Eugene McEntegart

There was apparently a player of the traditional wire-strung Irish harp in Drogheda in the 1840s named Mr. McEntegart. I have only two references so far to Mr McEntegart playing the harp, and neither is entirely unambiguous or satisfactory. I have also found a number of other references to Mr. McEntegart from Drogheda performing concerts on piano, guitar, and singing. I suspect these may all be the same person. This post is to line up all of these references, and to try and work out what is going on, and to make some speculative suggestions about his life and music.

We can divide our references into three groups. There is Mr McEntegart the young piano prodigy in 1841-2; there is Mr McEntegart who is apparently playing the traditional wire-strung Irish harp in 1844-5; and there is Eugene McEntegart the professional pianist and singer who studied in England for eight years from about 1845 until he returned to Drogheda in 1853. I do not know how we can tell if these are all the same person or not.

His name

We should start with the name, McEntegart. This is just an English phonetical spelling of the Irish surname Mac an tSagairt, which means son of the priest. Whatever spelling is used, the name is pronounced with a silent S, and with the stress on the first and third syllables, Mac an t[S]agairt.

In the 19th century, the spelling Mac an tSagairt would never have been used on official documents or in English-language contexts, and so people would use phonetical English approximations instead. The most common seems to have been McEntegart.

If you look at Barry Griffith’s surname maps, you can see that the McEntegarts were totally concentrated around Drogheda and Dundalk. There are a lot of variant spellings, starting Mac or Mc, and with different numbers of Gs, and with other different spellings. Barry Griffith lists loads of variants, each of which has just a few examples.

Eugene is the man’s name in the 1850s references. These references may be to a different person. But I am going to stick my neck out and call him Eugene anyway. If it turns out that our Mr McEntegart the harper is a different person from Eugene McEntegart then I will look very foolish.

I have looked for other people with the same or similar names. There was an Owen McEntegart in Drogheda, an egg merchant, born in the late 1830s, and who died 23 March 1876 in Drogheda, aged 48. But I’m fairly sure he is not our man.

The Mayoralty House

Almost all of the performances discussed below were held in the Mayoralty House in Drogheda, so we should briefly discuss this venue before we look at the different events.

The Mayoralty House in Drogheda was built around 1768, as a banqueting hall for the mayor and the corporation to hold civic dinners and other events. Upstairs was a large banqueting room and apparently also a smaller one. There was a gallery for musicians in the main room. Downstairs was the entrance hall, the kitchens, and other rooms. You can read more about the Mayoralty House online at Drogheda Life, including a long description from George Henry Bassett, Louth county guide and directory (1886). I went to Drogheda last year to take this photo of the Mayoralty House for you. Downstairs is a food shop, but as far as I can tell the upstairs is unused.

1841 concert

The first reference I have found so far to a Drogheda musician called McEntegart is a concert that was performed in the Mayoralty Rooms, Drogheda, on Monday 25th October 1841.

MISS ROSINI COLLINS.
BEGS most respectfully to announce to the Nobility, Gentry, and Inhabitants of Drogheda, that she has been prevailed on by many Families to give a
MORNING AND EVENING CONCERT,
AT THE MAYORALTY-ROOMS,
ON MONDAY NEXT, OCTOBER 25, 1841.
Being most positively her LAST APPEARANCE in this Town previous to her departure for Newry, Armagh, Belfast, &c., on which occasion she will be assisted by the same distinguished Artists as on the former occasion.

Drogheda Conservative Journal, Sat 23 Oct 1841 p3

Rosini Collins was a classical violinist, who had previously performed concerts with her family in Drogheda on Monday and Tuesday, 18th and 19th October. The adverts and reviews for these list the “distinguished artists” who assisted in her performances. Monsieur Case played the concertina; Miss Emma Collins was a singer; Miss Victoria Collins “the infant vocalist” played the cello, and Mr. Collins conducted the event. (Drogheda Conservative Journal, Sat 16 Oct 1841 p3; Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal, Sat 23 Oct 1841 p2). I am not sure if Monsieur Case may have been the London maker of English concertinas, George Case (see Dan Worral’s article online and also this blog post about a Tasmanian photograph).

The review of the Oct 25th concert gives a lot of detail about these performers, but it also includes what may have been a new or perhaps more likely a one-off addition to the line-up:

…The concert opened with the overture “La Italiani in Algeri” from Rossini, by Mr. M‘Entegart on the piano forte. The execution was really splendid, and augured well for the future. Mr. M‘Entegart is no more than a lad, and as an amateur is a credit to the musical talent of our town…

Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal, Sat 30 Oct 1841 p2

So, Mr. McEntegart was just a young lad, presumably aged less than 20. His playing choice is not a formal piano composition but a popular opera overture, which would fit with him being a talented amateur player.

Two weeks later, on the evening of Monday 8th November 1841, he was playing at a Temperance event, hosted by the Mayor in the Mayoralty Rooms. The “festival” was organised by the Father Matthew Society, and over 400 people were there. The Kent family played violins and flute, and the report describes their music in florid Romantic prose and poetry. It continues:

…Mr M‘Entegart presided at the piano-forte, and ably sustained by his brilliancy of execution the fame he has earned for himself…

Drogheda Argus, Sat 13 Nov 1831 p1

There were long speeches all about the moral virtues of Temperance, which are printed in full as part of the news report. After a speech by a 10 year old boy, Master North, there was a musical interlude:

…The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. M‘ENTEGART, who was present, would entertain the meeting with a solo on the piano-forte.
Mr. M‘ENTEGART sat down to the piano-forte amid loud cheers. His execution was much admired.

Drogheda Argus, Sat 13 Nov 1831 p1

1842 concert

A couple of months later, on Wednesday 26th January 1842, we find Mr McEntegart organising his own concert, with other performers there to support him. Can we assume this is the same young lad, being even more ambitious and headlining his own show rather than just supporting someone else? We have an advertisement, and an editorial notice, from consecutive pages of the same newspaper.

Mayoralty-Rooms,
DROGHEDA.
———–
Mr M‘Entegart,
MOST respectfully announces that he will, with the assistance of F. VON HARTMAN, Violinist, MISS C HARTMAN, and Miss E. HARTMAN, Vocalists, give a Grand
MORNING AND EVENING CONCERT,
On Wednesday, January 26, 1842,
Morning Concert to commence at One o’Clock. – Evening at Eight o’Clock.
TICKETS – Front Seats, 2s. each – Back Seats 1s each – To be had of Mr. M‘ENTEGART, at Mr. Hamilton’s Stationer, Laurence’s-street, and at Mr. Kelly’s, Printer, West-st.
☞ MR. FRAZIER the celebrated Irish Harper will also assist.

Drogheda Conservative Journal Sat 22 Jan 1842 p3

On the previous page is a brief editorial notice:

Our readers will perceive by our advertising columns that our fellow-townsman, Mr. M‘Entegart, is about to give, in conjunction with Mr. Von Hartman and family, together with Mr. Frazer, the celebrated performer on the Irish harp, a morning and evening Concert in the Mayoralty Rooms, on next Wednesday, and we feel confident that he will meet with that encouragement which his musical talents so deservedly merit.

Drogheda Conservative Journal Sat 22 Jan 1842 p2

I have not found any reviews or other mentions of this concert, though I checked all through the next two weeks of the Journal. I don’t have access to the Argus for this period.

Frederick Von Hartman advertised himself as “Violinist, the celebrated performer on one string (the fourth a la Paganini)”, along with “Miss C Hartman and Miss E Harman From the Dublin Concerts” (Wakefield and West Riding Herald, Friday 01 November 1839 p1). A programme from an 1841 concert in Mullingar gives some idea of what they were doing; they do not seem to perform all together, but alternate his violin solos with the girls singing solo and duets. (Westmeath Guardian and Longford News-Letter, Thur 10 Jun 1841)

Also appearing in this concert was the traditional Irish harper Hugh Fraser. He had learned to play the traditional wire-strung Irish harp at the Cromac Street harp school in Belfast in the early 1820s. Fraser’s teachers there were Edward McBride and Valentine Rennie, who had both learned the traditional wire-strung Irish harp from Arthur O’Neill in around 1810. Hugh Fraser seems to have based himself in Drogheda from 1841 onwards (Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal, Saturday 1 May 1841, p.2)

Eleven days before McEntegart’s concert, 15th January 1842, Father Thomas Burke had founded the Drogheda Harp Society. Burke hired Hugh Fraser to teach the harp school. I have written a lot about how this school was run, in my post on one of the pupils, Peter Dowdall. Fraser’s pupils at the harp school in Drogheda were almost all apparently local Catholic boys, who had taken the Temperance pledge (not to drink alcohol), and who were involved with Father Burke’s religious and nationalistic revival movement.

One of the young boys learning the traditional wire-strung Irish harp under Hugh Fraser was Mr. M‘Entegart, though we don’t know when he started. It seems very possible that our young piano prodigy was part of the Drogheda temperance and religious and cultural revival scene, and that he went along to the harp school to learn to play the traditional wire-stung Irish harp.

1844 concert

The concert of the Drogheda Harp Society was held in the Mayoralty House just over two years later, on Saturday 17th February 1844. The concert was peformed by the master of the harp school, Hugh Fraser, and “six of his pupils”: Mr. McEntegart, Master Halpin, Peter Dowdall, Miss Flinn, Hugh O’Hagan, and Thomas Branagan. As you can see I have now written up all of them except for Miss Flinn, and I discuss aspects of this concert on each of those posts. On Halpin’s post I inserted parallel texts of the two adverts:

IRISH MUSIC DROGHEDA IRISH HARP SOCIETY, (ORDER OF THE GOLDEN CROSS.) Mr. HUGH FRAZER, AND SIX OF HIS PUPILS Will on MONDAY Evening, the 19th Instant, IN THE MAYORALTY-ROOMS, Under the Patronage of his Worship the Mayor, the Aldermen and Councillors of the Corporation, GIVE A CONCERT, OF IRISH MUSIC, SELECTED FROM THE AIRS OF CAROLAN AND OTHER ANCIENT AND EMINENT IRISH HARPERS, ON IRISH HARPS, MANUFACTURED IN DROGHEDA, ON THE NEWLY IMPROVED PLAN OF THE REV. V. BURK, FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL SUPPORTER OF THE SOCIETY.	[winged maiden harp woodcut] DROGHEDA IRISH HARP SOCIETY, Order of the Golden Cross. —— GRAND CONCERT. ——- Mr. HUGH FRAZER, and Six of his PUPILS, will on MONDAY, the 19th inst., at half past Seven o’Clock in the Evening, under the patronage of his Worship the MAYOR, the Aldermen and Councillors of the Corporation, give a CONCERT in the Mayoralty Rooms, of Irish Music, selected from the airs of CAROLAN and other Eminent Irish Harpers, and on Irish Harps manufacturd in Drogheda, on an improved plan, of the Rev. Mr. BURKE, founder and principal supporter of the society.
LADIES of Drogheda, the Harp of Erin ought not to be neglected, more especially now, that the virtue of her sons is the subject of many national and soul-stirring melodies, for, what but the national instrument, should celebrate national honor. Gentlemen, men, and patriots of Drogheda, give to the sacrifices and labours of the founders of the Society, due encouragement, patronage, and support, and ere long, the sound of the Harp will be heard in every town and village of Ireland, and many in hours of their social joy, will acknowledge a debt of gratitude to the taste, talent, and genuine Irish spirit of your native town, fr the revival of our national instrument, and the honor of its revival shall live for ever with the people of Drogheda.	LADIES of DROGHEDA – The Harp of Erin ought not to be neglected, more especially now while the virtue of her sons is the subject of many national and soul-stirring melodies; for, what but the national instrument should celebrate national honour. Gentlemen, men, and patriots of Drogheda, give to the sacrifices and labours of the founders of the society due encouragement, patronage and support; and ere long, the sound of the Harp shall be heard in every town and village of Ireland, and in the hours of their social joy will acknowledge a debt of gratitude to the taste, talent and spirit of your town, and the honour of its revival shall ever live with the people of Drogheda.
Mr. FRAZER and M‘ENTEGERTH, will open the Concert with the RISING OF THE LARK, and the HARMONIOUS BLACKSMITH. The following are among the pieces to be performed on that Evening;-	Mr. FRAZER and Mr. M‘ENTEGART will open the Concert by “the Rising of the Lark,” and “The Harmonious Blacksmith,” and the following are among the Tunes to be played by each Performer:-
Remember the glories of Brian the Brave, … MR. FRAZER. Brian Boru’s March … … … Do.	“Remember the glories of Brian the Brave,” by Mr. Frazer. “Brian Boroimhe’s March, .. .. do. “Let Erin remember the days of old,” .. do.
Cilia Kelly, … … MASTER HALPEN & DOWDAL. Planxty Connor, … … … Do. The Minstrel Boy, … … … Do. Planxty Power, … MASTER DOWDAL & HALPEN. The Lord of Mayo, … … … Do. Miss Forbe’s Farewell, … … … Do.	“Celia Kelly,” .. by Master Halpin and Dowdall. “Planxty Connor,” .. .. .. do. do. “The Minstrel Boy,” .. .. .. do. do. “The Lord of Mayo,” .. .. .. do. do. “Planxty Power,” .. .. .. do. do.
Love’s young Dream, … … … MISS FLINN. The Fairy Boy, … … … Do.	“Love’s Young Dream,” .. .. .. by Miss Flinn. “The Fairy Boy,” .. .. .. .. do.
The Harp that once thro’ Tara’s Hall – The Irish Volunteers – Planxty Judge, … … M‘ENTEGERTH.	“The Harp that Once thro’ Tara’s Hall,”, by Mr. M‘Entegart “The Irish Volunteers,” .. .. .. do. “Planxty Judge,” .. .. .. do.
In Concert, … HUGH O’HAGAN, & THOMAS BRANIGAN.	“The Song of Sorrow,” by Hugh O’Hagan and J. Branagan. “The Sprig of Shilelah,” .. do. do. “The Meeting of the Waters,” do. do.
The Song of Sorrow – Sprig of Shilelah, and Meeting of the Waters, … … … … MR. FRAZER. Carolan’s Fairy Queen – Planxty O’Reily – Rose Dillon – Carolan’s Concerto – Sovournian Deelish, and Planxty Maguire, with the Coolin – Molly Asthore, and several other Irish Airs.	“Carolan’s Fairy Queen,” “Planxty O’Reilly,” “Rose Dillon,” “Carolan’s Concerto,” “Savourneen Dheelish,” and “Planxty Maguire,” by Mr. Frazer, with “the Coolin,” “Molly Asthore,” and several other Irish airs.
	A selection of Irish Airs will be sung by Gentlemen Amateurs.
Doors will open at Half-past Six O’Clock, and performance to commence at Half-past Seven precisely. TICKETS of admission, one Shilling each; but as it is an objective of the Society to place the Harp in the hands, and within the circumstances, of the daughters of Erin, every Gentleman having a Ticket, may bring a lady with him.	Doors will open at half-past Six o’clock, and business will commence at half-past Seven precisely. ☞TICKETS of Admission – One shilling each – But as it is an object of the Society to place the Harp in the hands, and within the circumstances of every daughter of Erin, every gentleman having a Ticket may bring a lady with him.
Drogheda Conservative Journal, Sat 17 Feb 1844 p3	Drogheda Argus, Sat 17 Feb 1844 p3

As I mentioned in my post on Halpin, there are obvious errors and spelling mistakes in both newspapers. We see that the Journal calls our man “Mr McEntegerth” and the Argus calls him “Mr McEntegart”.

The advert says that the concert was performed by “Mr. Hugh Fraser and six of his pupils”, and so we can assume that all six of these named individuals were playing the traditional wire-strung Irish harp. I suppose it is possible that McEntegert played piano to accompany Hugh Fraser on the harp. But I think it is more likely that McEntegert had indeed been learning the harp under Fraser at the harp school, and that he was playing one of the Drogheda-made harps which were based on John Egan’s traditional wire-strung harps like what Hugh Fraser played.

It is also interesting to see that McEntegart plays duets with the master of the harp school, Hugh Fraser, to open the concert. This suggests to me that McEntegart may have been the most competent and experienced performer, even if not the best harper, of all the harp school pupils. The two tunes they play together are given as “the Rising of the Lark,” and “The Harmonious Blacksmith”. Neither of these is a traditional Irish tune, though both were “standards” in the repertory of the 19th century Irish harpers; The Rising of the Lark is a traditional Welsh harp tune, and the Harmonious Blacksmith is by Handel.

Later in the concert, McEntegarth also got a solo slot. He played “The Harp that once through Tara’s Hall”; and though the newspaper adverts diverge at this point I think it seems most sensible to understand that he also played “The Irish Volunteers”, and “Planxty Judge”. Presumably these were all played on the traditional wire-strung Irish harp.

There are a few reviews of this concert but they don’t seem to give any more information; when the reviews do include details it looks like they are just paraphrasing the programme rather than reporting on what actually happened.

1845 dinner

A year later, we find Mr McEntegerth playing harp at a civic dinner on Wednesday 1st January 1845. I assume this is the same man as who played in the Harp Society concert a year before.

The dinner was the final event of a day’s activities for the installation of the new Mayor of Drogheda. The events of the day were reported at great length in the Argus of Sat 4th January (p1-2). The events started at 12 noon in the court house, then everyone went to the council chamber in the Tholsel, and processed from there to St Peter’s Catholic Church for a service, and then they returned to the council chamber in the Tholsel for council business. Then at 6pm the members and officers of the corporation, and some clergy, went to the banqueting hall upstairs in the Mayoralty House for the dinner. The meal was provided by Mr Keappock of the Royal Hotel, with sumptious food and “wines of the first quality”. There were numerous speeches which are printed in full in the Argus. After each speech was an “air”, though we are not told whether this was performed by the temperance band, or other musicians, or by McEntegert. Some of the airs are traditional Irish harp tunes so he may have played them on the harp. The airs named in the report are “God Save the Queen”, “Prince Albert’s March”, “The Irish Volunteers”, “Couleen”, “Paddies evermore”, “The Irishman”, “Paddy O’Rafferty”, “Sprig of Shillelagh”, “To Ladies Eyes”, “Tyrolese hymn of liberty”, and “One bumper at parting”. The account finishes with a description of the musicians:

…The pleasures of the evening were very agreeably varied by the introduction of several excellent songs from Messrs. M‘Cann, Bellew, Walsh, Marron, &c. Mr. Bellew was particularly happy in the “Anti-Irish Irishman,” from the “Spirit of the Nation,” which he sang in excellent style. Mr. M‘Entegart also contributed much to the harmony of the evening by the performance of several beautiful airs on the Harp from the old Irish masters. We would be doing very great injustice if we omitted to notice specially the delight felt by the guests in the performance of the Messrs. Kent’s splendid quadrille band: they were in perfect harmony. Two or three solos on the flute, by Mr. Joseph Kent, were received with rapturous applause. The greater number of the guests left about 12 o’clock; a few, however, merrily ran into the small hours; all were, however, delighted with his Worship’s first dinner to the Corporation.

Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal Sat 4 Jan 1845 p2

This entire account of the dinner is fairly unsatisfactory in that it does not really tell us how McEntegart’s role fitted in to the rest of the evening. We can assume he was playing traditional wire-strung Irish harp, but we are not actually told this. He could have been playing classical pedal harp. The concrete information it gives us is that he played “several beautiful airs on the Harp from the old Irish masters”. I presume these “masters” were the old harper-composers Carolan and Connellan, and I think this is not a reference to his lineage of harp teachers.

The Kents were the same musicians as who had played alongside McEntegert at the Mayor’s temperance evening back in 1841. We might wonder if the Mayor’s office had regulars, who would be called on to play at these events. Since 1841, McEntegart had been learning harp at the school, and so perhaps the Mayor would ask him to play Irish tunes on the wire-strung Irish harp rather than his usual piano solos. This is just speculation.

8 year gap

There is now a gap of eight years, between the Mayoralty dinner on 1 Jan 1845, and when we next come across McEntegart in Drogheda in November 1853.

1853 concert

In November 1853, we are back in the Mayoralty rooms. I am not finding an advert for this concert, or a review in the Drogheda papers. The concert may have been on Monday 21st November 1853, or it may have been one week before, on Monday 14th November 1853.

There was a concert given in the Mayoralty Rooms, Drogheda, on last Monday even[i]ng, by Mr. Eugene M‘Entegarte, a native of Drogheda, but having resided in England for the last eight years, where he perfected himself in his profession. The long room was crowded, and all seemed highly delight[ed] with Mr. M‘Entegarte’s singing which was indeed excellent. There was also a band present, that played some of the newest music. From the very flattering reception Mr. M‘Entegarte met with[] in his native town he intends giving another con[ce]rt before the new year comes in. We are proud to see native talent appreciated and encouraged We wish him every success.

Athlone Sentinel, Wed 23 Nov 1853 p2, reprinted with the same typos Wed 30 Nov p4. Also reprinted in the Catholic Telegraph, Sat 26 Nov 1853 p3

VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL ENTERTAINMENT. – On Monday evening the lovers of vocal and instrumental music in Drogheda, enjoyed a treat of no ordinary kind. Mr Eugene M‘Entegart, professor of music, who recently returned to his native town, having given a concert in the Mayoralty Room’s, which was numerously and fashionably attended. Mr. M‘Entegart’s accompaniments on the piano and guitar were loudly applauded.

Dundalk Democrat, Sat 26 Nov 1853 p5

Is this our man? Because we have his first name we can do a lot more digging and find out more about him. The reviews say that he was originally from Drogheda, but that he had gone to England for eight years, to study music to become a professional, or at least to get more experience performing. We can work backwards from his return to Drogheda late in 1853. If he was in England for eight years, he must have left Drogheda and gone to England in about the end of 1845.

Since he was in England from about 1845 through to 1853, I thought he should appear in the 1851 census of England, and so I looked, and we find Eugene McEntegart living in Stranton, County Durham. He is listed as a lodger at the boarding-house of Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, living there with her, her son, and another lodger. He is listed as a musician, unmarried, aged 26.

Stranton is a suburb of Hartlepool. In the 1861 OS map you can see that Stranton village is attached to the outer suburbs on the south side of Hartlepool harbour. Hartlepool was a rapidly expanding industrial port town at this time, and I am not finding any references to a music school, and so it is not obvious to me why Eugene McEntegart might have been there. Perhaps he was not actually at music school in 1851, but may have finished his studies and been touring doing performances. Or maybe I have this wrong and he didn’t actually go to England for study, but only to tour and perform to get more experience. There is a brief mention of a Mr. McEntegart in the North of England performing music for a soiree of the Maryport Mechanics Institution in the Odd Fellows Hall on Tuesday 3rd October 1848. The report just says “…the Messrs. Graham and Mr. McEntegart provided music of a high character.” (Carlisle Journal, Fri 6 Oct 1848 p2). If we looked hard at the English newspapers we might find more of this kind of brief mention.

If Eugene McEntegart was aged 26 on Sunday 30 March 1851, then he must have been born in 1824, or the first months of 1825. However I think that census ages can often be off by a year or more. I found a baptism record for E. McEntegart, baptised at St Peter’s Catholic church, Drogheda, on 24th November 1823. This is one year older than the age given in the census. I do not know if this is truly our man or not, because the first name of the child is pretty much illegible. You can see the handwritten register online at the NLI; the name definitely starts with E, probably Euge… but there is also apparently over-writing and what looks like a second g.

If we believe that this was him, born in November 1823, then he would have been still only 17 in October 1841 (“no more than a lad”), and aged 18 to 20 when the harp school was running in 1842-4. He would have been aged about 21 when he went to England.

In November 1853, when he gave this concert announcing his return to Drogheda, Eugene McEntegart would have been 30 years old. He is described as singing, and accompanying himself on piano and on guitar. My header photo shows a French guitar made around 1830, which may be similar to the type of instrument that Eugene McEntegart played.

1854 concert

MR. M‘ENTEGART,
PROFESSOR OF MUSIC,
BEGS most respectfully to inform the Nobility, Gentry, and Inhabitants of Dundalk and its Vicinity, that he intends giving a Grand
VOCAL & INSTRUMENTAL
C O N C E R T ,
UNDER THE IMMEDIATE PATRONAGE OF
Col. Hodge, and the Officers of the
4TH ROYAL IRISH DRAGOONS.
ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8,
IN THE
ASSEMBLY-ROOMS, DUNDALK.
ADMISSION;- FRONT SEATS, 2s; BACK SEATS, 1s.
Doors Open at half past 7, to Commence at 8.
☞ FOR PARTICULARS SEE PROGRAMME.
Dundalk, 2d March, 1854

Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser, Wed 8 Mar 1854 p1

MR. M‘ENTEGART’S CONCERT – An announcement will be found in our columns of a vocal and instrumental concert in the Guild-hall, Dundalk, on this evening, under the patronage of Colonel Hodge and the officers of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards. The programme is varied and attractive, while of Mr M‘Entegart’s abilities as a musician and vocalist report[s] speak very highly, and we have no doubt an attractive treat is in store for the lovers of harmony.

Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser, Wed 8 Mar 1854 p2

This is the first time we see McEntegart in Ireland outwith Drogheda. I think we can understand this as him continuing his career as a singer with piano and guitar accompaniment. I have not seen a review of this concert.

The Assembly Rooms were upstairs in the Guild Hall (more commonly known as the Market House). The building was demolished in 1968; it was about where the Tourist Information Office is now, in the Market Square opposite the Court House.

This is all I can find at the moment. I am sure there must be other concert announcements or reviews with more incidental tit-bits of information about his music and his career. We can add them at the bottom as and when we find them.

Conclusion

I would like to imagine that these are all the same person, that we are only talking about one person here, who was born in Drogheda in November 1823, to Pat McEntegart and Mary née Rice; was baptised in St Peter’s on 24th November 1823; was a young amateur piano player; had a bit of a public profile in Drogheda while still a teenager; was involved with Father Burke’s Temperance movement and learned enough wire-strung Irish harp under Hugh Fraser to be able to play in public; left Drogheda in 1845 to go to England; and returned to Drogheda in 1853 where he performed songs accompanying himself on piano and guitar.

As you see the references all line up pretty well. I just don’t know if this quick potted biograpy of Eugene McEntegart’s life is conflating information about other individuals active at the same time with the same surname.

If this is all one person, then they would be interesting as being a bit different to the other traditional harpers on my timeline. Perhaps Hugh Dornan would be the nearest, working as a musician and not apparently promoting himself as a harper. McEntegart seems to have been primarily a piano player, though not in a formally trained way, and perhaps more a singer or variety artist. We can wonder whether Eugene McEntegart may have taken a harp with him to England. I suspect not; if he did learn how to play at Hugh Fraser’s school, he may have kept it up enough for a year or two to do a novelty turn at a dinner on request, but he may have abandoned it once he went to England.

My map shows the places mentioned above.