The tribute below was written by accordionist Gerry Conlon who first met Frank around 1979.
I first met Frank around 1979 when I was a first year pupil at St. Roch’s secondary school. I had mentioned to my music teacher that I’d always wanted to play the accordion but couldn’t afford the lessons let alone the instrument! He introduced me to Frank, who said he could teach me to play “by ear” which I very excitedly agreed to.
My mother and father were long term unemployed with very little prospects and we like many families, struggled to make ends meet. The idea of being able to learn a musical instrument was not really on our agenda and in fact wasn’t even a consideration up until this point. That being said, they agreed to allow me to take part in this activity as long as there was no monetary cost to them … their priority was to keep food on the table and electricity on the meter! It really was that dire. This proved to be a really positive factor in my upbringing because many of my childhood friends had already turned to a life of crime and drugs at the age of 13 and, through Frank’s generosity, I now had a way of escaping from the clutches of what was “the norm” around me. I now had a hobby that I really enjoyed.
Frank had a spare accordion that he would let me borrow, and each day I happily carried that accordion to and from my home (around 3 mile round trip) in order to feed my desire to play. Frank was always extremely enthusiastic and full of encouragement, and would run lunchtime clubs and after school clubs so that I and very soon after, many more pupils, could learn to play. It was around that time he formed the first ever St. Roch’s Ceilidh Band.
The band began as an experiment within the confines of the school environment and our regular lunchtime slots at the feeder primary schools, however Frank always sought new opportunities to help others and we soon became proficient enough to start playing at old folks’ centres, centres for the needy, hospices etc. This became a fundamental part of our existence and was another motivator for us all to improve. Almost overnight, we were a sought after group of youngsters who were passing on a dream to others more needy than ourselves. This was a natural side effect of Franks’ conviction and dedication.
As a natural addition to the charity work, the band started playing general ceilidhs for local clubs, women’s guilds, charities etc. which when at its peak, would span Thursday through Sunday most weeks. Sometimes there would be a “donation” from the organisers and Frank put any monies made into the bank to be used for the purchase of second hand instruments. These could be loaned to other children who wanted to learn but were in the same predicament as myself.
One of the other avenues Frank opened to us was the introduction of music competitions. They allowed us to exert our musical abilities in a friendly but assertive manner, and gave us a goal to work toward. On a personal note, once I discovered the competitive nature in me, this is where my real confidence started to emerge. I took pride in competing and was quickly established as the best in my field. I’d never been the best at anything! During my competitive years I won 13 Great Britain Championships for Irish Traditional Music, The All Britain Championships in Traditional Scottish Music, and four World Championship titles on both Piano Accordion and Piano. This new found confidence is what eventually shaped my transition from a shy child to a confident adult.
Frank worked closely with all of his pupils, encouraging our development at every opportunity. In the context of the band, he would continually ask throughout the year how we were coping with schoolwork and if there were any issues that he could help with – not just in his own subject, but any subject. If an issue was raised he would endeavour to help by arranging extra work or extra “study periods” with the relevant teachers where possible. This encouraged us to speak up; not to be embarrassed or afraid if we were struggling in balancing our schoolwork with our music. His intuition focused on me particularly when I moved into 4th year as he’d become aware that my mathematical ability was fairly average and that it had little chance of improving. I was inclined to put my music first and at that time, I practiced 4 hours a day which left very little time for studying Maths! Having recognised this, Frank quickly intervened by coming to my house on a Saturday afternoon and providing extra-curricular Maths in order that I could continue to play at night. This was a real boost for me and greatly improved my mathematical ability. I went on from St. Roch’s to study a M.Sc. in Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Glasgow, and was also awarded a monetary prize for “Highest Achiever” in my first degree obtained from Glasgow Caledonian University.
In conclusion, Frank has been amazing – not only for his dedication and commitment to his subsidiary work, but also for the major contribution he has made to the stability and quality of not only my life, but the many other people he’s selflessly helped before and after our encounter. He has given many the gift of music; I personally have travelled all over the world thanks to this gift. I have played in Australia 19 times, New Zealand 5 times, America and Canada dozens of times, Russia & other parts of Eastern Europe / Europe countless times. I have released 9 commercially available CDs and am now highly sought after as a Composer & Musical Consultant for Film and Documentaries such as “Jig – the Movie” (Worldwide distribution), “The Big Jig” (TLC- America / Worldwide), “Irish Dancing Triplets” (Channel 4) and many more.
Some of the others who have benefited from Franks’ dedication are:
John McCusker – “The BattleField Band” / Mark Knopfler Band
Mark Maguire – “Deaf Shepherd” / 11 times World Drumming Champion
Sean McGinley – 6 times World Drumming Champion
Gavin Pennycook – World Champion Fiddle player
Clare McLaughlin – “Deaf Shepherd” / Scottish Regional Champion Fiddle player
Kevin Murphy – World Champion Piano Accordion player