A tribute by Mary K Burke

I find as I get older certain aspects of day-to-day life awaken deep memories in my soul – things others take for granted, like seeing the first buds of the Hawthorne bush, Snowdrops prying their way out of the cold earth, or noticing the thickened knuckles on the back of an older man’s hands from a life-time of hard work.
Spending a morning with Barney Devlin in January 2012 was food for that very soul.
I could hear whispers of men from my own childhood ringing in my ears as I listened to Barney’s every word – I was totally mesmerised, and he felt it instantly.
Barney knew how to make you feel welcome – he had the fire burning turf when I arrived, and as he eased into the chair in front of the fire I automatically reverted to my youth – opting for the perch on the side of the hearth with my feet curled under me - my heart was at home again and I was content.
He was in fine tune, recalling his childhood, telling me how he never had a drink in his life – “I was reared in the hungry thirties when there was no money so I couldn’t buy drink even if I wanted to,” he proclaimed.
He nimbly negotiated the traffic with me from the Forge to his house for an even warmer fire and the promise of a good cup of ‘tae’ - two hours and two pots of ‘tae’ later I was sorry to leave Barney behind.
I’ll never forget his parting gift – he gave me an old horse shoe nail which I carried in my purse for years – often sitting rubbing its cold smoothness while waiting on people for photographs. It never failed to bring a smile to my face, partly because it reminded me on Barney, and partly because it gave me an instant connection to my late father who, also born in 1919, used to sit me on his knee and recite the old Irish children’s rhyme,
“Jack Jack fella fine, can you shoe this horse of mine,
Yes indeed that I can, just as well as any man
Here’s a nail and here’s a broad, jump up Jack your horse is shod”
I photographed Barney outside the Forge the day they drove the late Seamus Heaney’s remains past The Forge, the inspiration for his famous work, A Door Into The Dark.
It was a sad day for everyone there, to see our beloved son of Derry being driven back through the memories of his childhood, and to see his old friend Barney stand proudly with his family at the door of the forge was a deeply moving experience.
The bright sunshine lancing through the clouds, creating that contrast between daylight and the darkness of the forge, and Barney emerged strong and quiet. In the words of Seamus Heaney in an inscription to Barney hanging in his living room;
“For Barney – old friend and good example of how to do good work and stay true”
Barney Devlin did good work and he did stay true. His grieving family, Clare, Joe, Anne, Kieran, Barry, Patricia, Teresa, Gerard and the late Hugh (RIP), his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren live on as a result of that good work.
Barney was an educator, a comedian, a friend and an inspiration to generations, and he will be greatly missed by not only that loving family but by all those whose lives, and souls he touched.

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