Burncourt community pays tribute to the legendary Bobby Gardiner

What a weekend in Burncourt village when the place resounding with what nearly resulted in a twenty four hour Music Event.
The “Bobby Gardiner Tribute” , the results of months of planning and secrecy kicked off at 8pm on Saturday Night , with the astonished Bobby entering the specially constructed marquee in the grounds of Burncourt Community Hall. With a session lasting over four hours , it was a non stop testimony of the abundance of extraordinary culture and talent that is so alive in our country. Moreover the Tribute was an outstanding validation of the incredible esteem and deep recognition of the regard with which Bobby Gardiner is held as a musician and as a person. To say they “came from everywhere” is an understatement, as musicians , singers, dancers of prodigious calibre descended on the our local village.
Fiddles, concertinas, melodions, banjos , guitars, whistles, pipes, harps, bodhran and astounding volcalists , storytellers and poets lifted the roof with a range from haunting melodies and words to rollicking, joyous and jovial tunes, lyrics and stories. All contributed to their admiration for Bobby with tales of meeting with him, travelling with him, being taught at all levels by the maestro himself, of talents being fostered and also of Bobby’s unassuming nature and his incredible kindness.
It was an extraordinary event with Bobby’s wife Anne and daughters, Kelley, Fiodhna and Lynda speaking with great admiration and fondness of Bobby as a husband and father.
It was an incredible coming together of talent from skilled artistes of all ages, literally from seven to ninety glad to be afforded the opportunity to pay tribute to Bobby Gardiner. Indeed it was so wonderful to witness so many talented young people with such enthusiasm for their chosen field.
Not only was the Marquee echoing with incredible melodies, but the Community Hall “the green room” was alive with practice sessions, performers from all corners of the country meeting up and rekindling friendships. There were endless cups of tea, plenty of sandwiches and cakes, burgers ,sausages and potatoes. One musician remarking that it was like being at the aftermath of a Fleadh Cheoil.
Not content with a one night event and a capacity audience the organisers near to replicated the Saturday night event with a Seisiún Mór on Sunday afternoon which brought lots of local performers on board and proved to be a real family day.
None of this could have happened without the phenomenal work and organisation that went on over the last few months by Burncourt Community Council supported by Bobby’s family. A huge thank you to the all the volunteers who came on board, delighted to lend a hand to acknowledging the greatness of Bobby Gardiner. The support of Tipperary County Council is also acknowledged.
All too often we fail to acknowledge “Prophets in our own area”. This Tribute from Burncourt Community and Friends salutes Bobby Gardiner, the great accordion and melodeon player as when he plays “the music that came out was magical” and as Patrick Kavanagh said “can’t he make it talk.”