As always, I was very pleased to receive a call from Martin Doyle via Skype this morning. The distance between Martin in Ireland and myself in New Zealand is very close to 12,000 miles. Skype allows us the illusion that we are sitting across the kitchen table from each other and so we chat regularly and sometimes play music to each other. Today our conversation went something like this:
“Good morning Martin.”
“Good evening Shardul – just a minute…”
…himself disappears for a few seconds and reappears with an instrument that I thought at first was a bouzouki…
Luthier and boat builder Nikos Apollonio with one of his bell citterns.
“No, its a cittern. Just got it – the maker, Nikos Apollonio, who is from Maine, dropped it off himself this morning and I haven’t been able to put it down since!”
Martin proceeded to play some lovely tunes on his brand spanking new cittern – a beautifully made 10 string instrument with a spruce sound board, walnut body and rosewood fretboard. It looked stunning and sounded amazing! Martin commented on its quality and simplicity.
Over the years I have watched and listened to Martin sing, play whistle, Irish flute, baroque flute, concert flute, banjo, mandolin and bouzouki – now the cittern. In my opinion, he is a very good musician who plays music from his heart and soul with a real love for quality of sound.
This trio presents the scintillating voice of one of Ireland’s finest Conamara singers, Róisín Elsafty together with the very rare and meltingly beautiful sound of the medieval Irish harp, played by Ireland’s foremost historical harper, Siobhán Armstrong, woven with the diverse colours of Ronan Browne’s flutes, whistles and 170-year-old pipes. From sparkling songs to harp laments and old pipes “pieces”, we are given a glimpse of the unique sound of early Ireland. Róisín performs evocative unaccompanied songs in the florid Conamara style, together with achingly beautiful 17th and 18th century Irish harpers’ songs with harp and flute accompaniment. Read more »
Here EAB perform the 16th century Irish song, Róisín Dubh.
This is a video clip posted on YouTube in March 2008 by the Comhaltas organisation of Ireland. It features Fergus McGorman playing two reels on a six key Martin Doyle flute. The caption from the video clip reads:
From a very well-known musical family in Co. Meath, Fergus McGorman plays lovely settings of two old reels: The Shaskeen and The Old Copperplate. Some of Fergus’ musical influences are his father Tom, his mother Catherine McEvoy and, as evidenced in this selection, Seamus Tansey.
In the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil competitions, Fergus McGorman received 1st place in the Under 12 years old Dance tunes category for flute in 2003; and 1st place again in the same category for the 12-15 year old age group in 2004. Both years Fergus was playing a Martin Doyle flute. More results here: Fleadh Cheoil Results.
More links to Camhaltas video clips can be found here: ComhaltasLive
On February 25, 2010, Martin Doyle performed at the European launch of the World Harmony Run in Dublin at the invitation of the event’s organisers.
Martin Doyle and Gwenn Frin at the World Harmony Run launch in Dublin
Sri Chinmoy - World Harmony Run USA launch, New York, 2006
Founded by global peace visionary Sri Chinmoy in 1987, the World Harmony Run is the world’s largest torch relay for international friendship and has passed through over 120 countries since its inception. In conjunction with Dublin European Capital of Sport 2010, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, launched the event in a gala ceremony in Dublin’s City Hall at 12pm.
From Dublin, an international team of runners began a 24,000 km journey that will last seven months and travel through forty-nine European countries, finishing in Moscow in September. At the same time, another Asian run will begin in Japan and travel westward through South Korea, China, Mongolia and all the former Soviet states to also finish in Moscow at the same time in September – a unique link between East and West spanning over 36,000kms! Read the rest of this entry »
Here is a video clip of one Ciarán McPhilemy playing a tune on a Martin Doyle flute. Unfortunately we do not get to see Ciarán playing; rather it is an audio clip played under a still photo of a flute. The flute in the picture is not a Doyle, that is for sure. Perhaps someone will be able to let us know what tune Ciarán McPhilemy is playing and perhaps a little about himself and the style of his playing. Enjoy…
Two excerpts have been added to the African Blackwood Conservation page of Martin Doyle’s web site. In May of this year, Martin Doyle featured on a BBC Radio 4 program entitled Sounding Post which was produced by Nina Perry.
Nina Perry takes a musical journey tracing the wood used in making musical instruments back to the forest, from an Irish flute maker and a Los Angeles-based guitarist to the Mpingo Conservation Project in Tanzania. More here…
Unfortunately Sounding Post is not currently available online. The two excerpts that have been added to Martin’s web site feature Martin talking about flute making and playing music on a ‘fresh off the lathe’ flute. The tune Martin plays is called Na Ceannabháin Bhána. Here is a version of the same tune played by the late Kitty Hayes (Concertina) and Peter Laban (Uilleann Pipes). Recorded in May 2008 at Miltown Malbay, Co Clare. Kitty and Peter actually play two slip jigs – Na Ceannabháin Bhána and Hardiman the Fiddler.
If you wish to visit Martin Doyle's main website, click on this link: Martin Doyle Flutes
About Martin Doyle
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Martin Doyle grew up in the seaside town of Bray in County Wicklow. One of four children in a family with music in their blood, Martin was influenced and inspired by his mothers melodious singing from a very early age – learning songs that have stayed with him to this day.
Read more: About Martin Doyle Contact Martin Doyle
The help
Flute Maker Martin Doyle's Weblog is maintained on behalf of Martin Doyle by his friend Shardul – despite the fact that they live on opposite sides of the globe!
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Martin Doyle grew up in the seaside town of Bray in County Wicklow. One of four children in a family with music in their blood, Martin was influenced and inspired by his mothers melodious singing from a very early age – learning songs that have stayed with him to this day.
Flute Maker Martin Doyle's Weblog is maintained on behalf of Martin Doyle by his friend 
