Sam Murray : A Gentleman ‘s Scoundrel , Rogue & Genious…My Friend

Anyone got an update on Sam Murray these days..?  I’ve read a few posts on other sites, and must admit,  I am slightly disheartened… Sam lived facing me in North Belfast and we lived, drank and played  in a small community …. especially nights in Kellys Cellars back in the 80s, when the likes of Leslie Bingham and Billy McCormack played or over in the Rotterdam.. and me only a teenager then…starstruck….56 now …what a magic to behold….

I remember him first setting up a shed out his back in Fairyknowe Park to make the flutes, my uncle Jimmy made his reamers. Jimmy and me Da where both IRA, as well as fitters & turners and reaming a flute was nothing to them…. But neither could understand or imagine what Sam was at, in those early days. Jimmy only charged £10 a pop per tungsten reamer…Courtsey of Ford..Where Jimmy worked….This was long before Sam left for Galway.

He made my first flute, and is a very witty and genuinely nice man… it’s sad to read some of the stories,but I also understand the anger of many. But we all have our problems in life, and perhaps if Sam wasn’t such a famous flute maker, his problems wouldn’t be so public now.. I would be more concerned for his welfare than anything else at the minute..

Sam is a big part of the tradition..especially in terms of Belfast flute playing. We all have our vices, and
sometimes they take over our lives, and lead us into  spaces we can’t control…like many an Irish genius of the past… But yet, spare that judgment, because few of us make a mark in this world…especially from the area of North Belfast, where both Sam and myself grew up and walked the line… Sam’s flutes are talked off and respected  worldwide,  and that is an achievement in itself…
my encounters with him as a person were a magical wonderment of humor, craic, diversion and catastrophe…. like a tv program, never to be missed…. and that’s what makes a man…..

I see McNeela is still selling his flutes, so maybe they are in touch with him (if you want to find his whereabouts).

I bought a Sam Murray keyless flute in blackwood from McNeela just a couple of years ago. It’s simply divine.

McNeela appears to be acting on his behalf in the business area, as mentioned by a previous poster. He seems to have blackwood keyless flutes in D in stock, and shows 3 keyed flutes with a lead time of 2 months.

I boughtbone of his keyless flutes in 1991. Absolutely beautiful sound. I had to chas é him a but to get the wooden Care. 🙂 The best money I ever spent. Unfortunately due to illness I can no longer play it.

Will PM you Leitrim Lad

Thank you, Leitrim Lad, for that interesting insight into Sam’s early days. I only ventured to Belfast once, specifically to meet Sam, as part of my "Self-Indulgent Flute-Makers Tour" of 2002. I enjoyed my short time with him. His methods and approaches, and his flutes and mine differ greatly, but that’s what’s really good about our period - there’s great variety in offerings, and in my experience, that variety is essential. There’s great variety in the needs, hopes and expectations we’re aiming to meet.

My reason for chipping in here is to remind us all of the need for the history of the modern Irish-flute making period to be captured while we still all have our marbles and indeed our lives. We’ve already seen Australian maker Mike Grinter snatched away unexpectedly. Hammy Hamilton has retired and we’re all getting on - I’ll hit 74 in a few days time. We were supposed to retire at 65 in my day, and here I am still chugging away. Nothing better to do, you might ask? There is nothing better to do, I thunder back!

Some of us go back to the very start of the modern Irish flute making era, but back then we all worked in our own little worlds, blissfully ignorant of each others existence. Working from different backgrounds, in different circumstances, with differing aims. I suspect nobody really started this movement, that it was an example of simultaneous development, in a number of countries. An idea whose time had come. But it would be good to document that while we can.

So, anyone. Looking for that PhD topic?

Leitrim Lad your memories seem to be of Sam Murray in 1980’s Belfast. Sam Murray stole my flute in Galway, July 2011. So I consider Sam Murray to be a conman and a thief, absolutely not a "gentleman ‘s scoundrel, rogue & genious…."

I am just one of many non-Irish musicians who have been duped by Sam Murray. I doubt he has, or would, attempt to scam a musician from Belfast, or someone that lived nearby in Ireland.

Yes, he is great craic, knowledgeable as regards flutes, and has made some great flutes, and also flawed flutes.

"My reason for chipping in here is to remind us all of the need for the history of the modern Irish-flute making period to be captured while we still all have our marbles and indeed our lives. " T McGee.

Yes, although the history of modern timber flute making is quite short, only 40 odd years or so. Dave Williams was making timber flutes in 1977/78 both Rudall style and Pratten models. Both Chris Wilkes, Martin Doyle, & Arie De Keyser, started making flutes in the early to mid 1980’s I believe, and are still making flutes. Considering it is a small niche market though, there are so many good timber flute makers today, such as Solen Lesouef, Steffan Gabriel, Eamonn Cotter, Tom Aebi, Pat Olwell, Bryan Byrne, Tim Adams, Gilles Lehart, Geert LeJeune, Stéphne Morvan, Peter Noy, Damien Thompson, and Glenn Watson, to name just some.

@Steamwilkes , Hammy Hamilton started to make irish flutes as a full time professional in 1979. 😉

Perhaps Sam has suffered trauma and to a certain extent his work is therapy. But that’s just me attempting to look outside the romantic aspects of life and forum conversations.

"@Steamwilkes , Hammy Hamilton started to make irish flutes as a full time professional in 1979. " Bran Ruz.

Thanks Bran. Peter Merbeth seems to have started making flutes in 1976, and Dave Williams 1977-78. I wonder when Marcus Hernon and Eugene Lambe started to make timber flutes.

https://www.facebook.com/cruinniunabhfliuit/videos/f%C3%A1ilte-go-tig%C3%ADn-an-maestro-hammy-hamilton-welcome-to-hammys-workshop-bu%C3%ADochas-le/592592944990420/

My memory is that I started working on making flutes in 1975 or 76, after collecting information and a useful old flute in England, Ireland and Scotland in 1974. But even during that trip, I was already plotting….

The number of people who started in the seventies does seem to support my theory that it was an idea whose time had come. Some of those people might have known each other, or of each other, at the time, I certainly did not. I remained blissfully ignorant until someone came up with that Internet thinggy…

It would be great to get stories from all of the people listed above, including the newer makers. And do our best to regather the stories of any who have passed on. Maybe we need a group effort?

And Steamwilkes, thanks for the sober reminder that Sam did not always live up to the standards we would hope for and aspire to. If we were to record our modern Irish flute movement history, we would all have to face up to the fact that we are humans and have human failings. I’d hope for warts and all, rather than sales promotion gloss.

Steamwilkes I hear you about the flute which was never returned. Apparently you have reconciled the history and accepted the loss. I respect you for that. I don’t know why Mr. Murray would treat a customer as poorly as he did in your case. It’s not how a gentleman, genius, or respected instrument maker should treat a customer. I have no ill will toward Sam Murray but speaking as a craft person in the trades it’s not something which deserves respect. Reconciliation is always an option but not praise based on a double standard.

I too am upset by Sam. He was sent a flute to have head joint replaced, and paid in advance. He just kept flute and I believe resold it. I wanted the flute returned. I took him to court, and was successful in getting a judgement. However it appears that he could not be found. I am upset and would like to be surprised someday by receiving my flute.

I have no skin in the game here, but I must say that I’m very sorry for steamwilkes, cquick and anybody else who has had their instrument appropriated by a person they presumably respected and trusted.
The OP here might have been better served by a stroke of the moderator’s hammer.

Hi there Christmas Eve.

I acknowledge your observation and think it a valid, worthy contribution.

Also, I think, so are the other comments and observations, experiences.

The fact that all is being discussed in a very civilized manner as displayed here surely is in keeping with the ethos of this site.
That is asked of us by said moderator.

All the best
Brian x

Ok, Sam Murray stole my flute 10 years ago, so it would be great if Sam, or his son, could make a keyless flute and donate it to flute player Pat Mahon of Easky, Co. Sligo. Pat is in a care home last I heard, but occasionally gets taken out to a local session, and I believe he could use a decent flute. Someone in contact with Pat could pick up the flute from McNeela’s shop in Dublin, or McNeela could send the flute to Pat. Just a thought.

Thank you, briantheflute. I must say, though, that I’m still quite uncomfortable with the OP although the discussion has branched out nicely otherwise. All the best.

I get somewhat uncomfortable with these threads which seem to be deliberately started to encourage a "discussion" about individual persons or members(I don’t know if Sam is one).

Personally, I have no knowledge of this gentleman nor his business dealings and it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment to any great extent. For what it’s worth, I get the impression from here and other threads that, most of the time, he appears to be just be a well meaning but very disorganised person who probably has taken on too much work over the years.
The allegations of "theft" by some members are a little more disturbing, however, especially if these are deliberate acts as opposed to "mix ups" or poor admin.

Anyway, whatever the circumstances, I’m not sure if this is the place to have such discussions.

I am sad to hear the experiences some people have had, and I fully understand the frustration. I once worked with a gentleman in Sligo, whose son was a serious addict…His father told me there was nothing more he could do for him, only love and support him..We all must have a level compassion, even in the face of a storm.

I completely agree with Terry McKee, the riches of the flute tradition that has developed over the past 40 years is remarkable, and should be documented… Sam is part of this. He was one of the first, and dare I say one of the finest modern flute makers, and he did set a high craftman’s standard. We should not allow such negativity to over shadow this, although we should not ignore it…but when we are dead and gone, it will be his flutes that leave their mark on history…not Sam.

On a personal front, I have suffered dark days with alcohol, as many Irish folk & traditional musicians and singers of the past have also suffered. Some of us find the strength to get out of it, others simply have not got that level of willpower. Sam and I grew up in a world of alcohol, smoking and diddley dee tunes, whilst outside our doors the ravages of the troubles continued to affect us all…. Sam moved to Galway, I moved to Leitrim, but many of our problems moved with us.

Let’s put it this way, if Sam was at full power today, he could still be producing flutes at €2,500, or even higher given the worldwide demand, each week…but he’s not… and that tells you something.  I know his son, again he grew up in front of me in Belfast, and Sam’s mantel is a hard mantel to pick up.. Setting the skill set to the side, any small business in  Ireland gets crucified with taxes, insurance, high rents, rates and overheads that simply doesn’t make it viable. A life on social welfare is less stressful, and just as economically viable after the above overheads are subtracted from any small business. There is a limit to what a flute maker like Sam can produce, and trust me, even at €2.5k a week operating out of Galway, after paying everything else, you would be lucky to have a decent working wage, especially for such an intense craft. .Sam was old school, cash across the knuckle, and there’s your flute…the deal normally done in the pub if possible…. Wrong..?… Yes, but that’s just how things were done, and sometimes, needs must.

I remember he fell done the stairs of Tom Kellys in the Short Strand, with a Christmas tree in one hand and flute box in the other…we had all had partaken of a few, and that laughter still echoes in my ears…the tree and Sam tangling themselves on the way down, and his right hand holding the flute box, which remained undamaged with flute inside and well protected from the perils of the flight. 

All I ask is have some compassion….let he who has not sinned cast the first, and all that… The tradition has cleaned itself up these days, but in our day, trad music in Belfast was played in pubs, when pints and shorts where consumed in copious quantities, smoking, cursing, craic and banter were all mixed with great music and characters, and within that, there existed a wonderment that has now since disappeared. We need to cherish that past, and for Sam, like many other’s in those days, internet and online banking was more a chat and a cash deal done in the pub.

I tried to make contact this morning  with those details above from ‘Tullcar’, nothing… But  wherever he is, may the sun shine on his back and the road rise to meet him….for deep down Sam is one of the funniest, kindest, sociable and humblest musician’s I have come across. I have no time today for the snobbery, and stern faced players, who take over and control sessions and sip bottled water, that they smuggle in rather than give the bar a small profit, and pour scorn on any other player, outside their small socially awkward ring…. When I played music with Sam, the scorn was kept for the barman, who didn’t ‘pint up’ in a timely fashion. Flute music in such an atmosphere, and all the commotion and chaos activities that surrounded it, were magical…specail times full of wonderment…

As a  footnote to those above who are uncomfortable with the original post…. life is life….it’s full of imperfections, irregularities, blemishes and boils…but it produces who and what we are…and that can not be ignored in our evaluation of it. The same applies to our tradition.

I thank you for sharing your most compassionate thoughts. I have no knowledge really of Sam Murray other than an admiration for the flutes he’s made. What you did is to remind me to see the clay that’s indelibly on my own feet, to remember that we all have our own demons, none of us is one dimensional. Maybe knowing that can lead us to the best use of our humanity … forgiveness. I feel like now is the time for me to make some phone calls. Though I would never ask for, or deserve, I think I could use a call or two myself. May Sam find some measure of peace in his life. May we all.

Leitrim Lad, if you’re concerned for how Sam Murray’s welfare is now contact him.

I know Sam very well from Belfast and later in Galway. At one point I gave him 2 of my grandfather’s flutes to repair and he kept them. When I asked repeatedly where they were, he denied receiving them from me, which I handed to him in Madden’s pub. A complicated character to be sure. edit: I will add that I would have considered him a friend up until that point, we played together often, pints etc. but he has an awful lot of previous, this page of commentary only scratches the surface of dodgy transactions with Sam.

fidilair..I messaged you there… Maddens, that brings back memories….

I’m shocked by the experience of more than one person of handing over an instrument for repair to a maker, who then either keeps it or disposes of it. This has got me thinking about whether I would want to hand over my precious fiddle to a repairer I didn’t.

So I’m wondering about other people’s experiences. Are most people essentially trusting? Or do they take precautions like making a photographic record of the instrument, or asking for a receipt before handing over the instrument? It seems that sending an instrument through the post to a repairer one has never met can be risky, but from some of the experiences set out here, it seems that personal acquaintance is no guarantee of trustworthiness either.

Borderer…I bought an instrument of thomann.de music last 2nd September. It was a sax for my young fellow for xmas…  they took the money, no receipt, no email..nothing. I had screened printed the order. They denied I had ordered at all, until I then showed the payment on my bank receipt. Then they told me it had been processed and the sax was on it’s way, it never showed up…Every time I went to them, they either couldn’t find the order and said they would call me back (which they didn’t) or told me it was in transit..I threatened to use a German solicitor and take them through their version of a small claims court …I got the money back 23rd December.. No excuses, no apologies, nothing. They even had the cheek to email me, telling me to order it again…..

Look…Sam is an individual, not a company..he hails from Sailortown in Belfast, I grew up beside Colm, his nephew in school…many men of his years, from that area of north Belfast lived with alcohol addiction, gambling addiction and smoking addiction. A wee pint, a smoke and a go at the gee gee’s….I’m not saying Sam was guilty of all these, but we played trad music..in pubs…. and many the pint was free…the criac was good in cricklewood, so as to speak…Sam, like many from them days worked in cash…so,  add that to the equation, and what do you get ?  ….you certainly don’t get a pinned striped businessman with his lunchbox in a slimline briefcase asking you to transfer your money by internet banking !

I am not trying to defend the indefensible..but Sam was and is, a product of the times past. He is unique, what he did was unique…it’s no wonder then, given the environment and circles in which flutes are traded, made and played , that a formal business framework didn’t exist, and hence problems arise, like those above. Today, it wouldn’t happen. The craftsman would offer protection, the law would offer protection, the internet is a small world..and lets not forget, can be an alien world to the likes of Sam and many older people, who dealt in cash, streetwise business, a wink and a nod all their lives.

So don’t let Sam’s experience put you off…get that fiddle repaired…or as the man says, ‘do it yourself’ otherwise…but always remember, addiction strikes even the smartest person, and on that we must have tolerance…at all level of society…we are all only human.

Borderer - I have dealt with flute, fiddle and button accordion repairers in the past with no issues. No receipts or photographic evidence involved. It is shocking that people have lost flutes that they left in for repair, never to be seen again. A truly nightmare scenario. I guess forums like these are useful to find repairers out there who are reliable, trustworthy and honest!

AB, in response to your ‘if you’re concerned for how Sam Murray’s welfare is now contact him’ …Firstly, I think your keyboard must have a faulty comma button….but hopefully, and without coming across as rude, I can’t…that’s the problem, and essence of the post… I did try and call the number, if you read through the posts, but to no avail, which worries me…

But I will also defend my friend, offering up a defense as to ‘why’ we shouldn’t treat him as some kind of a ‘hood’ or pre-determined thief , pointing out that Sam Murrays flutes, and the man himself are as important to the tradition as the likes of John McKenna…Whom I am sure had his own vice of some sort..like the majority of us.

But if you can offer any enlightenment as to how to contact him, which I am endeavoring to do, I would appreciate that more than the obvious, which you have already stated.

"The craftsman would offer protection, the law would offer protection, the internet is a small world..and lets not forget, can be an alien world to the likes of Sam and many older people, who dealt in cash, streetwise business, a wink and a nod all their lives." Leitrim Lad.

Not so Leitrim Lad. Sam uses the internet, and sends and receives e-mails. Sam is an intelligent man, not some quaint bumbling old person who only understands cash, doesn’t have a bank account, and doesn’t understand how to use a smart phone, or a laptop, or modern technology. When did you last meet up with Sam, in the 1980’s?.

We visited Sam’s workshop in Galway in July 2011 during Willie Week after ringing him up. I asked Sam if he could repair a cracked barrel on my Murray keyless. He said it would take two weeks which I thought was odd as it only needed gluing. Anyway we had a long chat and I found him charming and likable and left my flute with him. I realized afterwards he knew we were only in Ireland for the one week that Miltown was on, so he could do what he wanted with the flute after that. So back home I sent e-mail after e-mail. Sam replied to my e-mails , saying send the money, which I did, and he’ll send the flute off, but no flute ever came.

A professional musician/ friend here had ordered a keyed flute and sent a deposit. After some time she received an e-mail saying her flute was ready and would be sent to her after she had sent the rest of the money. She sent off the money, but of course she never received her keyed flute.

"But I will also defend my friend, offering up a defense as to ‘why’ we shouldn’t treat him as some kind of a ‘hood’ or pre-determined thief , pointing out that Sam Murrays flutes, and the man himself are as important to the tradition as the likes of John McKenna…Whom I am sure had his own vice of some sort..like the majority of us." Leitrim Lad.

Sam knows very well what he is doing. t seems he will rip you off if he thinks he can get away with it. Whatever "vice" Sam has it is no excuse whatsoever for robbing musicians of money and/or their flutes. I could afford to get another flute after a while. Some people prehaps couldn’t, or maybe lost an old family heirloom that couldn’t be replaced.

I’ve had done business with excellent instrument makers/craftsmen, Dave Williams, Geoff Wooff, Chris Wilkes, Martin Doyle, Jon Dodd, David Lim and Andreas Rogge and never had any problems at all.

Leitrim lad, Steamwilkes seems like he knows exactly what he is saying. It sounds real to me.

It’s obviously not easy to contact Sam Murray. If you sincerely are concerned for his welfare it makes sense to emphasise your intention to contact him. Instead you’re defending someone you have had not heard from in I don’t know how many years. Focus on the best way to make contact however long it takes.
Best to you in finding him!

"Sam is an old man". Now, let me pick you up on preferred use of terminology, there, Leitrim Lad! We "senior" flute makers don’t get "old". We are just "well seasoned". Probably due to regular oiling.

We are not "worn", but "sharp edges rounded to be more comfortable under the hand". Those are not "wrinkles"; we prefer to think of them as "patina".

In this regard we wooden flute makers are more fortunate than our metal flute-making colleagues, who run the risk of corrosion…..

Why am I suddenly sensitive to questions of age? Might have something to do with my impending 74th birthday, tomorrow! Touching to know that the day is celebrated around the world every year!

Happy birthday, Terry! Ya got me by four years, my lad. Thank you for creating a website, the value of which is beyond my poor power to adequately praise. We have privately communicated more than somehat over the years about Siccama flutes, among other things. I’ve never had the pleasure of playing one of your flutes, but I’d sure like to shake your hand.

Live long and prosper, mate!

I’m aiming to, Ailin. The website draws a lot of pleasant feedback, so it must be filling a need. Sigh, there are some areas that do need updating though. I’ll get back to them when the weather is less good for gardening (The praties are in, but we never get frosts) and my range of "Flutes Available Now" is restocked. For a few dizzy days there, I actually had the full range available, first time ever! But it didn’t last….

Now it does make me wonder if the other "early makers" mentioned above - Sam, Hammy, Eugene Lambe, etc are all around the same age as me, or conceivably (gasp) even older?

"Why am I suddenly sensitive to questions of age? Might have something to do with my impending 74th birthday, tomorrow! Touching to know that the day is celebrated around the world every year!" Terry M.

Happy 74th birthday, and Happy new Year Terry! Keep on keeping’ on!

74 is the new 44. I believe Sam, Hammy, Chris, Eugene, Pat Olwell, Arie de Keyser, Peter Merbeth are also in their early to middle seventies. I’m 73 and still rocking’. Bought a Gibson Firebird last year too. My Sam Murray experience was a major disappointment, so I can never subscribe to the sentimental, back in the day, "He’s a lovable scoundrel" "A pint and a fag, cash in hand", ethos. That said I hope he can find some kind of peace and prehaps better his ways.
Happy New Year to you all!

I haven’t much to add here except to support Steamie and Chuck. I suffered much the same way they did. I know of several others who had similar problems. However when I moved to Ireland in the early 2000s I was able to go to Sam’s shop and finally get some recompense.
How much sympathy do you extend to someone who has an addiction problem? Empathy for an alcoholic isn’t easy when you have also become a victim of the addiction. Healing doesn’t begin until the alcoholic makes amends and accepts responsibility for those people he has injured along the way.
Regardless, Happy New Year to everybody.