1 day ago
275
Irish musician Fiachna Ó Braonáin – from the brilliant band Hothouse Flowers – shares the story behind a very special guitar …
What is precious to you, for one reason or another? What object would you never want to lose? Our treasured possessions are often an expression, sometimes an extension, of our very selves.
AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity, has been working on a series of stories of celebrated people and their most valued mementoes. From Colin Farrell and Sebastian Barry to Rachael Blackmore, Lynn Ruane and Alisha Weir and many more, THE GLOSS is proud to partner with AsIAm and bring you a story a month. This Autism Awareness Month, Fiachna Ó Braonáin shares his story.
In his teenage years, Fiachna Ó Braonáin completely fell in love with music. From the traditional Irish music he grew up to the sound of the blues guitar and the beat of rock’n’roll – listenening to many notable names on BBC radio including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and The Rolling Stones – he was totally hooked. He took to his mother’s Spanish guitar after a Bob Dylan concert and it continues to travel everywhere with him.
In his career, Fiachna has worked with Irish balladeers, Texan swingers, African gospel singers and Moroccan tribesmen. He has been with his band, Hothouse Flowers, for forty years. When they took a break, he moved to Paris for five years and recorded his first solo album Bougainvillea (available on all digital platforms) and followed up with his EP Winter Sun, giving him his first solo Number One on the iTunes charts.
The Hothouse Flowers continue to sell out venues all over the world, and Fiachna recently teamed up with Tom Dunne and Alan Connor to play shows all over Ireland. Check out their debut album Live At The Pavilion.
Fiachna’s Most Treasured Possession
“My first trip to America as a working musician was with my band, Hothouse Flowers, in the autumn of 1988. Heading off on the road in those days was very different to heading off on tour now. We had no internet, no emails and not a mobile phone in sight. Back in the 1980s, when we were away we were really away! Weekly calls from coinboxes that lasted half a minute before all your change ran out were all we could manage.”
“It was the personal touch we thrived on, the daily face-to-face interactions with the people we met. Nobody had their head stuck in a screen …”
“One warm October afternoon we stepped off our tour bus in Portland, Oregon in the US and were greeted by a man who had three vintage guitars. He told us these beautiful instruments – a 1937 Martin L7, a 1940 Epiphone and a 1948 Gibson Archtop – belonged to his late father, so his mother sent him our way to see if we’d be interested in buying them. She had heard that we were dedicated musicians with a love for acoustic instruments and wanted these precious guitars to find a loving home. I chose the beautiful Martin L7, bought at the bargain price of $500. Songs have emerged from it and its guitar lines have been recorded on several albums – I will always treasure it.” @fiachnaobraonain
“It has been with me ever since, providing inspiration and joy – the echoes of its past resonating in every note.”
AsIAm, founded by Adam Harris in 2014, has a vision for Ireland as a place where every Autistic person is accepted “as they are” – equal, valued and respected. AsIAm provides community support through advice, advocacy, support and special interest groups for children and adults with autism. AsIAm provides training programmes in autism awareness and inclusion, and supports businesses to successfully recruit and employ autistic candidates. The charity operates an information line (0818 234 234) and provides support via instant messaging and email ([email protected]).
To find out more: www.asiam.ie
To donate: www.asiam.ie/support-our-work/donate/
Photography: Conor Healy, Picture It Photography / @pictureitpix
SEE MORE: Irish Stars Share Their Most Treasured Possessions
English (United States) ·