The Pecker Dunne Part 1

Pecker Dunne was born into a travelling family in Wexford c1933. Like other travellers, he used to play on a fiddle he made himself. He performed outside hurling and football matches. He also busked widely in Ireland, England and France.
Resembling a Mexican bandit with his trademark beard and stocky build, he is a colourful character, as widely known around Ireland as Margaret Barry was to a previous generation. He is best known for The Miximatosis Rabbit and a version of The Black Velvet Band called The Old Morris Van. It was from him that Sweeney's Men got Sullivan's John.
For the past 20 years or so he could be heard singing and playing the banjo in Killarney and at Munster Final day in Thurles. He featured in the film Trojan Eddie with Richard Harris and Stephen Rea. Nowadays he lives in County Clare.
Aged 74, he was treated in a local hospital in 2007 for a throat illness. His spirit was as high as ever. Sr Carmel O'Sullivan said: "Part of his healing process is playing music and we've found that he has brought a lot of pleasure to other patients in the hospital as well. He has been playing the banjo behind his back, playing it with a biro and also with a part of a bicycle pump."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Traveller
• Pecker
• Dunne
• Ballad
• Song
• Folk
• Irish
• Ireland

[Macangusagain]

What a wonderful character! What a wonderful entertainer! What a wonderful Irishman ! The great Paddy (Pecker) Dunne ,there'll never be another - Eirinn gu Brath

[budanasal]

god bless ya pecker and all belonging to ya

johnny galway

[Claretrad]

Pecker Dunne was NOT born in Wexford . He was born in Castloebar, Co Mayo on April 1st. 1933.He changed the line in "Wexford" from "a man must feel affection for the town where he was born" to "...where he was raised" I was one of the organisers of a tribute concert for Pecker in Cois na hAbhna in 2008 and was Fear a' Tí on the night.

[1798gerry]

i met the pecker in cork about 25 years ago,,he was playin bango then and singing then as well as fiddle a great ententertainer,wa abel to entertain all in the pup in glengarrif where he playen regulary...a great entainer!!!

[paddythejack]

@gibsonpaddy sry took a while to get back onto this im from westmearh , how about ur self

[anfiorsceal]

I remember back in the '80s, my band played in a concert in Skibbereen and "backed" the Pecker who was a special guest -we were young guys but we were country lads and knew all his material - he was a legend back then. He was very down to earth and friendly -a sound character.

[vols1964]

Thank you for posting this...Have great memories of Pecker visiting with his family in my old home in Wexford.

[gearoiddom]

There is no equivalent of this man to take his place if he leaves us. A stunning individualism and pure delivery, which make him a national Irish treasure alongside the Tara broach. I love his songs. I loved seeing him playing tunes before the big matches. Thanks Pecker.

[coursing100]

Pecker what a Legend, God Bless you and all,

[filthbucket69]

Some man d pecker. Go n-eirí leith

[gibsonpaddy]

@paddythejack Where u from

[lily6374]

brilliant i luv pecker dunne he,s just the best ever im 28now an me an my friends were singing pecker songs an listening to pecker when we were 10on!my father luved him to ,legend,