Patrick Byrne part 7: 1847-8

We can just continue with Patrick Byrne. This post follows his trip to Scotland in the first half of 1847, and his return to Ireland for the second part of 1847; and then his work in the English midlands in the first part of 1848, and back in Ireland especially around County Cavan in the summer and early autumn of 1848.

So far I have done six posts covering Patrick Byrne’s life down to when this post begins:
Part 1 covers Patrick Byrne’s early years and education, down to his discharge from harp school in 1822.
Part 2, looks at his early career, working for patrons in Ireland and England from 1822 to 1837.
Part 3 covers his first visit to Scotland over the winter of 1837-8, and his tour of Ireland in 1839-40.
Part 4 looks at him playing for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle, and then touring mostly in Ireland and a bit in England in 1841-4.
Part 5 covers just six months, from when he went to Scotland at the beginning of 1845 until he headed back to Belfast on 25th June, including the Waverley Ball and having his photographs taken.
Part 6 covers the rest of 1845, and the whole of 1846, touring in the north of Ireland and the English midlands.

In Edinburgh, February 1847

At the moment I have no records of Patrick Byrne’s movements between the end of November 1847, when he was in Newry, and almost three months later when we find him in Edinburgh. I am pretty sure this is him at a grand inter-lodge masonic dinner on Thursday 25th February 1847, though he is not named:

Annual Festive Meeting of the Edinburgh Lodges. – This great annual re-union met for the second time since its origin, 25th February, the R. W. M. Brother A. D. Campbell of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge presiding. Exclusive of the Brethren of the latter Lodge, numerous deputations from ten other Lodges, including the St. Mark’s, from Glasgow, attended, each headed by its respective Master, or Deputy. The Hall was hung round with blazoned Masonic banners and Templar escutcheons, and the historic painting by Bro. Watson, of Robert Burns in the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge, occupied a place at the lower extremity. The military band of the 3rd Dragoons, stationed at Piershill, constituted a powerful orchestra, while the blind Irish Harper, like an ancient British bard, struck concord of sweet sounds from the strings of his national lyre. Altogether the meeting was, in every sense of the word, harmonious, various amateur vocalists, besides, contributing to the musical enjoyments. An elegant banquet left nothing to be desired in the gastronomic department. The usual Masonic and social toasts were proposed by the Master with that spirit and expression so necessary to sustain the esprit de corps – the unity of heart and purpose of the assembly, giving it one common impulse, one sense and soul. The Chairman was supported, right and left, by [list of six gentlemen], &c. On the whole, the meeting was a most successful following up of the recent arrangement of having one great annual re-union of the sister Lodges, in lieu of the less convenient monthly visitations practised in former years.

Freemasons Quarterly Review, Second Series, 31 March 1847, p101

The “blind Irish Harper” is not named, but it must be Byrne I am sure. I described in part 5 how Byrne was made a member of the Celtic Lodge of Edinburgh and Leith No. 291, in June 1845. Presumably he was at this grand inter-Lodge meeting as a member of that Lodge. The meeting was in the Canongate lodge rooms which are still there and still used by the lodge.

Maybe Byrne had only just arrived in Edinburgh in late February 1847, because two days after the masonic gathering, he announced his presence in town, in a newspaper advert:

EVENING PARTIES
PATRICK BYRNE, the BLIND IRISH HARPER, respectfully intimates that he is at present in Edinburgh, and will be happy to assist in the Amusement of EVENING PARTIES with the MUSIC of his Country. His address is No. 3 WEST REGISTER STREET, where he will be proud to receive the commands of those Ladies and Gentlemen who desire the services of his HARP.

Scotsman, Sat 27 Feb 1847 p1

Byrne had stayed at Mrs Thomson’s lodging-rooms at 3 West Register Street the last time he was in Scotland two years previously, in March 1845, when he was in Edinburgh to play for the Waverley Ball and have his photographs taken. I discuss these rooms in part 5; they are above the the Guildford Arms and the Café Royal.

The Scotsman also printed a short editorial note in connection with the advert, on the same day but on the next page:

IRISH HARPER. – Patrick Byrne, the blind Irish harper, said to be the last of the tuneful train, is now in Edinburgh, infusing spirit and sentiment into our evening parties. His appearance, when seated at the harp, is very striking, and his action conveys a good idea of the enthusiasm attributed to the elder bards. His performance exhibits much of national taste and feeling, and is useful in filling up the pauses in conversation, or the intervals between music of other kinds.

The Scotsman Sat 27 Feb 1847 p2 (via John Scully)

This is actually a very interesting little paragraph. I think this is the first time I have seen Patrick Byrne “said to be the last” of the harpers (apart from when he is described allegorically as personifying the Last Minstrel from Walter Scott’s poem). We can check my timeline of 19th century traditional harpers to see that in 1847 there were over twenty harpers still active, including Patrick Murney who apparently went on to teach another cohort of young traditional harpers into the 1850s.

We also see the Edinburgh upper classes opinion of Byrne, that with his harp he is visually striking (as we see from the calotype portraits), and that he is “is useful in filling up the pauses in conversation, or the intervals between music of other kinds”.

We don’t have any references to where Byrne was or what he was doing for the next two months. Presumably he was doing exactly what his advertisement offered, visiting wealthy people in their big town houses or country houses, and playing traditional Irish harp music to fill up the pauses in their wealthy upper-class conversation, or to give some background music in the intervals between classical music performances.

A poetical interlude

In Patrick Byrne’s papers, which were kept by Shirley after Byrne’s death and are now in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, there are two sheets of black-edged notepaper written on both sides with a long poem.

Lines addressed to Mr P. Byrne the Irish / Harper

Sweet minstrel hail! to whom belongs
The witching notes of dulcet song –
Strains which, like magic, must impart
Untold sensations to the heart
[…74 more lines…]

Millbrook, 29th March 47 J Martin

PRONI D3531/G/3

There is obviously some kind of connection between this poem and a much earlier (but different) poem sent to Byrne by James Martin on Tue 3 Aug 1830, which has 60 lines beginning “hail matchless minstrel sweetest child of song / whose skilled hand awakens these magic strains…”

Our poem was printed at some point, and we have a copy of the undated one-sided broadsheet of it in Byrne’s papers (PRONI D3531/G/2). The printed poem is headed “A poetic tribute of respect paid Mr. Patrick Byrne the celebrated Irish harper, By his esteemed friend, Mr. James Martin, of Millbrook, while staying at the house of Captain Keating, and published at the request of several of his friends”.

But I don’t really know what to make of this, and how the printed sheet of the poem relates to the manuscript version dated 29th March 1847. Did Martin compose the poem at Sylvanpark when Byrne was there visiting Walter Keating, perhaps in June 1846 (see part 6)? in which case why make a handwritten copy nine months later? Did it take Martin nine months to compose the poem? Or did Byrne travel back from Edinburgh in March 1847, to visit Sylvanpark, and have the poem composed for him, and then travel straight back to Scotland in April? Or did James Martin compose the poem at home in March 1847 while Byrne was in Scotland, and perhaps sent him this copy, and then had it printed much later when Byrne was back in Ireland visiting Sylvanpark? I really don’t know what to make of this at this stage, so I will leave it here and carry on.

Kelso, April 1847

Patrick Byrne performed a concert in Kelso in the Scottish Borders on Monday 26th April 1847, and apparently also on Friday 30th, at the Queen’s Head Hotel. We have no information why he was in Kelso or what else he was doing in the south east of Scotland. Perhaps he was visiting John Spottiswood.

THE IRISH HARPER. – On Monday evening Mr. Byrne, the celebrated Irish harper, gave an entertainment in Mr. Jobson’s Assembly Room. The audience was both numerous and respectable, and seemed highly delighted with the performance, which consisted of Irish, Scotch and Welsh airs. He is complete master of the instrument, on which he plays with enthusiasm. He also amused his audience in the course of the evening with several lively and pleasing anecdotes and stories, characteristic of Ireland. He is a fine fellow, and really deserves the support of the public. We understand he intends giving another entertainment to night, and those who can appreciate a treat, we have no doubt, will avail themselves of this opportunity of listening to the beautiful and enlivening strains of the Irish Harper.

Kelso Chronicle Fri 30 Apr 1847 p6

Edinburgh, May 1847

The following month, Patrick Byrne was in Edinburgh for a very prestigious event in Holyrood Palace.

We understand that Mr Byrne, the celebrated blind Irish harper, has had the honour of appearing several times before his Grace the Lord High Commissioner and Lady Belhaven at Edinburgh, both of whom have expressed admiration of his performances.

Greenock Advertiser Tue 8 Jun 1847 p1 (via John Scully p55)

I find it interesting that a regional paper would pick up on a story like this; but Byrne had patrons in Greenock and maybe was becoming a bit of a regular visitor, and so they seem to want to keep tabs on his achievements.

Robert Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton (1793-1868) had married Hamilton Campbell (c. 1790–1873). Her first name was Hamilton, and also her married surname was Hamilton, but people don’t usually seem to call her Hamilton Hamilton, perhaps because that could get a bit confusing. Robert was Lord High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland from 1831 to 1841, and then again from 1847 to 1851. The General Assembly meets once a year for a week in May, and during that week the Lord High Commissioner is treated as second only in rank to the Monarch, living at the palace of Holyrood. The 1847 General Assembly met on Thur 20th May (Spectator, 29 May 1847 p6), and Robert Hamilton held his first levee that morning at Holyrood Palace, attended by “nearly 350 of the nobility, gentry, ministers and elders”.

Presumably it was in this Royal capacity at these levees at Holyrood Palace that Robert Hamilton summoned Byrne to play. The newspaper refers to him as “his grace” which I think is his correct style only during the week of the General Assembly.

Alloa, early July 1847

Byrne carried on travelling, heading from Edinburgh north-west. By July he was in Alloa. At some point early in July, Patrick Byrne did a concert in Alloa; it was reported in the Alloa Advertiser but I have not see a copy of this newspaper. John Scully in his book (p55) says the concert was on Friday 9th July 1847 in the Assembly Room. This review from the Alloa Advertiser was reprinted by other papers, though to be honest it does not say very much useful:

MR BYRNE, THE BLIND IRISH HARPER. – Some weeks have elapsed since Mr Byrne made his appearance in Alloa, but the excellence of his entertainment prompts us to advert to it. Mr Byrne is a perfect master of his ancient instrument and plays with remarkable enthusiasm. All lovers of the lays of olden times enjoy an exquisite treat when the accomplished harper plies his skilful hand along his favourite instrument. In addition to his performances on the harp, Mr Byrne, tells many pleasing anecdotes and stories characteristic of Ireland. Added to his high attainments as a harper, Mr Byrne is one of the finest old gentlemen one could wish to meet with. His manners are engaging, and he has notwithstanding his loss of vision a well-informed mind. Should Mr Byrne again visit this quarter, as we expect he will, we would advise the lovers of music to honour him with their presence. They will enjoy a treat rarely presented to the inhabitants of Alloa. – Alloa Advertiser
…

Greenock Advertiser Tue 10 Aug 1847 p2

There is a suspicious similarity with this text extracted from the Alloa Advertiser, and that published a couple of months previously by the Kelso Chronicle. Presumably there were printed handbills or adverts for the concert, or even printed programmes, that this kind of text could be easily paraphrased from by a hard-pressed editor or journalist.

Perth, late July 1847

Byrne next apparently headed north-east and went to Perth, where he did his usual round of private appearances. I am struggling to find the news clippings for these trips; I have a report from the Perth Constitutional for Wednesday 28th July 1847, but not the original, only a later reprint:

ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC. – Mr Patrick Byrne, a worthy native of the “Green Isle,” is sojourning in this quarter at present, and delighting many parties with the pure and tasteful execution, on the old Irish harp, of the finest gems which adorn the minstrelsy of Erin – and few countries, it is well known, can boast of a national music so beautiful, so characteristic, and so enchanting. Mr Byrne is a man of high character and great personal worth, and is recommended as such by the highest and worthiest of the land, both in his own native Isle, and on this side the Channel. He has been stone blind from his infancy, but is nevertheless a well-informed, remarkably intelligent person – his conversation richly seasoned with genuine original Hibernian humour, besides manifesting an exhaustless fund of amusing Irish anecdote. Although well advanced in years, he has all the buoyancy of youth, and his countenance brightens up with the spirit of the conversation as much as that of his auditors. He sweeps the “trembling strings” of his favourite instrument with a master hand. His style of playing is pure, simple, and expressive – tasteful to a degree, with, at times, a brilliancy of legitimate cadence, judiciously introduced, which is nothing short of astonishing. But perhaps the most delightful characteristic of his style and execution, is the surprising variety of effects produced in the performance of airs, which do not well admit of what are usually denominated variations; – such is his power over the instrument. While discoursing the most eloquent music, his whole soul seems engaged in the work – he is absorbed apparently in a dreamy fervour and enthusiasm. This remarkable minstrel has, we observe, announced a public appearance in the Guild Hall, to-morrow evening; and several persons of title and distinction have voluntarily proffered their patronage for a morning performance on Friday. It is to be hoped that the public support in behalf of a person every way so deserving will be ample and encouraging. – Perthshire Constitutional of 28th July …

Greenock Advertiser, Fri 6 Aug 1847 p3

And another extract from an undated issue of the Perth Constitutional, perhaps from a few days later, after the public concerts:

“Many of his native airs were executed with a thrilling sweetness and tasteful expression, and several Scotch and Welsh airs were given also in fine style. The only complaint we heard was that the performer gave too much for the money – as the most delicate sweets will cloy. But on the other hand we heard it oftener than twice asked – what other instrument, with any other man, could interest and delight so long?”

Newry Telegraph, Sat 14 Aug 1847 p2 (via John Scully)

These impressionistic descriptions of Byrne’s music have a lot of detail, not technical to be sure, but very vivid.

We also have a short and rather formulaic review of the two public concerts, on Thursday 29th July and Friday 30th July 1847.

IRISH HARP MUSIC. – On Thursday Evening last, Mr. Patrick Byrne, the blind Irish harper, entertained a select and crowded audience in the Guild-Hall with the sweet and thrilling sounds of that very ancient instrument. His Irish airs were certainly executed in the finest style, nor did the simple melodies of Scotland suffer aught under the delicate touching of the minstrel of Erne. Throughout, the audience was highly delighted. – On Friday, a morning entertainment, under the patronage of the Right Hon. Lady Ruthven, was held in the same place, and was attended by several parties of rank and title from the county, as well as the more fashionable of the city and immediate vicinity.

Perthshire Advertiser, Thur 5 Aug 1847 p2

I think that Lady Ruthven was Mary Elizabeth Thornton Ruthven, Lady Ruthven of Freeland (c.1784-1864). This photograph of Lady Ruthven was taken by Hill & Adamson in 1845, the same year as Patrick Byrne’s portraits, and shows the same chair he sat in for his portraits.

Greenock, Aug 1847

After he had finished in Perth, Patrick Byrne headed south-west to Greenock, where I presume he planned to get the ferry across to Belfast. He arrived in Greenock some time between Friday 6th and Tuesday 10th August 1847.

After reprinting the description of him in Perth, the Greenock Advertiser of 6 Aug continues:

… On the conclusion of the Harper’s visit to “the Fair City” we understand he turns his steps homewards, and intends to pay his respects to his Greenock friends on the way.

Greenock Advertiser, Fri 6 Aug 1847 p3

And after the long quote from the Alloa Advertiser , the Greenock Advertiser of 10 Aug has this:

… The harper is now in Greenock, and has been visiting his friends here, who are happy again to meet him

Greenock Advertiser Tue 10 Aug 1847 p2

Returning to Ireland, Aug 1847

Patrick Byrne travelled from Greenock to Newry between Tue 10 and Sat 14 Aug 1847. I am not sure if you could get a steamboat direct from Greenock to Newry, or if he would have had to travel via Belfast. I think Newry was still a much bigger and more important port than Belfast at this date.

MR. BYRNE, THE IRISH HARPER. – This celebrated and exquisite performer on our national instrument is now in this vicinity, and, we trust, will be prevailed on to favor the lovers of “sweet sounds” with an opportunity of hearing some of the beautiful airs of our country performed by a master hand, – one of the last of the minstrel bards of Erin. Mr. Byrne has, we understand, lately been entrancing the inhabitants of the “Land o’ Cakes” with the strains of his beautiful music, as we learn from The Perth Constitutional. Our Contemporary, speaking of Mr. Byrne’s performance in that city, says:
[quote from Perth Constitutional, see above]

Newry Telegraph, Sat 14 Aug 1847 p2 (via John Scully)

Again the only way I can sensibly see for the Newry Telegraph editor or journalist to have got hold of a copy of the Perth Constitutional is if Byrne himself had brought the article with him to Newry.

On Wednesday 18th Aug, Byrne was in Rostrevor, about 15km south east of Newry.

THE IRISH HARP. – The inhabitants of Rostrevor and its vicinity had a rich treat, on Wednesday evening, in listening to Mr. Patrick Byrne, the famous Irish harper, who performed a number of Irish and Scotch melodies, in his usual exquisite style, to a fashionable and numerous audience, on that evening, in the large room of the Barracks, which was densely crowded on the occasion. The rapturous applause with which most of his airs were received evinced how highly his talents, as a performer on the harp, were appreciated by his audience; and we hope he will remain long enough in the neighbourhood to give those who could not attend on Wednesday an opportunity of hearing their native music exquisitely played on a national instrument.

Newry Telegraph, Sat 21 Aug 1847 p3

On Monday 23rd August, Byrne was 15km further south-east, in Kilkeel right on the coast.

OUR NATIVE HARP. – The inhabitants of Kilkeel and its vicinity were favored, on Monday evening, by a visit from Mr. Patrick Byrne, the blind Irish harper, who performed several of his most popular airs on this favorite National instrument. The audience was respectable and numerous, and all seemed highly delighted. Mr. Byrne also sang some Irish songs with great humour and expression. It is to be hoped that he will very soon favor this part of the country with his presence again. – (Morne Correspondent.)

Newry Telegraph, Sat 28 Aug 1847

We are only getting snippets of his work, at these public events. I am sure there were private engagements at the houses of local patrons, e.g. the Hill family at Narrowater Castle who we know were patrons of Byrne. But we have no information for the moment.

County Monaghan, September – October 1847

After Byrne left Newry and South County Down, he seems to have headed north-west to Castle Leslie. I have a reference to him staying here before, in 1844, so presumably the Leslie family were one of his regular patrons, but we don’t have a lot of info about most of these professional relationships, just occasional comments of visits.

After staying a while at Castle Leslie, he moved on to visit Monaghan town:

IRISH HARP.
Patrick Byrne, the first of Irish harpers, has just paid a visit to the capital of his native county – Monaghan. The recurrence of Mr. Byrne’s visits are always a source of great pleasure to his numerous friends in this town, and the recollection of the pleasant hours spent with him, remain long after the dulcet tones of his harp have ceased to vibrate. Having before remarked on the exquisite and masterly manner in which Mr. Byrne performs on his favourite instrument, which is a fact so well known and so highly appreciated by those who have had the good luck to hear him, it is needless now to expatiate further on it, but we will content ourselves with saying, that in execution, style and pathos Mr. Byrne stands deservedly and pre-eminently the head of Irish Bardic Music. Mr. Byrne has just returned from a tour through Scotland, and from the numerous testimonials we have observed, from time to time, in the Scottish journals, his performance is as highly appreciated by that land of song, as in his own green native isle. Since his arrival in Ireland, Mr. Byrne has been staying with his friends and patrons, the Leslie’s of Glasslough, and has left Monaghan for the residence of E. J. Shirley, Esq., of Lough Fea, where he is always a welcome guest.

Northern Standard Sat 16 Oct 1847 p3

So by mid-October 1847 Byrne had already left Monaghan town and gone to Lough Fea house. I presume he may have also visited his family, especially sister Alice Ward in Beagh, whenever he was in the area.

Carrickmacross, November 1847

I don’t know how long it would be usual for Byrne to remain at the big house of his main patron. I don’t know if he would be at Lough Fea house for a whole month. But we next find him in Carrickmacross on Friday 26th November 1847, playing for a big estate dinner.

We have a long article in the Newry Telegraph (Thur 09 Dec 1847 p4), sent in by “A Native Farneyman”. The article goes into great detail about the 1847 season competitions organised by the Shirley estate for “green crops” which was mostly turnips but also parsnips, carrots and other vegetables. There is a table comparing the acreage, productivity and market value for 1847 with the results from 1846 – there was 8 times more acreage under turnips in ’47 than the previous year, and the market value of all the crops combined was four times more in ’47. The tenant farmers who were given prizes are listed, and this year the prizes include not only cash but equipment including “a turnip sowing machine, value £1 10s.” There are also set put the plans for getting more seeds from Liverpool for the ’49 season. The report is highly favourable to the landlord and farm manager of the Shirley estate and clearly is impressed by the attempts to get everyone working well and profiting more, despite the horrors of rural Ireland in 1847. There is mention of support being given by the estate to those who wanted to emigrate to America. I discussed this a bit in part 1, because some of Patrick Byrne’s half-brothers and half-sisters emigrated but I don’t know when. Half-brother Christopher did not leave until November 1852.

Anyway the article continues by describing the dinner at the Shirley Arms Hotel, in Carrickmacross:

THE DINNER
This periodical entertainment took place at the Shirley Arms Hotel on Friday, the 26th ult. Precisely at 5 o’clock, dinner was announced, and the parties connected with the management of the various departments of the estate, and others invited as guests upon the occasion, proceeded to the dining room of this truly comfortable hotel.
… [about the dinner and Mr Rennick the hotelier] …
Dinner over, and the cloth removed, the substantial part of the evening’s entertainment was followed by those of a more exhilarating character, and the following toasts were proposed by the President of the evening (Mr. G. Sudden), and duly responded to, each toast having been appropriately prefaced by him; and, when drunk, followed by Mr. Byrne, our celebrated Farney Bard, with suitable airs, on that truly national instrument, the harp, which in the course of the evening he declared should, at some future day, be “hung in Farney’s Hall,” the Baronial seat of his patrons-in-chief, the Shirley family.
… [brief list of the toasts]…

Newry Telegraph, Thur 9 Dec 1847 p4, also reprinted in Northern Standard Sat 11 Dec 1847 p3 (this latter reference via John Scully)

The thing about the harp going to hang in the hall must be a reference to his will, which he wrote a year previously (see part 6) – perhaps this was the first public event he had done in Carrickmacross since writing the will.

Viceregal Lodge, Dublin, December 1847

Patrick Byrne must have been summoned to the Viceregal Lodge, and he appeared there on Wednesday 8th December, a week and a half after the dinner at the Shirley Arms Hotel in Carrickmacross.

FASHIONABLE MISCELLANY.
VICEREGAL COURT.
Their Excellencies the Lord Leiutenant and the Countess of Clarendon…
… [list of dinner guests on Friday 10th Dec] …
On Wednesday evening, Patrick Byrne, an Irish blind Harper, performed several of the national airs on the old Irish harp which were much admired by their Excellencies and the rest of the company.

Dublin Evening Post, Sat 11 Dec 1847 p3

As usual for these ultra-high-society events, the gossip columns of the newspapers pick up these one-liners and reprint them. I have basically the same information in various provincial newspapers including Belfast News Letter Tue 14 Dec 1847 p4; Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent Tue 14 Dec 1847 p2; Limerick Chronicle Wed 15 Dec 1847 p2; Vindicator Wed 15 Dec 1847 p4; Westmeath Guardian and Longford News Letter Thu 16 Dec 1847 p3; Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal Sat 18 Dec 1847 p1; Meath Herald and Cavan Advertiser Sat 18 Dec 1847 p4; Westmeath Independent Sat 18 Dec 1847 p3; and Kings County Chronicle Wed 22 Dec 1847 p2.

I think that this must have been at the Viceregal Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park, Dublin). The Dublin Evening Post says that the Lord Lietenant was at the Lodge on 10th and 11th December, so it seems likely that they were there all week. The Drogheda Argus says it was “at the castle”, but that might just be an error.

The Lord Lieutenant was the monarch’s representative in Ireland; in December 1847 it was George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon, (1800 – 1870). The Vicereine was his wife, Lady Katherine née Grimston (1810 – 1874).

Warwickshire, Christmas 1847

Patrick Byrne travelled over to England to spend Christmas with the Shirleys at Ettingham Park, Warwickshire.

BYRNE, THE HARPER. – Mr. Patrick Byrne, the celebrated Irish Harpist, who lately played before his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with such success, has arrived at Ettingham Park, Warwickshire, to enliven the Christmas festivities with strains of Ireland’s native music.

Morning Advertiser Wed 29 Dec 1847 p3

I don’t know whether Byrne would have travelled before the 25th; John Scully has a printing of this story in Freemans Journal Mon 27 Dec 1847 p3, but I don’t have anything earlier than that. I don’t know if 25th itself was such a huge day, or if the focus was on the entire week or two after that.

After the Christmas and New Year festivities were done, at some point in mid January 1848, Patrick Byrne left Eatington Park and travelled north.

PATRICK BYRNE: – There are few “old familiar faces” welcomed like those who have taken part in our amusement, and who have contributed to our mirth. Glad were we therefore to welcome the honest smile of Byrne, the blind Irish harper, who is known to so many of our readers, and whose familiar “Ah! how d’you do, Sir,” fell like a Christmas greeting on our ears. Mr. Byrne has been spending the last few months at the hospitable mansion of his staunch patron, E. J. Shirley, Esq., M.P., of Eatington Park, and passed through Leamington, on his way to the seat of Earl Ferrers, at Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Peace be with him wherever he wanders, for still many coming years.

Leamington Spa Courier, Sat 22 Jan 1848 p2

This is not quite right, Byrne had only been at Eatington Park for a few weeks. Perhaps the newspaper got confused because he had been prior to that in Ireland at Lough Fea with Evelyn Shirley since mid-October.

The quote from Byrne is what John Scully used as the title for his book.

Staunton Harold, Jan 1848

Staunton Harold is a very impressive country house, the seat of Earl Ferrers.

The chapel next to the house has a 17cwt ring of 8 bells which were augmented to their current state in 1831, so if Patrick Byrne heard them ringing, they would have sounded the same as they do now. The 1831 augmentation was a bit bizarre, adding two new trebles and two new tenors around the older four bells, giving a strange-sounding scale (the 4 is a quarter tone sharp and the 5 is a semitone sharp I think, approximately). The installation has not been modernised or kept in proper working order, so the bells are not usually allowed to be rung. You can listen to an archive recording to get a sense of how they sound, or you can watch an interesting video of them being rung for the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022. These are good ringers but you can see and hear how they are struggling to control the bells. Ringing for the death of a monarch is traditionally done fully muffled which is a very unusual sound that I have never heard in real life, since I was out of the country travelling in October 2022.

Anyway enough about bells. At the moment I don’t have much to say about Byrne working for Earl Ferrers at Staunton Harold.

But while Byrne was there he received a letter – or at least, the letter was written to him. Rather unhelpfully, the envelope is addressed simply “Patrick Byrne”. Presumably it was to be delivered by hand, by someone who was hoping to see Byrne at one of the big houses. But we cannot know how long it took to wend its way from Edinburgh to Patrick Byrne; it may not have reached him until he had left Staunton Harold.

The letter reads:

1. Doune Terrace
Jan^y 24. 1848
My dear Sir,
I am sorry to
have delayed sending the
music after receiving your
note [and] [address] through
your kind lady friend,
but my excuse is too good
or perhaps too bad – We
have all been ill, and
I am only now recovering

from a second attack of
[influenza] which has been so
prevalent here, and in many
cases fatal. Mr Chambers
escaped with only a bad
sore throat, but my [ten]
children & all the servants
were laid up with severe
cough & regular influenza.

You may imagine that my
mind was [???] [???],
and when they were getting
better, I got worse. However
I am thankful to say we
are all well again, & I
have been out twice.
I sincerely hope you have
kept free from this

[???] general [complaint].
I can only send you
“Johnny Cope” at present, as
I cannot lay my hands on
“The Lady of the Desert“
but I hope soon to be able
to send it. Mr Chambers
joins in kind regards &
best wishes, & I am
Dear sir,
Very truly yours,
Anne Chambers

PRONI D3531/G/5

Anne Chambers née Kirkwood was the wife of Robert Chambers (1802-1871), the publisher, geologist and evolutionist. There is a plaque on their house at 1, Doune Terrace in Edinburgh. We already met Robert Chambers in part 5, since he was one of the gentlemen who hosted Patrick Byrne two-and-a-half years previously, when he had went back to Edinburgh in mid June 1845.

The long description of their illness would be useful and interesting information to anyone studying the lives of Robert and Anne Chambers and their household; but for us studying Patrick Byrne’s life and music the interesing thing is at the end, when Anne tells him about music that she is or is not sending him. Presumably Byrne had asked her to send music notation, either asking generally, or more likely requesting specific tunes like Thomas Hanna did in his letter in 1861.

Anne Chambers says that the only tune she can send at the moment is Johnny Cope. This is a very well known Scottish Jacobite song. The Rushy Mountain has a very useful overview of the late 18th and early 19th century printed versions of the tune; Anne Cambers could have copied out and sent Patrick Byrne any of these.

The other tune that Anne Chambers mentions is more of a surprise. “The Lady of the Desert” is one of the big harp tunes form the 18th century Irish harp tradition; I already wrote it up as part of my transcriptions project. The traditional song air “The Coolin” seems to be related to, or most likely derived from, “The Lady of the Desert”. And yet we have “The Coolin” in two of Patrick Byrne’s earlier lists of tunes (The Scotsman, Wed 24 Jan 1838, p3, and Greenock Advertiser Fri 27 Jun 1845, p2). So had Byrne learned the song air “Coolin” version of the tune, and was he curious to see the “Lady of the Desert” instrumental version? Or did he learn the instrumental “Lady of the Desert” tune (under the more popular “Coolin” title), and was merely interested to get hold of older or different 18th century keyboard settings to compare?

Either way, it is really thought-provoking to consider how a blind harper trained in the inherited oral tradition may have interacted with printed or manuscript sheet music versions of traditional harp repertory.

Unfortunately there is no sheet music in Patrick Byrne’s papers. Perhaps any sheet music he did have was kept separately; it is possible that it was amalgamated into the Shirley library.

Stone, March 1848

Patrick Byrne played a St Patrick’s day concert in the Crown Hotel, Stone, Staffordshire.

STONE. – Mr. Byrne, the Irish harper, gave a treat to the lovers of music, in this town, on Friday evening, the 17th inst., in the Assembly Room, Crown Hotel, to a respectable and numerous company. The performance throughout was highly applauded.

Staffordshire Advertiser, Sat 25 Mar 1848 p5, via John Scully

Back to Leamington, late March 1848

THE IRISH HARP. – “——–the listening dames again
Applaud the hoary minstrel’s strain,
With many a word of kindly cheer,
In pity half, and half sincere.”
PATRICK BYRNE, the blind Irish harper, has been gladdening the ears of his old friends during the last week, by his Minstrel Melodies, and his good-humoured stories of the Irish “pisantry.” Under the hospitable roof of his friend Isaac Curtis, at the Manor House Hotel, several goodly gatherings have been made to welcome him, and right merrie were those occasions. Nor has the sojourn of Mr. BYRNE been unnoticed here, by some of our leading families, to whom the minstrel and his harp, have afforded great satisfaction. Mr. B. has been staying during a portion of the winter at the seat of Earl Ferrers, a patron of his since childhood. Who would be chary of a meed of praise to the honest harper?
A simple race! they waste their toil
For the vain tribute of a smile;
E’en when in age their flame expires,
Her dulcet breath can fan its fires:
Their drooping fancy wakes at praise,
And strives to trim the short-lived blaze.

Leamington Spa Courier, Sat 1 Apr 1848 p2

According to the Warwickshire World, Isaac Curtis ran the Manor House Hotel in Leamington Spa from 1837 to 1850. The building is most famous for having the first lawn tennis club, in 1872.

The comment about Earl Ferrers having been “a patron of his since childhood” can’t refer to Byrne’s childhood, since Washington Shirley, 9th Earl Ferrers was only born in 1822. Perhaps the newspaper means since Earl Ferrers’ childhood? Patrick Byrne was discharged from harp school in 1822, and seems to have gone to England to spend a lot of time in Warwickshire (presumably under the patronage of Evelyn J Shirley) from about 1826 (see part 2). So it seems quite possible that Washington Shirley was introduced to Byrne not long after that and started patronising him soon after that. But I have no references to that yet.

Back in Ireland, Summer 1848

We now have one of those gaps, of a couple of months between the end of March when Byrne was in Leamington Spa, and June when he was in Armagh. Presumably he spent those three months working for his aristocratic patrons, but not doing anything publicly that would draw the attentions of the newspapers.

While we are heading for Armagh, we may as well discuss an undated snippet of traditionary information about Byrne’s activities.

…As the pupils he taught always visited my father’s house on their rounds through Ulster, and would stop several days at Mr. J. Conroy’s, Omagh, grandfather to Dr. Todd M.D. I remember three of them, namely:- Mr. Frazer, from Armagh, Mr Hannah, from Castledawson, and Mr. Byrne, from Monaghan…

Henry McBride, in The Herald, Saturday 29 Aug 1903

I already discussed this letter from Henry McBride in my write-ups of Edward McBride, Hugh Frazer and Thomas Hanna. This letter was sent to me by Colin Crossey, a descendent of Henry McBride. Henry’s father (also called Henry) was the brother of Edward McBride, who was Patrick Byrne’s second harp teacher.

I think Henry was born in 1837-8, after his uncle Edward had died (c.1824). So we could tentatively date these memories to the late 1840s or the 1850s. Fraser was busy working in Drogheda from 1841-4; Byrne died in 1863; and so that gives us hard limits on when these memories are from.

I looked in Lennox’s New Commercial Directory of 1840, and the only Conroy in Omagh is James Conroy, spirit, wine and porter dealer, Main Street. (part 2, p89). He is listed as James Canroy, publican, Main Street in 1858, and in 1861 Mrs Canroy is listed as a publican on High Street (which is the new name for Main Street). In the 1860 Griffiths Valuation, Mary Conroy has plot no.4 , Main Street, Omagh, “house, offices and yard” with a rateable value of £22.

We would need a genealogist to see if we could connect them to Dr. Todd.

Of course Henry does not say if the three harpers travelled together, or if they would individually visit the house of their old dead harp teacher’s brother, as they were in the area. It is nice to imagine the three old classmates meeting up at the cottage near Omagh, but I don’t know if that is realistic or not. I find it very interesting that Patrick Byrne seems very isolated from his old classmates, at least in the public eye and in the records. Apart from this hint in Henry’s letter, and the much later letter from Hanna to Byrne, the other harpers don’t get a look-in. Perhaps it was part of Byrne cultivating his image as “the last” harper; you can’t really do that if you are hanging out with a bunch of other harpers. It could also be because of Byrne’s work in England, which elevated him very high up the patronage ladder, meaning he would not really be interested in sharing gigs with his struggling peers.

We can also think the other way round, about the other harpers knowing Byrne. We have the un-named harper, the “last survivor of the Drogheda Harp Society, who Knew Patrick Byrne” (Letter from W H Grattan Flood, 13 Jan 1906., Royal Irish Academy Library SR 23 G 35). The Drogheda harp school came to an end in 1844, so presumably this man “knew” Byrne after that. We also have a mention in the information from George Jackson in 1908, who says “Burns Belonged to Drogheda never played in Belfast”. If this is a reference to Patrick Byrne, then it shows that the Belfast harpers did not know much about him, because if it is him, both these facts are wrong; if it is not Patrick Byrne but someone else, then Patrick Byrne is notably absent from George Jackson’s list.

Armagh, June 1848

We find Patrick Byrne playing for a dinner in Armagh on Friday 30th June 1848. The Charlemont Place National School is the building now used as the County Museum.

IRISH NATIONAL TEACHERS’ UNION
The third annual meeting of association was held on Friday, 30th ult., in the Charlemont-place National School, Armagh. The meeting was composed of a number of teachers from the neighbourhood of Dungannon, Hillsborough, Belfast, Ballymacarrett, Comber, Bangor, Middletown, Clare, &c., as well as the local teachers, and some of them representing societies of from six to ten members. At twelve o’clock, noon, the hour appointed for the mid-day meeting, Mr. R. FINLAY was called to the chair…
[long report of the business meeting]
In the evening, a soiree was held in the upper school-room, at seven o’clock. The enthusiasm that prevailed was still further increased by the Rev. Mr. Fleming,, aided by the spirited party who got up the meeting, introducing Mr. Byrne, supposed to be the only successor to the ancient Irish harpers. This gentleman had the honour of playing before her Majesty. The beauties of his loved instrument were feelingly brought out, and his various performances were highly and deservedly applauded.
After tea, the rev. Mr. FLEMING, who was called to the chair, said that…
[long speeches from various people]
Thanks were then returned to Mr. Fleming for the kindness he had manifested in attending the meeting, in consulting their happiness by introducing a harper, who completed the nationality of the meeting, and for the interest he had shown in their whole proceedings. After singing the national anthem, the happy company separated. – (Communicated by the Reporter for the Irish National Teachers’ Union.)

Belfast Newsletter, Tue 18 Jul 1848 p4

There are some interesting things to pull out here. First of all is the way Patrick Byrne is introduced, “supposed to be the only successor to the ancient Irish harpers”. We know that is total rubbish; we can as usual check my timeline and see that there were loads of harpers active in 1848, from Byrne at the top down to those scraping a living working every evening playing background music in taverns. And in 1848 Patrick Murney had not yet started teaching the next generation of traditional harpers.

It also strikes me how blinkered these people were – if they really thought that they had “the only successor” there with them… well they were organising a national teachers’ association. Surely they should have grabbed him and organised for ranks of young students to sit and learn the tradition from him? I think this kind of lack of action or lack of awareness of the possibilities flows directly from how in 1840 Edward Bunting had betrayed the entire tradition and poisoned the well by publishing the deadly letter recommending defunding the harp school and announcing that the tradition was basically defunct.

Enniskillen, July 1848

Anyway in July 1848, Patrick Byrne was in Enniskillen:

NATIONAL MUSIC. – MR. BYRNE, IRISH HARPER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT – This celebrated musician has honoured Enniskillen with his first visit, and delighted all who have heard him with the variety and brilliance of his performance. We congratulate ourselves on hearing an Irish harper giving exquisite utterance to the language of Irish feeling on the Irish harp, and (while we protest against the disunion of the empire) we cannot but recognise the music of Mr. BYRNE’s harp, as a certificate of our nationality.

Enniskillen Chronicle Mon 17 Jul 1848 p2, via John Scully p60

This tells us almost nothing about Byrne and his life and work but is a fascinating reminder of the political and social movements of the time. Only a few years before, Daniel O’Connell had been organising his “monster meetings” across the south and midlands, which often featured a traditional Irish harper dressed up in robes with a false beard, like Byrne had sported for non-political purposes at the Waverley Ball in Edinburgh in 1845. From a present day political perspective it is fascinating to see Loyalist Enniskillen, whilst staunchly protesting against the “disunion of the empire”, nonetheless anxious to claim Irish nationality and national identity as its own. Byrne would be the perfect harper for them; entirely Irish in his presentation, a Gaeilgeoir, playing the wire-strung Irish harp in the inherited tradition, but with the Royal arms displayed on his harp, and with a personal appointment from the very top of the British and Unionist establishment.

Cavan, July 1848

On Monday 24th July 1848, Patrick Byrne gave a public concert in Cavan town.

We have a very detailed review of the event. Unfortunately the scanned or microfilmed image I am working from at the Irish Newspaper Archive bends down into the gutter of the binding and so a lot of the words were difficult to read. Luckily for us, Cavan Library Service were able to send me a scan of a different microfilm image which allowed me to read all of the hidden words.

MR. BYRNE, THE IRISH HARPER.
On Monday night, this celebrated performer on our national instrument gave an entertainment to a distinguished assembly in what was once the Grand Jury room of the old Court-house. His audience was the largest we have ever seen in Cavan, and comprised the elite of the town – “ladies fair,” whose sparkling eyes and beauteous smiles robbed cupid that night of many a mischievous dart, with loving swains, and men as brave as ever tramped ‘through stubborn battle.’ We were truly gratified to see this bumper given to the sightless son of music, and were it not for the wetness of the evening we believe the house could not contain the number of those who were anxious to do homage at his shrine; as it was, the room was crowded to overflowing.
The entertainment commenced with that fine old air, Langolee, which Mr. Byrne played to perfection, followed by several other stirring tunes. In “Roy’s wife of Aldivaloch” you imagined yourself listening to the regrets and and aspirations of the disappointed wooer, till you learned to pity and then despise the (we trust) rara avis of his sex, who could coolly calculate on the probable death of his rival for the fulfilment of his own hopes. The sweet Welch air of Lewie Non dispelled these floating thoughts, and this was succeeded by the lively notes of the Bold Dragoon alias Tom Moore’s “Soldier’s Bride.”
“The Harp that once through Tara’s Halls” was next invoked, and as the minstrel’s hand wandered across the strings, the audience verily supposed themselves listening to the mournful strains of our ancient glory, sighing its farewell through roofless towers and falling palaces – through a temple consecrated by the lore of ages. “Ye banks and braes o’ bonny Doon” recalled attention to to hallowing emotions which may even now be occasionally experienced in this vulgar every-day life. But with something like chagrin, the listeners felt the spell totally dissolved by “Rosin the Beau,” which Mr. Byrne sang with good taste, accompanying himself on the harp. This was followed by the Gipsy Band and other airs, including “a suit at law,” also sang with accompaniment – an amusing piece, as was testified by the bursts of laughter elicited during its performance.
Once more the minstrel tuned his harp to sorrow, and the audience hung entranced on the “Coolin.” – the soft and plaintive notes of which formed an admirable prelude to “Brian Boroimhe, or the Battle of Clontarf,” which was the crowning triumph of the night.
The harper commenced by imitating the music of Brian’s army at a distance, gradually drawing nigher and nigher until it swelled into a full chorus on the battle-field. Then, amid the shattering of pikes, the clashing of sabres, and the whizzing of javelins, it sent forth its inspiring tones to encourage the heroic sons of Erin to strike down the invader. The crash of the contending hosts was well depicted, as they dashed forward, met, receded, and met again, in mortal conflict. One terrific burst, and the marauding raven of Denmark fell broken-winged and powerless on the plain, trampled under foot, or limping seaward before our victorious soldiers. Anon, and our triumph was chequered with anguish, as rose the long, low, saddening wail, breaking from ten thousand hearts, which announced the fall of Brian the Brave. The grief of the Irish men-at-arms, as, returning wearied from the fight, they gathered round the bier of their murdered chief, to give utterance to their woe was almost insupportable. It was a relief when the music sounded the retreat, and announced the march of the army to Carlingford.
In our lifetime we have heard many performances, but not one to excel this for beauty of conception and execution. It was an enchanting development of the minstrel’s art. The audience listened throughout with breathless attention, with the exception of an irrepresible hum of approbation, which now and then escaped from sone spirit more enthusiastic than the rest; but at its close the house rang again and again with loud and hearty applause.
Blarney Castle, The Campbells are Coming, My ain kind Dearie, some planxties, and Erin-go-Bragh followed. This last was rapturously encored.
The entertainment concluded with the anthem of God save the Queen, and it is a somewhat significant sign of the times, that of the large number assembled, not one stood up during the performance of the anthem save the military and constabulary officers, five or six of whom were present. At its conclusion, there was some clapping of hands, which appeared to be given more in honour of the man than his subject. All through the feelings of the assembly were more highly excited by Irish subjects than others. They seemed to feel exclusively the sentiments of the poet who exclaimed –
“But oh! when music her spell hath flung,
And some lay of our happier hours is sung,
Some song that, perchance, long since has been
The music that mingled in childhood’s dream;
‘Tis then the visions of past delight
Come thronging around us intensely bright,
And the [smiles] that had passed from our gaze away
Are brought back by the spell of that hallow’d ray,
And the loved and the loving gather then
In memory’s holy light again”

Anglo-Celt, 28 Jul 1848, p3.

The concert was in the “old Court house” which I assume is the Market house, which had been used as the court-house before the 1820s. The new Courthouse was built in 1824 so I don’t think this could be the venue for the concert. The market house, on Market Square, was demolished in 1969 and the Post Office is there now. There is an old photo of the front of the building before it was demolished on Cavan Walking History.

This is a very important review because of how much impressionistic information it gives us about how Byrne was received by audiences. Perhaps most notable is the political aspect, which gives a fascinating comparison between these last three Ulster county towns. In Armagh they are quietly confident of their Irishness, aiming to make Irish education the best in the world, and they finish by singing God Save the Queen. In Enniskillen they are visibly insecure both in their Irishness (see how much they are trying to claim it) and in their Loyalty (see how much they emphasise Byrne’s Royal patronage, and how they protest against “disunion”). Meanwhile in Cavan they pointedly remain seated while Byrne finishes (as was normal) by playing the tune of God save the Queen on the harp, which obviously was a massive contrast with how enthusiastic they were about Brian Boru defeating the invaders and driving them out of Ireland.

Perhaps most important for us is the list of tunes. Some of these are new to me, and I have not seen them before in harpers’ tune lists. We should briefly go through them all and try to identify them We have I think 16 titles here, plus “some planxties”:

• Langolee is the title of two different tunes, Old Langolee and New Langolee (used by Moore for his song “Dear Harp of my Country”). I don’t suppose there is any sensible way of telling which one Byrne played. Perhaps the Old one, because otherwise he or the reviewer might have used the Moore title.
• Roy’s wife of Aldivaloch is a Scottish song air. You can listen to Jeannie Robertson singing it, or to Bonnie Rideout playing it on the fiddle. It seems that Byrne may have been singing this one.
• The sweet Welch air of Lewie Non looks like a phonetical English attempt at Llwyn Onn (the Ash grove). Thanks to Welsh traditional harper Huw Roberts for suggesting this to me. You can listen to Huw playing Llwyn Onn on his 1840s Welsh harp.
• the Bold Dragoon alias Tom Moore’s “Soldier’s Bride” is a bit tricky since I am not finding a Tom Moore song of this title or using this tune. In fact I am not finding any song called “Soldier’s Bride” set to a tune called “The Bold Dragoon”.
• The Harp that once through Tara’s Halls is the Thomas Moore song title for the traditional harp air Mailí Bheag O which I wrote up before as part of my Transcriptions Project.
• Ye banks and braes o’ bonny Doon is the well-known song by Robert Burns; you can listen to Ellie Beaton singing it.
• Rosin the Beau is a song sometimes called Rosin the Bow; you can listen to the Dubliners singing it. The article says Byrne “sang with good [taste], accompanying himself on the harp”.
• I have no idea what tune the Gipsy Band might be.
• I am not sure I am reading the title of “a suit at law” correctly, and I can’t find a tune with this title. The article says it was “also sang with accompaniment – an amusing piece”.
• Coolin is a well know traditional tune; we mentioned it above in connection to Anne Chambers’ letter. You can read my write-up on my transcriptions project.
• Brian Boroimhe, or the Battle of Clontarf is presumably the well-known tune of Brian Boru’s March. The long detailed description of the way Byrne used it as programme music to tell the story of the battle is very interesting to compare with the much better known description of him performing the same tune in The Emerald (19 Sep 1868 vol 2 no 33 p108). We will discuss that description much later, since it appears to date from around 1861.
• I’m not sure what tune Blarney Castle is; there is a tune called the Blarney Pilgrim, and a song called the Blarney stone. It probably isn’t either of these.
• The Campbells are Coming is a well known Scottish pipe tune; you can listen to Neil Clark playing it on the pipes.
• My ain kind Dearie is a song by Robert Burns also called the Lea Rig; you can listen to Dick Hensold playing it (with variations) on the Northumbrian pipes
• Some planxties is interesting but kind of useless.
• There are a number of tunes titled Erin-go-Bragh; perhaps one of the more likely candidates for what Byrne was playing is the tune of Savourneen Deelish. There is also a double jig called Erin go Bragh, and it is also the title of an apparently unrelated song that used to be popular in Scotland as well as Ireland. You can listen to Tom Lenihan singing the song.
• God save the Queen was the national anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It doesn’t seem to be played very often nowadays on Irish harp, especially on the traditional wire-strung Irish harp; but here’s a New Zealand lever harp group for you to listen to.

In Belturbet, Aug 1848

We next meet Patrick Byrne one week later, on Tuesday 1st August 1848, when he performed a public concert in Belturbet town hall. The old Town Hall or Market House was demolished and replaced in 1927 with the present town hall.

Again, the Anglo-Celt printed a long review:

MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT – MR. BYRNE, THE BLIND HARPER (From a Corespondent). – On Tuesday evening, the 1st inst., the inhabitants of Belturbet were entertained by the performance of the celebrated and highly gifted Irish harper, Mr. Patrick Byrne. I have seldom seen the Town-Hall present such a fashionable appearance. With scarcely an exception, every person of distinction in the town and immediate vicinity was present, and the unbounded applause which they bestowed upon Mr. Byrne’s brilliant execution showed how much they were pleased. I believe it is not too much to say that Mr. B. stands unrivalled throughout the three kingdoms; and that he should, particularly in Ireland, as he really is, be regarded with respect as the only existing representative of the musical nationality of our country, that is publicly known. I shall not attempt any description of Mr. Byrne’s style of playing – it would be too much! Having performed before Her Majesty and Prince Albert, and before the leading nobility of the three kingdoms, we certainly expected something very fascinating in Mr. Byrne’s performance, but the general opinion expressed was, that it exceeded what was anticipated. There was nothing which he could do, that he did not, to gratify the attendance. A more agreeable entertainer has never performed in Belturbet; and he stands deservedly high in the good wishes of all, for his future success. I regret to state that engagements elsewhere have prevented the opportunity of a second evening; but I hope, ere long, we may be favoured with another visit from the Blind Irish Harper.

Anglo-Celt, Fri 4 Aug 1848 p3

This is a nice enthusiastic and content-free article that tells us very little about what Byrne was actually doing. He was clearly busy, but we are not told what his next engagement was. Presumably it was a private patron whose house he had to attend at.

I am interested in the description of “the three kingdoms”, i.e. Ireland, Scotland and England, and the suggestion that Patrick Byrne is “the only existing representative of the musical nationality of our country, that is publicly known”. Obviously there were classical singers and other musicians in Ireland, but the writer felt there was something special about the traditional wire-strung Irish harp. It is more interesting that Byrne is still being seen as the only harper, even though there were probably over twenty other traditional Irish harpers still working professionally at this time.

In the same newspaper on page 1, is the article about “an old woman upwards of seventy years of age” near Virginia, “who in her early days played upon” the Irish harp; I think this might be Bridget O’Reilly and I discuss this article in my write-up about her. But even there, Patrick Byrne gets mentioned more than she does:

…We now have very few harpers, and of these Mr. BYRNE now appears the most successful; wherever he goes through Ireland, England, Scotland, he is received with a “cead mille failthe”. But while awarding the laurel to Mr. BYRNE, we must not forget the unfortunate…

Anglo-Celt, Fri 4 Aug 1848 p1

Anyway Patrick Byrne was obviously busy with private patrons out in the countryside in or near county Cavan. Someone tried to get in touch with him, but did not know who he was staying with, and so wrote to the newspaper; the newspaper obviously didn’t know either, and so printed a call for Byrne to contact them:

If Mr. Byrne, the Irish harper, communicate with the Editor, he will hear of something to his advantage.

Anglo-Celt, Fri 11 Aug 1848 p2

Who knows what Byrne heard when he did get in touch with the Editor!

Back in Cavan town, September 1848

He was back in Cavan town by the start of September, soliciting for private gigs:

THE IRISH HARP. – Many of our readers will be glad to learn that Mr. Byrne, the Irish harper, is again in Cavan, where he intends remaining for a few days. Those gentlemen who expressed a desire to hear him upon a former occasion, but were prevented by his departure to fill other engagements, should avail themselves of the present opportunity. If they treat themselves to a night with our native harp, tuned by Mr. Byrne, we promise them a delicious treat.

Anglo-Celt Fri 1 Sep 1848 p2

On Monday 4th September, Byrne was booked to perform for the students at the Royal School, Cavan. It looks like upper-class members of the public could also get in to the concert:

Mr. Byrne, the Irish harper, performed at the Royal School, Cavan, on Monday night. There were several respectable persons present, who, with the students, appeared much pleased with his music and singing.

Anglo Celt Fri 8 Sep 1848 p2

The Royal School is just to the south of the town, and it is still running today; the current buildings were built in 1819. It is one of five Royal Schools founded by King James I in 1608 in Cavan, Armagh, Dungannon, Raphoe, and Enniskillen

After playing at the Royal School, Patrick Byrne was engaged by Henry Maxwell, 7th Baron Farnham (1799-1868), and went to stay at Farnham House, in the countryside not far from Cavan town.

MR. BYRNE, the celebrated Irish Harper, has been paying a short visit to Cavan and its neighbourhood, where he has been welcomed by many admirers of the beautiful and characteristic music of our native land; and particularly by Lord Farnham, of whose hospitable mansion he has been an inmate during the past week. We need scarecly add, that all who have had the good fortune to hear him have been highly gratified by his performance.

Anglo Celt Fri 15 Sep 1848 p2

As far as I can see, Henry Maxwell was a particularly unpleasant absentee landlord, and during the famine (which was still at its height in autumn 1848), he was evicting tenants, and though he opened soup kitchens for poverty relief, they were only accessible to those who converted to Protestantism. Even after he died in 1868 his grand memorial statue was paid for by a levy on his tenants.

Anyway Patrick Byrne was in Maxwell’s grand house working to entertain Maxwell’s house guests – presumably staying with the senior house servants, and going to the public rooms when summoned to play.

---

After 15th September 1848 we have a gap in the records until the end of November, when we find Byrne at Fareham on the south coast of England. I don’t think there is any connection between Farnham and Fareham, and I don’t know how he got from one to the other. But we can look at his trip to my own home county of Hampshire, and the rest of his adventures and travels through 1849, in Part 8.

As usual I have added these new places to my map. This view shows the places around County Cavan. You can zoom out to see the places I have added in Scotland and England.

There are now 92 points on the map and each one has a label that you can see if you touch the dot, and a caption (often with photo) that should appear when you click the dot saying when Patrick Byrne was there.