email saying that John Carty would put in a good word for him and perhaps he’d be welcome at our house in November!

Kevin was playing in Sligo at the Master’s Concert for the Fleadh.  We had tickets and were also looking forward to seeing John Blake again so when the gig ended we hit to the stage door to introduce ourselves.  ‘Mr Burke’ sez I, I’m your date for November, ‘very good’ sez Burke with the aplomb of a man being accosted by groupies on a regular basis.

The night closed in as it does in November, the usual suspects had arrived and with a flourish the Carty’s arrived with Kevin and his brother Noel.  We settled them into the front room whilst people were meeting, greeting and seating.

As I passed by the doorway I heard the strains of Aherlow and without thinking literally burst into the room and screeched ‘are you playing that?’.  ‘Yes’ responded his lordship and I left the room with my eyes blurred with tears… it was the first tune my little Sarah had mastered.  The emotional thump hit me in the solar plexus… I thought of my late father,  Arthur O’Neill’s night to remember in Irwins, The Bergonzi Fiddle, John Carty gently slagging our Sarah about Burke and the enormity of it all almost overwhelmed me.

Our room was full as was the kitchen as Kevin settled himself.  During the interval our guests; some who had little interest or knowledge in traditional music expressed their delight at Kevin’s international repertoire.  I was too happy to care what anyone thought.

John Carty joined Kevin for the second half.  As they played I literally was stuck to the chair.

The final set was over and as I raised my head I saw John nod to Sarah, I thought he wanted a glass; she pulled up a chair and tucked her fiddle under her arm….my alarm and panic grew; Like Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice who was torn between loyalty to her family and her public embarrassment when her not so gifted sister insisted on playing piano, this was a potentially calamitous situation. 

I never heard what Kevin or John said as they introduced our daughter.  My eyes frantically searched for my husband who stood at the jamb of the door and just smiled benignly at me.  Sarah started and the two Masters played with her, I lowered my head; unable to look and even when I realized that she had nailed it I still could not look as the sound soared and swooped, laughed and tickled around the room whilst our daughter was escorted through the tunes by the generosity and courtesy of the gentlemen. 

Serendipity.