When Prince Charles picked up the bodhrán “bait” left on an empty chair beside a line of musicians playing a reel at the Cahir food market, the press pack almost lost its collective mind.
Moments earlier many of the photographers, camera operators and journalists had switched focus to Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, as she looked at cheesecakes at the other side of the market and so missed the future British king adding a solid beat to the trad session.
What he lacked in technique he made up for in enthusiasm even if, as he got into the rhythm of the music, his efforts were almost drowned out by the unseemly sound of cameramen fighting to get into the best position to capture one of the most memorable moments of the royal couple’s tour of Ireland.
“We didn’t expect him to actually play the bodhrán but we put it there as bait,” said Cahir Comhaltas director Michael Harty with a grin. “If you don’t plant it, you can’t catch it.”
The prince and duchess began the final day of their visit – part of a series of royal tours marking Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee year – with some light shopping as the sun struggled to break through the thick blanket of fog which shrouded the Co Tipperary town for much of the morning.
Shortly before their arrival the rays broke through and it was all smiles at the market in the shadow of Cahir Castle as the royal couple chatted to stall holders and producers about food provenance and farming.
Pipers and fiddle players from Cahir Comhaltas then started a mini-session, working through reels they had been feverishly rehearsing for almost six weeks but unable to tell anyone about until Thursday evening.
The first stop on the food tour was the Cashel Farmhouse Cheese stall, where Charles and Camilla had a lengthy conversation with business owner Louis Grubb and sampled products including Cashel Blue, which has made the business a household name.
From there it was on to the Inch House pudding stall where Mairin Byrne explained that she was a fourth generation pudding maker. The absence of anywhere to cook her products meant no samples were on offer but Charles said “don’t worry about it” as he inquired where the blood for the black pudding was sourced.
Nuala Hickey, from the Clonmel bakery that carries her family name, and the prince discussed barmbrack and a prominently displayed picture of Nuala alongside famed cook Mary Berry. “You’ve changed your hair,” he commented as she pointed out that the picture dated back to pre-Covid times.
So taken was Charles with Hickey’s soda bread that he bought himself, or at least instructed one of his assistants to, a loaf before commending the stall holder on the quality of the canvas bag carrying the Hickey name.
He also bought some crisps from the O’Donnell’s stall and added them to his canvas bag. Or at least he tried to, as on both occasions when his assistant went to pay he was told his money was no good in Cahir – or at the least that the stall holders wanted to gift the royals their products.
Kate O’Donnell, who was one of the hosts for the morning, said: “You can tell that he likes to joke and he likes fun... He’s got a bit of devilment.”
After the trip to the market, the royal couple met community groups from the Cahir area and mingled briefly with 200 or so members of the public who gathered to watch the spectacle.
Nora Quirke, who is looking forward to celebrating her 97th birthday this weekend, had a front row seat.
Having successfully battled Covid-19 twice – once before the vaccination programme and once after – she was in bright spirits after meeting the royals.
“I was absolutely delighted to meet them both,” said Ms Quirke, who is 18 months older than Charles’s mother. “T’was a big day for me. I never thought I would meet a prince. I am delighted.”
