Na Píobairí Uilleann
Encyclopedia
Na Píobairí Uilleann is a non-profit organization
dedicated to the promotion of the Irish
Uilleann pipes
and its music.
and pipers such as Seamus Ennis
, Leo Rowsome
and Paddy Moloney
(of the Chieftains
), many of whom had played with the Dublin Pipers Club. Its headquarters are located in Henrietta Street, Dublin, in a restored Georgian
building with facilities for many activities. Membership of the organisation is now spread throughout Ireland, England, Scotland, Continental Europe, North America and Australia. Among the notable musicians associated with NPU are:
making, and reed
making are taught to students of all ages and abilities. NPU is also making a major effort to re-master and re-release recordings of deceased masters of the instrument as well as record living masters. The club offers a wide range of tutorial materials including DVDs, CDs, and books.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
dedicated to the promotion of the Irish
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...
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 its music.
Organisation
NPU was founded in 1968 in Dublin, Ireland under the impetus of researcher and collector Breandán BreathnachBreandán Breathnach
Breandán Breathnach was an Irish music collector and Uilleann piper.Breathnach worked as a civil servant with the Department of Education and was responsible for collecting music from around Ireland. By the time of his death he had collected over 7,000 tunes published from 1963...
and pipers such as Seamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis
Séamus Ennis was an Irish piper, singer and folk-song collector.- Early years :In 1908 James Ennis, Séamus's father, was in a pawn-shop in London. Ennis bought a bag of small pieces of Uilleann pipes. They were made in the early nineteenth century by Coyne of Thomas Street in Dublin. James worked...
, Leo Rowsome
Leo Rowsome
Leo Rowsome was the third generation of an unbroken line of uilleann pipers. He was performer, manufacturer and teacher of the uilleann pipes - the complete master of his instrument...
and Paddy Moloney
Paddy Moloney
Paddy Moloney is one of the founders of the Irish musical group The Chieftains and has played on every one of their albums.He was born in Donnycarney in Dublin. His mother bought him a tin whistle when he was six and at the age of eight he started to learn the Uilleann pipes. He also plays button...
(of the Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
), many of whom had played with the Dublin Pipers Club. Its headquarters are located in Henrietta Street, Dublin, in a restored Georgian
Georgian Dublin
Georgian Dublin is a phrase used in the History of Dublin that has two interwoven meanings,# to describe a historic period in the development of the city of Dublin, Ireland, from 1714 to the death in 1830 of King George IV...
building with facilities for many activities. Membership of the organisation is now spread throughout Ireland, England, Scotland, Continental Europe, North America and Australia. Among the notable musicians associated with NPU are:
- Sean McAloonSean McAloonSean McAloon was a piper and pipe maker from Ireland. Originally from the Rosslea area of County Fermanagh, McAloon's first instrument was the fiddle. However, he is best known as a master of the Uilleann pipes. He emigrated to the United States in 1964, but after a year he returned to Ireland...
, piper and pipe-maker from County FermanaghCounty FermanaghFermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas.... - Finbarr DwyerFinbarr DwyerFinbarr Dwyer is a traditional Irish accordion player from the famed Dwyer musical family. He was born in Castletownbere, Co. Cork on 20 September 1946, began playing accordion at the age of three, and began composing at the age of nine. Both of his parents played accordion and his father also...
, accordion player from Castletownbere, County CorkCounty CorkCounty Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county... - Mick O'BrienMick O'Brien (musician)-Life:Born in Dublin, Ireland, Mick began his musical education on the Uilleann pipes in the renowned Thomas Street Pipers Club in Dublin. His father Dinny O'Brien, a traditional "box" player, was also a constant source of tunes and inspiration....
, piper from Dublin - Liam O'FlynnLiam O'FlynnLiam O'Flynn is a master uilleann piper and prominent Irish folk musician. In addition to an impressive solo career and his work with the Irish traditional group Planxty, O'Flynn has recorded with many prominent international musical artists, including Mark Knopfler, the Everly Brothers, Enya,...
, one of the best-known pipers - Paddy KeenanPaddy KeenanPaddy Keenan is an Irish player of the uilleann pipes who first gained fame as a founding member of The Bothy Band. Since that group's dissolution in the late 1970s, Keenan has released a number of solo and collaborative recordings, and continues to tour both as a soloist, and with...
, one of the top pipers - Sean PottsSean PottsSeán Potts is an Irish musician. He is a native of Drimnagh and was born there in 1930. He is best known for his outstanding tin whistle playing and his duty with The Chieftains from 1962 to 1979.- With The Chieftains :...
, served first as Honorary Secretary, and then, for fourteen years from 1988, as Chairman. Now Honorary President - Pat Mitchell, Dublin piper, teacher and collector of tunes.
Activities
The goals and activities of the organization are numerous. Regular classes on piping technique, pipePipe (instrument)
Pipe describes a number of musical instruments, historically referring to perforated wind instruments. The word is an onomatopoeia, and comes from the tone which can resemble that of a bird chirping.-Folk pipe:...
making, and reed
Reed (instrument)
A reed is a thin strip of material which vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument. The reeds of most Woodwind instruments are made from Arundo donax or synthetic material; tuned reeds are made of metal or synthetics.-Single reeds:Single reeds are used on the mouthpieces of clarinets...
making are taught to students of all ages and abilities. NPU is also making a major effort to re-master and re-release recordings of deceased masters of the instrument as well as record living masters. The club offers a wide range of tutorial materials including DVDs, CDs, and books.
Recordings (selection)
- Sean McAloon, Stor Píobaireachta (Piping from the Archives), Na Píobairí Uilleann, 2004
- Robbie Hannan, Finbarr Dwyer. The Tempest. Na Píobairí Uilleann, 2008. Vol. 3 of the series Ace and Deuce of Piping.
- Paddy Keenan, Mick Coyne, Nollaig Mac Carthaigh: Piper’s Choice Volume 3 Understand the art of uilleann piping