Chesterton ‘The Gaels are the men that God made mad for all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad’, Rev Bunworth, Rector of Buttevant, died 1770, Harpist, Píopaí Uileann (Uileann Pipes), 1810 Landlord Garret Nagle, Ballinamona, Fermoy, (Ned the Piper) and the Piper’s Field in Durrus.

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/young-pipers-cork-1905-photograph-from-library-of-congress/

http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Fairylore/Banshee/Banshee-and-Bunworth/Page1.htm

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/memoir-of-blind-harpist-arthur-oneill-visit-to-murtagh-mac-owen-osullivan-at-berehaven-co-cork-milesian-festival-helf-by-lord-kenmare-c-1720/

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/christy-moore-sings-john-spillanes-gortatagort-gort-an-tsagairt-chief-francis-oneill-pilgrimage-to-moulivard-church-and-irish-sinologist/

In the Durrus District the current road from Bantry to Durrus was built c 1780 with assistance from Richard White later Earl of Bantry. A field to the north of Clonee in the ownership of Mr. Jimmy Swanton is called the Piper’s field. This abuts part of the old road in the hill and formerly a piper played for what ever pittance he could obtain from passers by.

Some of the old pipers were blind, music being a means of earning their living.

The Rev. Charles Bunworth, Rector of Buttevant, County Cork, was chosen five times to act as adjudicator at the bardic sessions held at Bruree, County Limerick, every three years from 1730 to 1750. He was not only a patron, but a skilled performer, of Irish music. His house was ever open for the wandering harper or bard, and his favourite harp was expressly made for him by John Kelly in 1734. This lovely instrument came into the possession of Crofton Croker (Cork writer antiquarian) (Bunworth’s maternal grandson), and was sold in London in 1854.[1] A drawing of it was made by Maclise, and will be found in Hall’s Ireland (vol. ii.). This distinguished amateur musician died about the year 1770, and he left behind him fifteen Irish harps, the gifts of wandering minstrels whom he had befriended. These fifteen Irish harps were subsequently burned as firewood by a careless servant. He provided assistance to two lcl boys Barry Yelverton (Lord Aviemore) adn John Philpot Curran who were later to become prominent Lawyers.

Colonel Dick Bunworth one time aide-de-camp to President De Valera may be of the family.

Garret Nagle

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