Irish minstrels and musicians: with numerous dissertations on related subjects By Francis O’Neill

Francis O’Neill (1848–1936) was an Irish musician and music collector from Co. Cork who emigrated to the U.S. and eventually became the chief of police of Chicago. He is best known for his seminal tune collection “O’Neill’s Music of Ireland.”

But O’Neill was also a highly prolific and very entertaining prose writer. His “Irish Minstrels and Musicians,” published in 1913, is one of the best sources we have for anecdotal information about Irish piping in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

I just learned that this important work has become available in its entirety on Google books. You can now download it for free here.

“Irish Minstrels and Musicians” is a wonderful read for anyone who is interested in the history of the pipes or in the history of Irish music in general.

O’Neill’s other major prose work, “Irish Folk Music: A Fascinating Hobby,” also recently came back into print and is now available for purchase from Amazon.

This second O’Neill book contains many interesting anecdotes about O’Neill’s collecting experiences and has more information about old pipers he knew or had heard of. Appendix A contains O’Farrell’s Treatise and Instructions on the Irish Pipes, published circa 1797-1800. Appendix B contains Hints to Amateur Pipers by Patsy Touhey.

Contemporary Bagpipe Music from Reel Time Events on Vimeo.

This correspondence is for anyone who has an interest in bagpipes, drums, pipe bands, highland games, etc.

I have often preached to my piping students that you can’t really be a piper unless you begin to develop an understanding of the culture that surrounds the instrument. I’m certain that the same can be said for highland drumming, dance, etc..

Now, I intend to put my money where my mouth is. I am putting together a modest periodical – The Pipers’ Call. Each installment will be a short article about a topic that relates to the piping culture. The topic may involve a personality of piping or drumming. It may be about pipe band music, or about the history of something related to piping. It may answer a question such as, “Why do they always do that at a highland games?” In short, if it relates to piping or drumming, it is a potential topic.

The article shall be:

1. able to be read in about two minutes.
2. no more than a page.
3. distributed on an attached Word Document.
4. absolutely free-of-charge

I might add that I’m doing this for myself, too. There are many things surrounding this instrument that I’ve wondered about. Since I retired from teaching last year, I’ve needed an academic outlet. I will look forward to doing the research. And, I hope that the subscribers will also send ideas for future articles.

Attached is the first installment. This will give you an idea of what it’s all about.

If you would like to be on the email distribution list to receive this, please send me your name and email address and you will be included. I will not use your address for any other purposes. If you should ever care to be dropped from the list, just say the word.

My email address is bagpiperford@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

Ford Dudley

P/M Glendale Police Pipes and Drums

Roddy MacLeod • Piobaireachd: “New Music” – Press Release

I am pleased to tell you that 5 new manuscripts have now been added to the site. These are The Old Men of the Shells, The Old Woman’s Lullaby, The Prince’s Salute, MacLeod’s Salute and My King has Landed in Moidart.

This brings the website close to completion of its first stage which includes 46 tunes. I hope to be adding new recordings very soon.

Best wishes, Roddy MacLeod.

(Via Roddy MacLeod Website.)

Going on a Scottish tour – Entertainment: “Just before one o’clock the afternoon of November 11 people started to trickle into the Campus Union Ballroom for a lesson in Irish and Scottish heritage. Standing at the front of the room was a man in, drum roll please, a skirt. Actually his ’skirt’ is really what is called a kilt or a tartan. It represents either the clan the person is from or the country; in this case he told the crowd it was the national tartan of Scotland.

Scott Beach was dressed in a Scottish kilt, differing from a skirt because of the knife he had tucked into his sock called a Sgian Dubh, meaning black knife in Gaelic, and tall socks made for him by his grandmother with the national symbol of Scotland, the Thistle, on them, and Ghillie Brogue shoes.”

Scott Beach on Bagpiper.Com

Scott Beach Website

(Via enmuthechase.)

Two years ago, UC Riverside became the only college in the country to offer music majors the chance to concentrate on bagpiping or Scottish drumming.

It made sense. The university’s nickname is the Highlanders. Residence halls have Scottish names: Aberdeen-Inverness, Lothian and Bannockburn. And the school has its own tartan plaid registered in Scotland.

It appeared to be working. The bagpipe band started winning competitions. The world-class bagpiper hired to lead the program started to be recognized on campus. Alumni were excited. Students enrolled to continue studying the bagpipes.

That all changed last month. The university’s $51 million budget gap this school year led officials to lay off the bagpipe and Scottish drumming instructors.

ISLAND GP Kieron Cooney is a man with a plan — to introduce you to bagpipe music as you have never heard it before.

The award-winning piping hot doc has produced a new CD featuring a contemporary mix of bagpipe music, violin, guitar, keyboards and even rock music, all in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

The Road Ahead album includes a diverse range of songs, from Amazing Grace to Queen’s We Will Rock You, and features the talents of vocalist Charlotte Barton Hoare and electric guitarist Jamie Griffin. There will even be a special guest appearance by former IW High Sheriff Alan Titchmarsh.

Read Full Article

FOR MANY people, a series of major life changes (and not just one) are required to create an entirely “new life”.

North Carolina native Bill Haneman arrived at his unlikely career utopia – making uilleann pipes for a living – in two stages. Twelve years ago he emigrated from the US to Skerries in north county Dublin with his wife and sister-in-law – that move across the Atlantic was change number one.

But having made that first leap of faith, he sensed that another change was required and so he subsequently made another brave leap into the unknown, ditching his job in the IT industry to become an instrument maker in 2007.

via Tuned in to a new way of life – The Irish Times – Tue, Jun 23, 2009.

Rap Artist Eminem new album (2009) features a tune called “Bagpipes in Baghdad” – Very interesting use of pipes in Rap Music

Buy it on iTunes now -

This is a tune composed by Angus MacArthur, piper to Sir Alexander MacDonald of Sleat, 15th Baron of Sleat.

The tune commemorates the death in 1789 of Sir Alexander’s wife, Lady Elizabeth Diana MacDonald, a native of Yorkshire. She had married Sir Alexander in 1768. Her mother-in-law was the beloved Lady Margaret MacDonald, also the recipient of a Salute.

via Lady MacDonald’s Lament .

On the Day

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND. It’s the World Pipe Band Championships — 8000 musicians from 16 countries. All on one day.

This year a new group joins the battle of the bands. Calling themselves The Spirit of Scotland, the world’s top solo players have come together for the first time to attempt the impossible: compete against legendary bands that have been around for decades. What are their chances after just six days of practice? Will they even qualify?

In the end, all that matters is what happens on the day.

Official Website – On the Day

Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band

The Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band is a new Grade 1 pipe band which was formed with the aim of competing at the World Pipe Band Championships. The band consists of pipers and drummers from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the USA.

The idea to form the band was hatched at the Glenfiddich Piping Championships by a number of the participating competitors. It was recognized that there were many excellent pipers and drummers not currently playing with bands and unable to commit to a band on a year round basis that would enjoy the opportunity to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships

Traditional Irish music may have been associated with rural Ireland in the past but two young Dublin performers are taking the Irish music scene by storm with the launch of their new recording ‘Dublin Made Me’.

Piper Sean McKeon (22) and fiddle player Liam O’Connor (25), pictured above right and left respectively, both previous recipients of the prestigious TG4 Young Musician of the Year award, began performing together four years ago and have since set the traditional music world alight with their powerful performances.

‘Dublin Made Me’ was launched this week at the Kings Inns in Dublin by leading musician Paddy Glackin. The recording is the latest production of the prolific music organisation Na Piobairi Uilleann with the assistance of the Arts Council.

Piping hot Music duo launch album -
Music – Independent.ie.

Tags: cd, Music, Uilleann Pipes

I don’t know how long this deal will last, but there is currently 19 FREE Download DRM free MP3 from the current World Champions SFU, Vale of Atholl, and Scottish Gas Pipe Band –

If it’s Free, it’s for ME !!!!

Amazon.com: Simon Fraser University Pipe Band: MP3 Downloads

If you are looking for Bagpipes In Nature Highland Bagpipe Music CD then you are in the right place.

Check out this review:

Review for Bagpipes In Nature Highland Bagpipe Music CD right here. | amari

We are a launching a brand new bagpipe music and video website. This site will a social networking site for pipers, drummers, pipe bands and Celtic musicians.

Tags: website

Andrew and Margaret Watchorn
Northumbrian Smallpipes and Fiddle

Andrew and Margaret have over 20 years experience of performing together and have a reputation for playing with great sensitivity, enhancing the tunes with their own arrangements. From the mid 1970’s they were fortunate to learn many tunes from playing alongside older Northumbrian musicians, especially Joe Hutton. 

Their repertoire is extensive and includes tunes from Northumberland, Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North America.

Individually, Andrew and Margaret have both won competitions at traditional music festivals for solo playing and compositions. Together, they have won numerous duet competitions.

In addition to smallpipes and fiddle, they also play Swedish bagpipes, hummelchen, guitar and whistle.

Tracks on the BORROWED DAYS CD

1. Keelman ower the Land  
2. Flickorna Svensson   
3. Cold and Raw  / Scabbit Sheep 
4. Dunstan Carol   
5. Hesleyside Reel  / Miss Jean Milligan   
6. Wild Hills of Wannie   
7. Tweedside  / Little Fishie  / Dusty Miller 
8. Mrs Elizabeth Ann Dodd   
9. Schottis efter Linus Augustsson  / Saddle Rock   
10. Whittingham Fair   
11. Archie’s Fancy / Peacock’s March   
12. Linnen Hall   
13. Sandgate / Lamb Skinnet  / Seven Stars and the Moon   
14. Josefin’s Waltz 

Tags: cd

Loch Rannoch Pipes & Drums is currently recruiting pipers.  As the demand for the band continues to grow the need for additional pipers as grown.  Pipers of all skill levels are welcome.  For beginners or those interested in learning to play the pipes we have an active lesson program available.  We are based in Doylestown, PA and practice every Wednesday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

If interested, please visit our website at www.lochrannochpipesdrums.com at go to the contact us page.

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