Cillian Vallely
Encyclopedia
Cillian Vallely is an Irish
musician, born in Armagh
, Northern Ireland
. He plays traditional Irish music
on the uilleann pipes
and low whistle
, and studied at the Armagh Pipers Club with his mother and father, Brian and Eithne, and then with the late Armagh piper Mark Donnelly. His brothers, Niall
and Caoimhín, also play traditional music.
Since 1999, he has been a member of the band Lúnasa
, with whom he has recorded 6 albums. He has also performed and toured with Riverdance
, Natalie Merchant
, Tim O Brien & Mary Chapin-Carpenter in The Crossing, New York-based Whirligig, and the Celtic Jazz Collective with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington. In the past couple of years, he has worked on various collaborations between traditional and classical music, along with his brother Niall and the composer Micheal O’Suilleabhain
He has recorded on over 40 albums including Callan Bridge with his brother Niall, On Common Ground with Kevin Crawford and various guest spots with Natalie Merchant, Alan Simon’s Excalibur project with Fairport Convention and Moody Blues, GAIA with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and singer Karan Casey. He has recently recorded on two movie soundtracks, Irish Jam
and The Golden Boys
and played uilleann pipes on the BBC’s Flight of the Earls soundtrack.
Other
Various artists including Lúnasa
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
musician, born in Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He plays traditional Irish music
Music of Ireland
Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
on the uilleann pipes
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
and low whistle
Low whistle
The low whistle, or concert whistle, is a variation of the traditional tin whistle/pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. It is most closely associated with the performances of modern Irish musicians and groups such as Riverdance and Davy Spillane, and is increasingly...
, and studied at the Armagh Pipers Club with his mother and father, Brian and Eithne, and then with the late Armagh piper Mark Donnelly. His brothers, Niall
Niall Vallely
Niall Vallely is an Irish musician, born about 1970 in Armagh, Northern Ireland. In 1966 his parents, Brian and Eithne Vallely had founded the Armagh Piper's Club, but he chose to learn the concertina instead, from the age of seven. His brother Cillian plays the uillean pipes and low whistle,...
and Caoimhín, also play traditional music.
Since 1999, he has been a member of the band Lúnasa
Lúnasa (band)
-History:Named after Lughnasadh, an ancient Irish harvest festival, Lúnasa was started when Seán Smyth, Trevor Hutchinson, and Donogh Hennessy briefly toured through Scandinavia in 1996. Upon their return to Ireland, they teamed up with Michael McGoldrick and John McSherry to record a few tracks...
, with whom he has recorded 6 albums. He has also performed and toured with Riverdance
Riverdance
Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
, Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, Tim O Brien & Mary Chapin-Carpenter in The Crossing, New York-based Whirligig, and the Celtic Jazz Collective with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington. In the past couple of years, he has worked on various collaborations between traditional and classical music, along with his brother Niall and the composer Micheal O’Suilleabhain
He has recorded on over 40 albums including Callan Bridge with his brother Niall, On Common Ground with Kevin Crawford and various guest spots with Natalie Merchant, Alan Simon’s Excalibur project with Fairport Convention and Moody Blues, GAIA with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and singer Karan Casey. He has recently recorded on two movie soundtracks, Irish Jam
Irish Jam
Irish Jam is a 2006 comedy film starring Eddie Griffin. The plot centred around an African American who wins an Irish public house in a raffle, and has to save the village from the clutches of an evil landlord. Despite the bulk of the film being set in Ireland it was not filmed there, nor were the...
and The Golden Boys
The golden boys
The Golden Boys may refer to:*Chatham , directed by Daniel Adams. The movie was renamed from Chatham to for distribution.*Watford F.C., Watford Football Club...
and played uilleann pipes on the BBC’s Flight of the Earls soundtrack.
Discography
With Lúnasa:- The Merry Sisters of FateThe Merry Sisters of FateThe Merry Sisters of Fate is an album by Lúnasa that was released in 2001 on Green Linnet Records. It is the band's third major release....
(2001) - RedwoodRedwood (album)Redwood is an album by Lúnasa that was released in 2003 on Green Linnet Records. It was their fourth major release, and their last album on Green Linnet Records.-Track listing:# Cregg's Pipes...
(2003) - The Kinnitty SessionsThe Kinnitty SessionsThe Kinnitty Sessions is an album by Lúnasa that was released in 2004 on Compass Records. It is their fifth major release, and their first on Compass Records. The album was recorded in Kinnitty Castle before a small audience...
(2004) - SéSé (album)Sé is an album by Lúnasa. It was released in 2006 on Compass Records, and is the band's sixth major release. The album's name means 'six' in Irish.-Track listing:# The Cullybacky Hop...
(2006) - The Story So Far... (2008)
- Lá Nua (2010)
Other
- Cillian Vallely & Kevin Crawford: On Common Ground (BallyO Records)
- Niall & Cillian Vallely: Callan Bridge (Crow Valley Music)
- Natalie Merchant: Leave Your Sleep (Nonesuch Records)
- Karan Casey: Ships in the Forest (Compass Records)
- Karan Casey: Distant Shore (Shanachie Records)
- Niall Vallely: Beyond Words (Crow Valley Music)
- Buille: Buille 2 (Crow Valley Music)
- Caoimhin Vallely: Strayaway
- Alan Simon: GAIA (BMI)
- Alan Simon: Excalibur II (BMI)
- John Whelan: Come to Dance (Narada)
- Whirligig: The Spin
- Susan McKeown: Lowlands (Green Linnet)
- Susan McKeown, Robin Spielberg & Aine Minogue: Mother (North Star)
- Aine Minogue: To Warm the Winter's Night (Evergreen)
- Druidstone: The Vow (North Star)
- Dale-Anne Bradley: (Compass)
- Lunasa & Tim O'Brien: Hands Across the Water (Compass)
- Live at the Katherine Cornell Theatre
- Live at Mona's
- Armagh Pipers Club 40th Anniversary Album
- William Kennedy Piping FestivalWilliam Kennedy International Piping FestivalThe William Kennedy International Piping Festival is an annual music festival held since 1993 in Armagh, in the north of Ireland. It usually takes place in November and has attracted players of all variants of bagpipes from many parts of Europe, North America and North Africa. The festival includes...
Live Album
Various artists including Lúnasa
- Untamed - Next Generation Celtic (2001)
- New Day (2004)
- The Leitrim Equation (2009)
- "Irish JamIrish JamIrish Jam is a 2006 comedy film starring Eddie Griffin. The plot centred around an African American who wins an Irish public house in a raffle, and has to save the village from the clutches of an evil landlord. Despite the bulk of the film being set in Ireland it was not filmed there, nor were the...
" (film soundtrack, 2005, various artists) - "The Golden BoysThe golden boysThe Golden Boys may refer to:*Chatham , directed by Daniel Adams. The movie was renamed from Chatham to for distribution.*Watford F.C., Watford Football Club...
" (film soundtrack, 2008, various artists)