Myla Lichtman-Fields

An Irish Sonata Myla Lichtman-Fields

In time, Turlough O'Carolan would come to be heralded as the National Composer of Ireland and the Father of the Jig. AN IRISH SONATA plays out the "sonata" that was Turlough O'Carolan's life. Despite the adversities of blindness and poverty, Turlough bequested an indelible mark on his countrymen. Over one thousand people have come to County Roscommon in Ireland of 1738. Most of these pilgrims are camping out in the fields around Alderford house, where the wake celebrating the life of blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (aka Carolan) is in progress. For four days, harpers play continuously day and night, as the "sonata" that was Carolan's life is replayed. At the age of 18, the strapping red-headed, six-foot-tall iron worker would lose his sight to small pox. In 18th century Ireland, the only occupation open to the blind was playing the harp. Thus, Turlough was taken to Mary Dahl (Blind Mary) to be taught by her to play the metal stringed instrument. When Turlough complains to Mary that his hands are too big and that he knows no music, Mary tells him: "Turlough, you play the instrument you have." Turlough would spend the next 50 years of his life traversing Ireland's roads on horseback with his sidekick Giola (Guide). Carolan would perform his original compositions (he dubbed "jigs") and reciting fabulous stories-even imparting the story to Jonathan Swift that would become the basis for Swift's Gullivers Travels. Carolan performed in big houses of both Catholic and Protestant landowners-a feat for his times, when Catholics were being persecuted and the clergy forced to live underground. Turlough refused to relinquish his Catholic religion, believing that music was a unifying force. Forever the ladies man, Turlough managed to father children throughout the Emerald Isle. Always the prankster, Carolan never stopped playing tricks on his fellow harpers. By the time of his death, Carolan had married (at age 50) and fathered 7 legitimate children. After his wife died, Turlough reunited with his first love, the lovely heiress Brigid Cruise in a chance encounter at Lough Derg, where he'd gone to do penance. Despite the adversities of blindness and poverty, Turlough bequested an indelible mark on his countrymen. In time, Turlough O'Carolan would come to be heralded as the National Composer of Ireland and the Father of the Jig.