‘Truly living artwork’ celebrates foundation of Comhaltas

By Ciara O’Hara

A large crowd gathered in the Tranquillity Garden in Mullingar for the unveiling of a sculpture commemorating the foundation of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann on Wednesday August 9.

‘Butterfly Harps’ by internationally recognised Westmeath artist Mark Garry celebrates the formation of Comhaltas in Mullingar in 1951, and the rich traditional musical heritage of Westmeath.

The launch was attended by the public, family members of the Comhaltas founders, as well as the cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Liam McDaniel, Westmeath arts officer Miriam Mulrennan, Camillus Glynn of Áras an Mhuillinn, Fleadh Executive Committee chairperson Joe Connaire, Uachtarán Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Éamonn Ó HArgáin and Ardstiúrthóir Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Labhrás Ó Murchú, who all said a few words.

The speeches were followed by traditional Irish music from a talented group that included Joe Connaire.

Welcoming everyone, David Jones of Westmeath County Council said: “I know the hosting of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Mullingar last year, and indeed this year, will leave many positive legacies, but I think, for me, one of those legacies is a reminder in terms of that very fact, in terms of the founding members of Comhaltas here in Mullingar all those years ago, and the positive and strong legacy that they have created and left behind.”

Cllr McDaniel said: “It is to those founding members that we owe so much, and whose legacy lives on today in the promotion and strength of our traditional Irish music, song and dance culture.” He declared it “fantastic” to “now have this commemorative piece here installed and unveiled”.

Cllr McDaniel explained that the project was “the brainchild of a small group of Comhaltas members, among them Camillus Glynn from Áras an Mhuillinn.” Addressing Camillus directly, he said “Comhgairdeas… today we see the fruits of your efforts.”

Liam acknowledged the decision of Westmeath County Council to commission the art piece and “all those involved who brought it to fruition, in particular arts officer Miriam Mulrennan, and Pat Kavanagh, the district engineer who managed the installation”.

He also thanked Mark Garry for his sculpture and said it “sits perfectly within the grounds of the Tranquillity Garden and captures so well the essence of what we wish to publicly celebrate, in terms of our significant Comhaltas history here in Mullingar which we are all proud of”.

Cllr McDaniel concluded: “Westmeath County Council has a long record in support of Comhaltas” and he emphasised they will continue to support the work of Comhaltas in the county through the promotion of traditional music, song and dance.

Ms Mulrennan, arts officer with Westmeath County Council, gave the background to the sculpture, which she called “a welcome addition to a vibrant and eclectic collection of sculptures around the town” that has “already garnered much support and admiration”.

For those not familiar with Mark’s work, she said: “Dr Garry is an Irish artist, curator, writer, educationalist and occasional musician.

“Mark lectures in painting, sculpture and interdisciplinary studies at the Technological University of Dublin. Mark’s practice is driven by a fundamental interest in observing how we navigate the world, and the subjectivity inherent in these navigations. Mark has held exhibitions at museums and art venues all across Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.”

‘Butterfly Harps’ was commissioned before 2020 but “unavoidably put on hold” due to Covid, a time when according to Ms Mulrennan, “the creative solutions by many of our artist community were not just appreciated but in many regards were crucial to our societal wellbeing.”

She explained that this “pairing of two sonic sculptures” is “essentially two stainless steel aeolian harps”.

“They are musical instruments that are played by the wind… The piece engages the musical context of Mullingar and the wider county. The environment that the harps are located in will activate the instrument and as the wind speed and direction alters, over each day and each season, the type of sound emanating from the harps also changes. And in that sense, this is truly a living artwork.”

Artist Mark Garry was in Paris at the time of the unveiling and was unfortunately unable to attend, but his father, Chris Garry, made a speech on Mark’s behalf. Chris thanked everyone involved in bringing the sculpture to Mullingar, and informed the crowd that the piece was dedicated to Mark’s mother, who passed away this year. In his speech, Chris said: “Despite the fact that he has permanent installations in such far-flung places as Venice, Pittsburgh, as well as Carrick-on-Shannon, Kilkenny, and I suppose the biggest one he did apart from this was at the entrance to the headquarters of Facebook, this is the one that he really appreciates getting.

“He was apprehensive about bidding for this one but he was so delighted to get it… I just hope that the people of Mullingar and surroundings, and the visitors to Mullingar, appreciate the significance of this and get as much enjoyment out of it as he did putting it together.”

Camillus Glynn called the launch “a very memorable occasion. He thanked Westmeath County Council, Labhrás Ó Murchú and his board colleagues, and the founders of Comhaltas. Of the founding members, MR Glynn said: “The people who stood into the breech and faced down the begrudgers and started Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann… My late father, back further than I care to admit, played the melodeon. And there was a time if you were jigging, or playing a tin whistle or an accordion or whatever instrument you had, people would say, ‘Who’s yer man?’ That’s gone, and the crowds here today, and the crowds at every Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, are indicative of the esteem in which the fleadh is held.”

He encouraged everyone involved with Comhaltas and the fleadh to “keep up the good work”.

Uachtarán of Comhaltas Éamonn Ó HArgáin also thanked the Comhaltas founders. “I have no doubt they’re looking down on us today and I’ve no doubt they’re happy with what they see, not just with this beautiful taispeántas here from Mark but also Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann itself.

“I don’t think in their wildest dreams they would have envisaged that they would have 600,000 people attending the fleadh, and hundreds of thousands of musicians attending Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann two years in a row in Mullingar when they came together in February 1951,” said Eamonn.

The next speaker, Joe Connaire, thanked Westmeath County Council and all his colleagues on the FEC. He acknowledged the four families, “the Moynihans, the Reynoldses, the Seerys and the Mullallys” who “set the seeds” of Comhaltas.

“And I have to say from then until now, those seeds are absolutely flourishing and they’re really flowering to full capacity in this town. And basically, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann over the last two years has shown that. It’s a testament to those families who started the association, and it’s a testament to the volunteers that has continued to make our great organisation flourish to where it is today.

“I don’t know when they’re going to stop flowering – I think they’ll still be flowering during the winter season because Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Mullingar will be spoken of a long, long number of years to come, and I’ve no doubt about that,” said Joe.

“To everyone from the founder members to the FEC members and all the volunteers, I want to wish you all a very safe and happy Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and thank you very much,” he concluded. Labhrás Ó Murchú, Ardstiúrthóir (director general) of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, expressed pride at the “72-year-journey” from the foundation of Comhaltas to where we are now. He commended Mr Glynn, who he said was owed “a great deal of gratitude” for the 12 years’ of service he gave in “developing Áras an Mhuillinn as one of the foremost regional resource centres”.

“I’m of an age, like other people here, who would have known the founders of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann… Those were the people, certainly in my case, who would have inspired us back in those years. And they were ordinary people, but the important thing is they did extraordinary things.”

He mentioned that the fleadh is “unique in terms of large numbers of people coming together”.

“The Fleadh Cheoil is the pinnacle of the work of Comhaltas each year. If you look at the Fleadh Cheoil, it belongs to the people. I think that’s what important… The hundreds of thousands who come here certainly believe it’s their festival; it’s their expression of who we are.

“We often ask ourselves if the founders in 1951 could have envisaged where we are today.

Possibly not, because at that particular time, I suppose, in a lot of ways, the spirit of the country was at an exceptionally low ebb. Huge numbers were leaving the country, but if they were, they brought our culture with them. Look at the great work that they did abroad.”

Labhrás alluded to the unique quality of music to bring people together. “Music is much older than our political divisions, much more enduring, so when we’re working together, let’s think of the power of that music.”

He applauded Mark’s artwork and remarked on its historical significance. “If this beautiful piece of sculpture was not put in place, a vacuum would have been left here in Mullingar, in the story and in the history.

When people visit here, and take photos when the opportunities arise, they’re going to go away with a sense of, we were part of the bigger story.

“To the sculptor who did a fantastic job, I know you will convey our appreciation. This beautiful sculpture will be here in years to come to remind us of from whence we came and where we’re going.”