Photo of ANDY DOWLING ~ 1968!

[Dick Glasgow]

A friend on another Forum sent me this photo.

Do you recognize this player?

The Photo was taken in 1968 at the Fleadh in New Ross, Wexford.

Apparently he was in one scene of the movie: "Lock Up Your Daughters" with Christpher Plummer.



Cheers
Dick

[dulcimike]

Hmmm. When I saw it, I thought I had seen this fellow before, but I think it just reminds me of P Flanagan of Co. Fermanagh. But he didn't play dulcimer - he played flutes & whistles and was Cathal McConnell's first teacher.

But, no I don't know who he is, unless.....He's not Andy Dowling, is he? Don't think I've ever seen a picture of Andy Dowling.

[jack]

Is he the same person in another photograph you posted a few months ago? Looks like the same type of hammers.

Jack

[Dick Glasgow]

I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that I have solved one mystery at least.

This photo IS of the famous ANDY DOWLING.

Christy Burns said, in her excellent Thesis, of Andy:

Andy Dowling lived in Clonmeen, Errill, County Laois until 1991 when he died at the age of 92. Many knew him for his dulcimer playing, as he was always active in the local traditional music events and organizations.
Before receiving his first dulcimer, which was purchased in Dublin by his brother, Andy was a fiddler. He admits to giving up the fiddle in favour of playing the dulcimer.
In an interview with David Kettlewell in 1976, Andy said, “You want to be playing an instrument all the time, that's the way it is with music... it becomes part of your life; 'twas never like that with the fiddle...”. (Kettlewell 1976) ........

....... Much like John Rea in Co. Antrim, Andy Dowling was pleased to appear frequently in public with his dulcimer. He would play at parties, fleadhs, and also played on both RTÉ and BBC radio. The movie, “Lock Up Your Daughters,” was filmed in Kilkenny and featured Andy with his
dulcimer. By the time Andy passed away in 1991, his dulcimer playing had developed such a reputation that it seemed perfectly appropriate to have dulcimer music at his funeral.

ChristyBurns ~ Thesis

This ties in very neatly with what my friend said:

In 1968 I was hitch-hiking near Kilkenny and was picked up by a delightful older gentleman who was on his way to a Fleadh Cheol in New Ross. I went along and spent the day with him. He asked me if I was familiar with the dulcimer. I said sure, thinking that he was talking about an Appalachian dulcimer. We stopped for a bite to eat and he took out his hammered dulcimer and played it for me. I had never seen a hammered dulcimer before and was facinated. We spent the whole day together and he told me many stories and played many tunes. He said that he was in a movie made in Kilkenny called Lock Up Your Daughters with Christpher Plummer in it. I went to see it at least three times, just for the last scene where he was playing the HD while the town folk dance in a circle around him.
You can see a picture that I took in a parking lot in New Ross .....

So now we know that the older picture IS of Andy Dowling.

However, what are the chances the photo Paul Gifford sent me, is of a younger Andy?

Pretty strong I'd say! Here are both photos for you to compare:



Cheers
Dick

[dulcimike]

admin said:

I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that I have solved one mystery at least.

This photo IS of the famous ANDY DOWLING.

Cheers
Dick

Cool! I was just guessing, but glad Christie could answer it definitively.

[Dick Glasgow]

Hello again,

Yes Rick, isn't it fascinating how both stories came together, to solve these two mysteries.

I thought you'd like to know too, that Paul Gifford has had a good look at this 2nd photo & is now convinced too, that the other older photo is also of Andy Dowling & he guesses it may have been taken in the 50s. The men do look so alike, but of course the fact that the Hammers are identical kind of gives it away ~ back in the days before "mass production"! ;D

Cheers
Dick

[ceadach]

I just saw this....great to have this mystery solved finally! I showed this post to the folks who took a stab at a few months back!