Asides from making great flutes and music, one of Martin Doyle‘s favourite pastimes is photography. Currently a little house-bound and in the arduous process of recovering from open-heart surgery, Martin has had regular visits from well-wishers and friends who come to offer their goodwill and encouragement. So what better way to celebrate a visit from great friends than to photograph them. Here is the result of one such a moment …
Christy Barry and Ronan Browne – photo taken by Martin Doyle.
A lovely moment between two good soul’s frozen in time by the click of the photographer’s shutter. Here are Martin’s comments regarding this portrait …
I am very proud to have got this picture, its probably one of the best I have ever taken. I would like to say this was a very special day in my recovery, to be in the company of two old friends who are great and authentic Gentlemen.
As our huge posse of true believers already fully know, most if not all of our posts are really, really serious – really! But this one is just for a wee chuckle, a throw away article as it were, and will certainly appeal to those among the thousands of people who pour through our really, really serious in-depth articles each day who are musicians. Are you with us so far – or still? Good, we shall continue then …
Our good and dear and recently one-year-older friend Ronan Browne, sent us a humorous little piece of cartoonery that has probably been floating around on the internet for centuries, but because we have never seen it before, to us it is completely new and well worth sharing. Perhaps Ronan thought that the boss needed a laugh after his recent really, really serious surgery, which is very kind of Ronan. I mean, a week after major controlled-death surgery, who wouldn’t want a good side-splitting laugh, right? Right!
On behalf of Martin Doyle, who is a little incapacitated at the moment due to being in hospital for surgery, we at Martin Doyle Flutes would like to offer our dear friend Ronan Browne a very happy birthday!
The Doyle/Browne friendship goes back many years and they have always supported and encouraged each others endeavours. We have no idea what age Ronan is, but he seems at once ancient and ever youthful – a reflection of the man’s timeless soul perhaps, and his ever present sense of humour.
For the two or three people in the audience who don’t know him, Ronan Browne is an Irish musician and composer whose primary instrument is the uilleann pipes. He also sings and plays a raft of instruments including flutes. A lot can be gleaned about musicians from the music that they create. Have a listen to the following piece, entitled Critical Mass, that Ronan produced some years back …
And here’s a video clip of Ronan performing with Martin Doyle and others at a traditional music day during the 2008 Drogheda Arts Festival …
Thank you Ronan – your life and activities add a lovely hue to this world.
Martin Doyle‘s daughter Aoife Doyle is an accomplished jazz singer who has just released her second album entitled ‘Clouds’. Differing from Aoife’s debut album, Clouds is a collection of original songs. These words from an article announcing the release on the Music Network website:
Clouds – a newly released album by Aoife Doyle
Aoife’s unique, expressive voice is equally at home with jazz, folk, country, bluegrass or blues, and her singing can evoke memories of the sophisticated, velvet tones of Ella Fitzgerald, the earthy, sweet lyricism of Patsy Cline or the straight‐up country clarity of Alison Krauss. Backed by Johnny Taylor’s subtle piano, Andrew Csibi’s inventive bass and Dominic Mullan’s sensitive percussion, the band has won much deserved critical acclaim.Speaking about the CD, Aoife says, “We are delighted to release this collection of songs, our first album of original music. Our sound has developed a lot in the last few years and the fruits can be heard on this CD. Creatively we have come a long way. Music Network’s support has been imperative to this development. Their understanding of the elements that contribute to the development of an artist are undeniable. To avail of the support and experience Music Network has to offer has been a privilege I am most grateful for.”
Reviews for Aoife’s debut album, ‘This Time the Dream’s on Me’:
“Doyle’s singing is coming from a deeper, more natural place too, with a feeling for the blues learnt from Billie Holiday and the rare ability to improvise vocally.”
“Her swinging quartet includes some of the best young players on the Dublin Scene.”
Martin Doyle has a page on his website entitled In Praise of Wooden Flutes which presents a poem of the same name by Martin’s friend Biddy Jenkinson. Biddy, an Irish poet, short story writer and dramatist who writes in the Irish language, also sent Martin a poem that eulogises their mutual friend Nuala Níc Con Iomaire who passed away on July 16, 2010. That poem, Nuala, is reproduced below.
A rare, witty, revealing and instructive poem by the Irish poet and writer Biddy Jenkinson (pictured right) has just been added to Martin Doyle’s website.
We boast ‘rare’ because this poem is penned in English and Biddy does most of her writing in the Irish language.
The following words are from the generous heart of Cathal McConnell:
“My friend, flute maker and flute player extraordinaire, Martin Doyle made my B-flat and C flutes, both of which are a complete joy to play! On a recent visit he also gave my ageing Rudall and Rose a much-needed and thorough overhaul. Its cork had been there 150 years!!! A heartfelt thank you Martin, for your craftsmanship as well as your kindness.”
More comments from flute players all over the world can be viewed here: Testimonials »
Delightful Tunes
The two tunes that Ronan Browne has offered, Planxty Irwin (jig) and Hector the Hero (waltz), that are both being played on a Martin Doyle D flute made of Cocus wood.