Eachmarcach Ó Catháin (a.k.a. Echlin O'Cahan or Ackland Kane), Irish harper and composer, 1720–1790).

Life

Ó Catháin was born at

Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...

in 1720, and was taught to play the harp by Cornelius Lyons, harper to the Earl of Antrim. He travelled to Rome and played before

Prince Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...

there. He then visited

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, and went on to

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

, where he played to the Irish gentlemen living at that court, who praised him to the king. But his uproarious habits did not suit Spanish decorum, and he had to walk to

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with his harp on his back. After returning to Ireland he went to Scotland, and there made many journeys from house to house. Sir Alexander MacDonald in

Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated b ...

gave him a silver harp-key, long in the family, and originally left by his kinsman and fellow harper,

Ruaidri Dáll Ó Catháin Ruaidrí Dáll Ó Catháin (anglicized: Rory Dall O'Cahan) may have been an Irish harper and composer. Recent research, however, raises the question whether he ever really existed. He is said to have been born circa 1580 in County Antrim and to hav ...

(died 1653). The gift is mentioned by Boswell in the `Tour to the Hebrides.' O'Kane played all the old native airs, as well as the treble and bass parts of Corelli's correnti in concert with other music. Captain Francis O'Neill remarked of him:

"His behavior was not at all times so exemplary, for Mr. Gunn relates that the Highland gentry occasionally found it necessary to repress his turbulence by clipping his nails; thereby “putting him out of business” for a time."

"His execution and proficiency were a credit to his teacher, Cornelius Lyons, harper to the Earl of Antrim. Manini often spoke of him at Cambridge with rapture, as being able though blind, to play with accuracy and great effect the fine treble and bass parts of many of Corelli’s concerts, in concert with other music. Had he been but moderately correct in his conduct he might with certainty have raised the character of the wandering minstrel higher than it had stood for a century before."

External links

* http://billhaneman.ie/IMM/IMM-V.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:OCatháin, Echlin 1720 births 1790 deaths 18th-century Irish male musicians Irish male harpists People from Drogheda Musicians from County Louth Irish expatriates in France Irish expatriates in Spain Irish expatriates in Italy Irish expatriates in Scotland Irish expatriates in England 18th-century Irish harpists