Packie Manus Byrne RIP

[Mr.Gumby]

I was waiting for StevieJ to break the news so I'll be brief: Packie Manus Byrne has departed in his 98th year.


Death notice

[StevieJ]

Thanks Peter. Actually his 99th year - he celebrated his 98th birthday in February 2015.

Packie Manus has been discussed a good deal on these pages over the years, mainly for his contribution to the world of whistle playing. But he was so much more than a whistle player.

For those not familiar with him, here are some brief biographical notes.

And here's a thread containing a nice review of his tunebook, a Dossan of Heather.

[DickB]

A sad day, but I'm very grateful for the music he left us. Anyone who isn't familiar with "A Dossan Of Heather" is in for a treat for the tunes, the biographical notes and stories, and the wonderful photos. I'm going to play "The Half Door" today in remembrance.
Dick

[Mr.Gumby]

Obituary in the Guardian

[ytliek]

Sorry to hear this.

[Mr.Gumby]

For those of you unfamiliar with PMB's music: Skylark from his 1969 EFDSS recording

[ytliek]

For those of you unfamiliar with PMB's music: Skylark from his 1969 EFDSS recording

Thank you, I was just searching for another version of this tune.

[DaveAuty]

Thanks for the Skylark recording, it's the first time I've heard this tune really sounding like a bird...Beautiful!

[Mr.Gumby]

Obit in Irish Times

[ytliek]

I've been giving A Dossan of Heather quite a workout all week. My favorite track is 'Forgetting The Lesson', however, the entire tunebook is loaded with beautiful whistle music.

Thank you.

[MarshMan]

I too am very sorry to hear this. I find it odd that the Guardian obituary is far more detailed, and dare I say caring, than the Irish one. However, thanks to all who've posted links.
Max

[Mr Ed]

For those of you unfamiliar with PMB's music: Skylark from his 1969 EFDSS recording

Thanks for the tune. Some lovely playing going on there. He's another player I definitely need to become more familiar with. May he rest in peace.

[khl]

Read the news of this last week. Listened to the CD a few times since then. Does anyone know what kind of whistle he used?

[s1m0n]

I too am very sorry to hear this. I find it odd that the Guardian obituary is far more detailed, and dare I say caring, than the Irish one. However, thanks to all who've posted links.
Max

"[T]he Irish one" is a death notice rather than an obituary. Very different conventions apply.

[StevieJ]

Read the news of this last week. Listened to the CD a few times since then. Does anyone know what kind of whistle he used?

In the 1970s and later Packie used plastic-topped Generations, lots of them, many cannibalized and otherwise improved by himself, and earlier he had certainly played Clarkes and no doubt all-metal Generations too. I don't know what he used for that Skylark recording, which dates from the 1960s. He also had an early Bernard Overton in G that he liked. It was used on the recordings that re-surfaced on the CD From Donegal and Back!.

When he moved back to Ireland in 1987 he gave me a number of whistles. One was a Hohner in C that I still have somewhere. Another was a tuneable model with the top end made from a cut-down Bb Generation that slid over, I think, a C tube that was wound with thread to make the joint. Another was the sweetest whistle I have ever owned or I think played, a Generation D with an unusual head with a narrow windway that I have never seen another example of. Packie had glued the sleeve of a blue neck onto the body to act as a stop for the head and make sure it was always in the right place. The whistle was well-played when he gave it to me and after 15 more years of me playing it that head gave up the ghost and just stopped sounding properly. I still use it though - might be on its third replacement head by now.

BTW if you are referring to the CD that comes with A Dossan of Heather, Packie Manus didn't play on that because by that time arthritis had made playing almost impossible for him, and the home recordings that the tunes had been transcribed from were of very poor quality. Various whistles were used on that recording - old Generations in C, a Chieftain in F, a Susato in C, and wooden whistles with PVC bodies by J-F Beaudin.