THE CELTIC CONNECTION • OCTOBER 1991
Page 7
Never Leave Home Without It!
(Your Fiddle, That Is)
BY ANGUS MacKINNON
After a rugged drive from Toronto, across the American mid-west (to avoid heavy weather), I proceeded up the west coast to Vancouver to re-establish my project business there.
Getting an office established and a place to stay were my first priorities and 1 was able to accom-
[>lish both in my first week: I was ucky to find both an office and a place to live close together and near downtown.
At night, after work, I explored the neighbourhood and during one of my wanderings downtown, I happened on The Blarney Stone Pub in the historic Gas town area. Hearing Irish music, I decided to investigate further.
Being a fiddle player and having been raised in Scotland, surrounded with this kind of music, I soon made The Blarney Stone a favourite spot for me. Since that first meeting I have become a regular entertainer with the KiTlarney Group, and we fit together well.
In the past few months, I have enjoyed some interesting trips with them, in particular the one to Regina.
THE UNTOLD STORY: THE IRISH IN CANADA
(Continued from Page 6) Grosse Isle continued to be a quarantine station; it still is, but now a quarantine station for animals, and a restricted district, open only for a month of the year. On 15 August 1909, a national monument, in the form of a huge Celtic cross, set on Telegraph Hill, was unveiled to the memory of the thousands and thousands of famine victims who had lain in unmarked graves since thatterriblesummerof sorrow in 1847.
Excerpts by permission of The Rev. Edward Jackman of Celtic Arts of Canada.
Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of The Irish in Canada may order it through Celtic Arts of Canada. Please send a cheque or money order for $75.00 plus $10.00 for packaging and postage to 81 St. Mary Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 5J4.
With people visiting the Blarney Stone from all corners of the world, I was interested in finding out who may be in the crowd on any particular night, especially over the weekends.
One of the more memorable scenes occurred on a recent Saturday night when the Police Pipe Band from Auckland, New Zealand was in town and arrived at the club complete with bagpipes and drums. It wasn't long before they were regaling everyone with pipe tunes and dances. A full-blown ceili looked as if it might break out at any time. Little did I know what was going to happen later on in the evening.
The boys from do wn under were quite a hit, and as fiddle players and, as pipers are kindred spirits, it wasn't long before we were discussing the merits of the various pipe and fiddle tunes. The next couple of hours were most enjoyable, with Killarney doing their usual good job.
By the end of the evening the pipe band had dwindled to two pipers and one drummer (without a drum) and, as they had no transportation, I volunteered to drive them back to their hotel in Richmond. They got together their pipes, and I my fiddle case, said our good nights and headed for the door.
A crowd immediately followed us out into the street, urging us to play "just one more tune". The pipers looked at me and I said why not", so the pipes were tuned upand Iputmycasedown on the sidewalk and took out my fiddle. Of course, the drummer had no drum, so he began to dance to the music. As the crowd continued to grow, I had an odd feeling that something was happening behind me, where I had put my case down. I turned to find people throwing money into it.
We finished the set and the crowd by this time was somewhere around 100 people, maybe more and continuing to grow. They were chanting "More, more, more!". So we started up again. About this time, I noticed the drummer dancing through the crowd with the fiddle case and people throwing money at him.
Sometime in the middle of this, the police drove up. I didn't see
them at first but glancing back through the crowd to find out where my case and the wander-ingdrummerwere,Ispotted him leaning on the side of the police cruiser with my fiddle case mercifully closed under his arm. Whatever he was saying, the police were laughing and, after what seemed like an eternity, they drove off, much to my re-
At this point I thought perhaps we had played long enough, so I told the pipers that my car was just around the cornerand maybe we should call it a night. They agreed but the crowd wanted still more, sosomeone suggested we could still play as we marched around the corner to my car. As we marched, more people joined the group, and by the time we reached the car I was becoming a little concerned.
As we rounded the corner to East Cordova, people spilled out of the Pig and Whistle Tavern and other establishments to join the throng. Heads were popping out of windows in the nearby hotels and I figured it was only a matter of time before the police reappeared and I was sure they
ANGUS MacKINNON'S musical career has covered BBC Radio in Scotland, CBC Radio in Canada, including The Campbells, a syndicated TV series, to producing and appearing in his own long-running Toronto variety show, The Road to the Isles. He's been involved in management and construction projects as diverse as gold mines in the Northern Ontario wilderness to the Toronto subway system, and hopes to use his expertise similarly in Vancouver.
would not be laughing this time.
When we reached the car, I informed the gathering that it had been a good night and I had to ge t the boys back to their hotel as they were leaving early in the morning. I got my fiddle case from the drummer and it was heavier than usual, so, not daring to open it, I deposited case, fiddle and bow on the back window shelf. The contents of the fiddle case were examined later it was found that we had enough funds to acquaint us with about four bottles of the best malt whiskey.
We drove off to great cheers and on the way, we all agreed that this was a night to remember, and we hoped, repeat, sometime in the future. It had been the highlight of our New Zealand visitor's tour to date, and they did not think that it could be topped.
Now, thanks to the success of this impromptu, after-hours concert, I am looking for two pipers and one drummer (no drum re-
?uired) for future engagements, he drummer must be a good dancer, fleet of foot and adept at handling a fiddle case in a large crowd. Good communication skills are a must and strong police connections could be helpful.
The job offers financial wealth beyond your wildest dreams. A chance to mingle with the public in the dead of night (you are not as likely to be recognized in the dark). The working hours are short — normally, 1:40 a.m. to 2 a.m. World travel and early retirement a possibility.
For further information contact: Angus MacKinnon at The Blarney Stone.
1 1 i /—> % The United I Scottish § Cultural Centre I 1 8886 Hudson Street Vancouver, B.C. Mi (604) 263-9911 or (604) 263-6955 >^ for 24 hour information ^ M Something happening almost every evening from pipe fj^ lessons to Scottish Country Dancing. W Call for more information. W)
