Tá Cumann Stair Dúiche Néill ag eagrú Comóradh 200 bliain ar an Chruitire dall Art Ó Néill Dé Sathairn beag seo i bPrióreacht na Seirbhíteach, Binn Bhorb. Gheofar an chlár anseo.
Dúiche Néill Historical Society are organising a 200 year Commemoration on the blind harper Art O'Neill this Saturday in the Servite Priory, Benburb. Programme available here.
Is eiseamláir é Art Dall Ó Néill (+1816) dá raibh fágtha de réimeas na nGael beagnach
dhá chéad bliain ó shin. Bhí an cláirseoir dall seo ar an duine deireanach
de chláirseoirí traidisiúnta na hÉireann. Cé gur minic a bhronntar an clú ar fad ar Ó
Cearbhalláin, is ag Ó Néill a bhí an saineolas ab fhearr ar chláirseoireacht ársa na hÉireann
agus ba é Art Dall ba mhó a chuidigh le buanú an traidisiúin cheoil seo, rud atá curtha in iúl
ag scoláirí agus ag ceoleolaithe ar nós Edward Bunting, F.J. Biggar, Donal O’Sullivan and
Breandán Ó Buachalla.
Rugadh Ó Néill i nDroim na Sráide in aice le Dún Geanainn sa bhliain 1734, chaill sé
radharc na súl ina óige agus d’fhoghlaim a cheird ag Eoin Ó Cianáin, cláirseoir dall
eile. Faoin am a raibh sé go mall sna déaga, bhí ceithre hairde na hÉireann siúlta aige,
pátrúnacht agus cóir aige ó Mhuircheartach, Ó Súilleabháin Bearra, Shéarlas Ó Conchúir
Donn i mBéal Átha na gCarr, Conchúr Ó Dónaill i gCeathrú Mhic Oireacht, Co. Liatroma, mar
aon le muintir de Brún, iarlaí Neidín. Bhí sé páirteach sna tionóil chruitireachta ag
Gránard (1781, 1782 agus 1785), ag baint duaiseanna sa chéad áit agus sa dara háit
dá leagan de ‘Coillte Glasa na Triúcha’ agus ‘Miss Crofton’ de chuid Uí Chearbhalláin.
Ceapadh ina Ollamh ina dhiaidh sin ar Cheol na Cláirsí ag Cumann Cláirsí Bhéal Feirste in
1808 ar thuarastal £30 sa bhliain. Mhúin sé an chláirseach do bhuachaillí agus do chailíní
dalla. Is é Tomás Ó hAodha, rúnaí pearsanta ag Edward Bunting, a bhreac
Memoirs of Arthur O Neill díreach ó bhéal an chláirseora chlúitigh agus tugtar cuntas iontach dá
bheatha, dá chuid taistil agus dá dhearcadh polaitiúil, sóisialta agus cultúrtha ann.
(Foinse: Éigse Cholm Cille, 2016)
Arthur O’Neill (+1816), is an exemplar of what remained of the Gaelic order around two
hundred years ago. The blind harpist was the last of the traditional Irish harpers. While
Carolan has tended to capture the accolades, O’Neill possessed the greatest knowledge
of the venerable tradition of ancient Irish harping and was the person most responsible
for its survival, a fact attested by a coterie of Irish scholars and musicologists including
Edward Bunting, F.J. Biggar, Donal O’Sullivan and Breandán Ó Buachalla.
Born at Drumnastrade, near Dungannon in 1734, he lost his sight as a child and learned
his craft from Owen Keenan, another blind harper. By his late teens, he had traversed
the four provinces of Ireland, enjoying the patronage and hospitality of Murtagh
O’Sullivan Beare, Charles O’Conor Don of Ballinagare, Conor O’Donnell of Larkfield,
Co. Leitrim, as well as the Browne earls of Kenmare. He participated in successive harp
colloquia at Granard (1781, 1782 and 1785), winning the first and second prizes for his rendition
of ‘Coillte Glasa na Triúcha’ and Carolan’s ‘Miss Crofton’. Subsequently appointed
Professor of Harp Music by the Belfast Harp Society in 1808 on a stipend of £30 per annum,
he taught ancient harp music to blind boys and girls. Thomas Hughes, Edward Bunting’s private
secretary, wrote the Memoirs of Arthur O Neill from the venerable harpist’s own dictation and it
provides a fascinating account of his life, travels and political, social and cultural mind-set.
(Source: Éigse Cholm Cille 2016)
