Castleisland Stands and Plays in Tribute to Sliabh Luachra Fiddle Player Paddy Jones

Musicians: Seán Abeyta (left) with Tom O’Connell and Mike Rice ready to take their place in a musicians’ guard of honour for their late fellow musician, Paddy Jones at Tangney’s Funeral Home on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Fellow musicians turned out in Covid-19 restricted numbers on Tuesday morning for the funeral of Sliabh Luachra musician and music teacher, Paddy Jones. Playing here are: Amy Ní Riada, Danny O’Mahony, Gerald Culhane, Seán Abeyta, Danni Reidy, Nicky McAuliffe, Con Moynihan, Tom O’Connell, Conor and Cormac O’Mahony. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Mary and Breda McCarthy outside their family pub after paying their respects to the late Paddy Jones in Castleisland on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Jimmy Collins with Maryann and Eamonn Breen and John Cronin were among the locals who came to pay their Covid-19 time restricted respects to the late Sliabh Luachra musician Paddy Jones on Church Street on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Tangney’s Hearse bearing the remains of the late Paddy Jones halts on its journey to Cork for the musical tribute in front of the River Island Hotel in Castleisland on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Mrs Mary Tangney at the door of her Lower Main Street former shop as her son Bernard conveys the ramains of the late Paddy Jones on his final journey on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Some of the musicians who played in the farewell tribute to the late Paddy Jones at his funeral in Castleisland on Tuesday morning. Included are, front: Tim O’Shea, Gerald Culhane, Danni Reidy and Conor O’Mahony. back row: Jack and Celia Regan, Anne McAuliffe, Danny O’Mahony, Mary Fleming, Cormac O’Mahony, Amy Ní Riada, Con Moynihan, Nicky McAuliffe, Seán Abeyta, Tom O’Connell and Mary Jones. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Mrs Mary Tangney at the door of her Lower Main Street former shop as her son Bernard conveys the ramains of the late Paddy Jones on his final journey on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

One for the Master: Amy Ní Riada playing a tune on Castleisland’s Main Street on Tuesday morning as the cortege of her late fiddle teacher and Sliabh Luachra musician Paddy Jones halts on his final journey. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Local men, Joe Kearney (left) with Michael and John Joe Conway waiting at The Fountain to pay their respects to the late Paddy Jones on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Con Moynihan playing a tribute to the late Paddy Jones as his remains await his final journey from Tangney’s Funeral Home on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

While social distancing as much as possible, people gather at Lower Main Street, Castleisland to pay their respects to the late Paddy Jones on Tuesday morning. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The late Sliabh Luachra fiddle player and music teacher, Paddy Jones, of Knightsmountain, Knocknagoshel and late of Kilcusnan, Castleisland got a send-off worthy of the contribution he made to the music of his locality as his remains left Castleisland this morning.

It wasn’t the first time that the highly accomplished musician drew a crowd around him but, sadly, it was his last.

In as much as we dared, or were allowed to, a crowd gathered around Tangney’s Funeral Home this morning as people bid their farewells – from a distance.

The New Norm

Paddy (73) passed away peacefully, on Saturday 2020 at the Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee.

As is the new norm these day, a private family funeral was held for Paddy this morning, at 9.30am.

His remains left Tangney’s Funeral Home in Castleisland, via Church Street and Main Street and the arrangements facilitated the gathering of musicians who wished to play a tune in tribute and farewell and it also took those who wanted to stand in a guard of honour into consideration.

A Reminder of His Legacy

After a fine musical tribute involving a restrictions stretching 18 or more musicians outside the River Island Hotel, Tangney’s hearse then proceeded to Cork for a private cremation.

As a reminder of the legacy he has left, his neighbour, former pupil and now RTÉ multi media journalist, Amy Ní Riada took up her fiddle and played in tribute as the hearse halted on his final journey.

Stories Held Over

Like many others who have been lost to us in the current and unprecedented circumstances, there will be a well deserved commemoration for Paddy at a later date.

It will be a celebration of his life and times and stories that couldn’t be told over the weekend or this morning will be held over until the time is right.