Ivy Leaf?
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Just found some info on this in a 1985 edition of Treoir (thanks to Tom Dahill and his collection).
From an article written by Máire Ní hAragán Uí Bhéaslaoí called "The Rambling House", comes this exerpt:
"Any night that we didn't have musicians, we had a character who played an ivy leaf. His name was Jack Goggin and he hailed from Gweenguillin. He worked on the farm with my Father. He would say to me when I was a child "watch out for the biggest ivy leaf." The older the leaf the sweeter the tune. He would put two leaves together he would grease them together with goose grease, then place them on a flat stone and tease the outer edges together with the palm of his hand. Sometimes he would use an iron. He would then use a foal's covering to to reseal the leaves. When this was done he would hold the ivy leaf between his thumbs and gently blow. This produced a very plaintive and lonely sound. His favourite tune was the "Cúlfhionn", he loved to play slow airs. The poor man died as he lived, he was found under a tree covered in ivy. An ivy leaf was found in his waistcoat pocket."(Treoir, Iml 17 1985 Uimhir 2 4 ISSN 0790-004X)
Sounds like the blade-of-grass-between-the-thumbs trick, only with more sophistication behind it. Can't make out the technique to building this impromptu instrument, but there it is. Has anyone ever seen and heard this do-it-yourself instrument being played?
From an article written by Máire Ní hAragán Uí Bhéaslaoí called "The Rambling House", comes this exerpt:
"Any night that we didn't have musicians, we had a character who played an ivy leaf. His name was Jack Goggin and he hailed from Gweenguillin. He worked on the farm with my Father. He would say to me when I was a child "watch out for the biggest ivy leaf." The older the leaf the sweeter the tune. He would put two leaves together he would grease them together with goose grease, then place them on a flat stone and tease the outer edges together with the palm of his hand. Sometimes he would use an iron. He would then use a foal's covering to to reseal the leaves. When this was done he would hold the ivy leaf between his thumbs and gently blow. This produced a very plaintive and lonely sound. His favourite tune was the "Cúlfhionn", he loved to play slow airs. The poor man died as he lived, he was found under a tree covered in ivy. An ivy leaf was found in his waistcoat pocket."(Treoir, Iml 17 1985 Uimhir 2 4 ISSN 0790-004X)
Sounds like the blade-of-grass-between-the-thumbs trick, only with more sophistication behind it. Can't make out the technique to building this impromptu instrument, but there it is. Has anyone ever seen and heard this do-it-yourself instrument being played?
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Of course! Brilliant!
Now, this foal's covering, what is it? A horse blanket that shrank, or a brand of rolling paper?
Man, am I getting hungry! I could definitely do some serious snacking right about now ...
mjd
Now, this foal's covering, what is it? A horse blanket that shrank, or a brand of rolling paper?
Man, am I getting hungry! I could definitely do some serious snacking right about now ...
mjd
Last edited by djm on Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps. - Location: Lefse country
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Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps. - Location: Lefse country
I really don't know. I presumed it was like horse baby clothes, a covering like you see on racehorses and the like, but I'm guessing. And have you ever smelled goose fat? "Rich" is a word that fits the case. I might be tempted to eat the ivy leaf instead of play it.
And no, I haven't left anything out of the exerpt. I made sure that I quoted it word for word, punctuation and all.
And no, I haven't left anything out of the exerpt. I made sure that I quoted it word for word, punctuation and all.