The Donkey, The Fiddler and the Sugarloaf
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Where: Leinster, County Wicklow, Ireland
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When: Unknown
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This might have been entitled "The Invisible River" given that the Krazy Kataloguer describe it as "General View of the Dargle River" this despite the writing on the plate. Tom the Fiddler must have been quite the character, and his donkey was a great one to laugh as they moved about County Wicklow?
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 to before July 1887
NLI Ref: L_IMP_1491
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 5064
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 to before July 1887
NLI Ref: L_IMP_1491
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
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Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 5064
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Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)
Probably a different Tom but he too had a donkey. rushymountain.com/2016/04/30/tom-billy-murphy/
Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)
No, not the same Tom. Here's the guy. One time a man lived in Bray who was a great fiddler. He was called "Tom the Fiddler". He had no legs but he went from house to house in a box which was made for him. It was drawn by a donkey. The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 069 Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5044705/5033303/5139604
Wendy:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeegee great sleuthing!!
Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)
Curate’s Diary continued July & August, 1877 Monday 2nd …. In afternoon went to see Miss Larkin, Lady Monck, Mrs Hobson, Mrs Keegan. Had a chat with Tom the Fiddler…. From: www.powerscourt.glendalough.anglican.org/test/parish-info...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
That condensed script titling again. How about this from 1890 via Trove ? ... " ... Passing through the turnstile, we hear. the sound of music, and, seated in a little box car, drawn by a donkey, is '"Old Tom," the musician of the Dargle, made famous by the description written of him by Canon Wilberforce. While yet a boy he lost the use of his legs, and for 25 years, every day in succession, Tom was at his post by the turnstile. A man of splendid physique; with a broad and handsome countenance, yet having to be lifted, night and morning, to this little conveyance. He speaks Irish fluently, and tells capital stories of his recollections of the nobility from all quarters of the globe. Tom is reported in the "Magazine of Music" as thus concluding a conversation with the celebrated Blackie, who hinted at whiskey during the interview. The fiddler replied, "No, sir; I don't hold by the sentiment ; I am a teetotaller, although called 'Old Tom.' Peer and peasant alike are kind to me. It was Lord Powerscourt who gave me this cart, and his children the donkey. I have a number of kind friends in England and Scotland, too, and when you go back, tell them that if they come over to the Dargle they won't find men with blunderbusses lying in wait for them behind a hedge as used to be commonly reported of Ireland, but all the same not true. Sir. that cock won't fight any more, and if they come to have a chat with 'Old Tom' they are welcome." After hearing him play some Irish reels, we obtain a copy of his music and proceed to Powerscourt Waterfall through the deer park ... ..." See - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65678697?searchTerm=to...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
It's slightly spooky hearing Old Tom's words after 130 years! Here is another anecdote from 1885 (second highlighted column) trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149518527?searchTerm=t... Ed. Transcribed ... "September 7. — This morning was wet, but the weather cleared up at 11 o'clock, when we took a car and drove to the Dargle glen. After driving about two miles we left the car and walked through the valley of the Dargle, a distance of about 1 1/2 miles along the river's side, which is very romantic, the river running and tumbling over its rocky bed, forming cascades at every turn. The glen is as wild and romantic as many of our gullies in Tasmania, and looks as if the foot of man had never trod it. At the outlet of the glen we found our vehicle waiting, and also an old Irish fiddler who, seated in a box drawn by a donkey about the size of a goat, treated us to a few Irish melodies. I gave sixpence, and told him we came from Australia. "Good luck to your honor (said he) ye are the people that rule yer own country— and may be, we'll be after doing that same by-and-bye, your honor, which will be a happy day for poor ould Ireland." So I concluded that the pleasant old fiddler, with his legs paralysed, and drawn by a donkey, was a Home Ruler. Leaving the glen of the Dargle, we drove for four miles through a splendid forest of old beeches and pines — part of the Powerscourt Estate, which consists altogether of 22,000 acres and here we reached the pretty dell where the River Dargle falls a distance of 300ft over a rocky precipice, forming one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Ireland, or in the United Kingdom. A photographer was on the spot, and we had our portraits taken, with the Powerscourt waterfall for a background. After feasting our eyes for some time looking at this beautiful spot we started off for Bray. The driver took us back by another road, where, instead of being in the glen, we could look down upon it all the way, and thus get a good view of hill and valley, rock and river. Altogether the trip was most delightful and enjoyable. ... " The rest of the article is worth a glance for its description of various familiar places contemporary with Mr French / Lawrence's photos.
Niall McAuley
In 1901 there are only 25 people named Tom in the Wicklow census, but the oldest is 44 and none are paraplegic fiddlers that I can see. I scanned older gentlemen named Thomas, but no luck there either.
Niall McAuley
L_IMP_1490 is also Tom with a fairly well dressed gentleman. L_IMP_1489 is St. Enoch's Church with a horse tram passing in Belfast, so after 1872. L_IMP_1488 includes the 1886 orange hall, but not the 1889 equestrian King Billy statue on top. Likewise L_IMP_1487 L_IMP_1494 however is Derry. with the 1891 guildhall clock, so...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeegee https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley I am wondering could the photo have been taken in Powerscourt?
concho cowboy
SPECIAL AWARD ★★★★★ 5 stars for your photo... Seen in:..Flickr Hall of Fame
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Wendy:
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] similarité profile of Sugarloaf! www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly/3331100847/in/album-7215...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly it's very close.
O Mac
I think it was taken further west of Powerscourt on the Enniskerry to Glencree road near Oonagh. maps.app.goo.gl/cfbVg2j1wUi53xy2A
John Spooner
An account of some Scottish tourists meeting Tom appeared in Ayrshire Weekly News and Galloway Press - Friday 21 October 1887. It says they bought the July edition of the Magazine of Music, which had a picture of Tom. The author (Jim Broe) of a article about the Lawrence collection in Wicklow People - Friday 28 June 1974 said he he had seen a magazine with a picture of Old Tom of the Dargle, and that the picture had come from the collection. So IF the magazine Jim Broe had seen was the Magazine of Music, and IF it's today's picture (and not the other one, but it looks as if both taken on the same day at the same place anyway) then we have a latest date of summer 1887.
John Spooner
In another article by Kim Broe in the Wicklow people, this time from January 1974, he quotes the introduction to the article in the July 1887 edition of the Magazine of Music.
One is tempted to think that the writer based the description not on memory but on the picture which was to accompany the text. Jim Broe continues that he has found it difficult to find any information from Enniskerry locals "even among the older folk" and appeals to readers for any information they may have. And the Wicklow People repeated that plea for information 12 years later on Friday 30 December 1988.ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Imagine a lifetime of looking at your donkey's ass! Thinking Old Tom was wise enough to park his chariot somewhere on the well trodden tourist trail, so Mr French and punters with spare sixpences could find him.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia There was not much of an alternative!
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner I think 1887-88 is likely given your refs and the nearby Belfast pics.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] 💡💡💡💡💡💡 BINGO !! 💡💡💡💡💡💡 archive.org/details/sim_magazine-of-music_1887-07_4_40/pa... [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia/52869556746/in/dateposted/] So photo is before July 1887.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
There is a footnote bottom left - " ... Our illustration is from a photograph taken for the Magazine by Mr. Lawrence, Sackville Street, Dublin, so well known for his views of Irish scenery." So, likely 1887.
John Spooner
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia Well done! I'd given up any hope of finding it. The conversation with the author (about learning gaelic) sounds very similar to the one reported in the Ayrshire Weekly News and Galloway Press (but that took place after the magazine was published). And he mentions Glasgow Fair week (when the shipyards closed down production and all the workers had to take their holibobs) . I remember that in the late 1960s when it was a factor in deciding when the family would (and wouldn't) visit relatives in southern Scotland.
Niall McAuley
I wonder if the gentleman in L_IMP_1490 is the author of the magazine piece? He is not named in the article, just "a member of our staff who has been over to Dublin on a holiday visit", although the article makes it clear he is from Edinburgh.