Na Píobairí Uilleann (; meaning "The Uilleann Pipers") is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

dedicated to the promotion of the Irish Uilleann pipes and its music.

Organisation

NPU was founded in 1968 under the impetus of researcher and collector

Breandán Breathnach Breandán Breathnach (1 April 1912 – 6 November 1985) was an Irish music collector and uilleann piper. In addition to collecting Irish music, he is known for his ''Ceol Rince na hÉireann'' (Dance Music of Ireland) series. Life Breathnach gr ...

and pipers such as

Seamus Ennis Seamus may refer to: * Séamus, a male first name of Gaelic origin Film and television * Seamus (''Family Guy''), a character on the television series ''Family Guy'' * Seamus, a pigeon in '' Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore'' * Seamus Mc ...

Leo Rowsome Leo Rowsome (5 April 1903 - 20 September 1970) was the third generation of an unbroken line of uilleann pipers. He was a performer, manufacturer and teacher of the uilleann pipes throughout his life. Samuel Rowsome, Leo’s grandfather sent hi ...

and

Paddy Moloney Paddy Moloney ( ga, Pádraig Ó Maoldomhnaigh; 1 August 1938 – 12 October 2021) was an Irish musician, composer, and record producer. He co-founded and led the Irish musical group the Chieftains, playing on all of their 44 albums. He was parti ...

(of the Chieftains), in order to promote the uilleann pipes and its music. A Tionól (meeting) of pipers in Bettystown Co Meath in April 1968 had been organised by Breathnach,

Seán Reid Seán Reid (1907–1978) was an Irish musician known as a player of the Uilleann pipes, for promoting the County Clare style of piping, and for being the leader of the Tulla Céilí Band in the late 1940s. Biography He was born in Castlefin, ...

and Séamus Mac Mathúna, who wrote to some 100 pipers in Ireland and abroad for a gathering to revive piping. Its headquarters are located at 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin, in a restored

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

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 McAloon Sean McAloon (1923–1998) was a piper and pipe maker from Northern 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 emigrat ...

, piper and pipe-maker from

County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...

Séamus Ennis Séamus Ennis ( ga, Séamas Mac Aonghusa; 5 May 1919 – 5 October 1982) was an Irish musician, singer and Irish music collector. He was most noted for his uilleann pipe playing and was partly responsible for the revival of the instrument duri ...

, piper *

, piper and pipe-maker * Mick O'Brien, piper from Dublin *

Liam O'Flynn Liam Óg O'Flynn ( ga, Liam Ó Floinn, 15 September 1945 – 14 March 2018) was an Irish uilleann piper and Irish traditional musician. In addition to a solo career and as a member of Planxty, O'Flynn recorded with: Christy Moore, Dónal Lun ...

, one of the best-known pipers *

Paddy Keenan Paddy Keenan (born 30 January 1950) 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 collaborati ...

, one of the top pipers *

Sean Potts Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglici ...

, served as Chairman from 1988 to 2002 and then as Honorary President to 2014. *Pat Mitchell, Dublin piper, teacher and collector of tunes.

Activities

The goals and activities of the organization are numerous. Regular classes on piping technique, pipe 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 organization offers a wide range of tutorial materials including DVDs, CDs, and books.

Recordings (selection)

* Johnny Doran ''Master Pipers - Volume 1'', Na Píobairí Uilleann, 1988 * Patsy Touhey ''The Piping of Patsy Touhey'', Na Píobairí Uilleann, 2005 * Robbie Hannan, ''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'', 2010 NPU
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Books (selection)

* ''Reedmaking Made Easy'', Dave Hegarty, Na Píobairí Uilleann, Dublin, 1983 * ''Music for the Irish Pipes'', Joe Doyle, Na Píobairí Uilleann, Dublin, 2016

References

*Vallely, Fintan (1999), ''The Companion to Irish Traditional Music'', New York University Press. . *Ó Canainn, Tomás, ''Traditional Music in Ireland'', Routledge & Keegan Paul, 1978, .

External links