John O'Gorman (aka The blind piper of Roscommon), born 1860s, Irish piper. O'Gorman was born in

Ballaghaderreen Ballaghaderreen () is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It was part of County Mayo prior to 1898. It is in the north-west of the county, near the borders with counties Mayo and Sligo, just off the N5 road. The population was 2,387 in the 2 ...

when it was still part of

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

. Blind from childhood, he was taught by his kinsman, Patrick Vizard. His skills so charmed Lady De Freyne (mother of Arthur French, 5th Baron de Freyne that she purchased a pair of pipes for him, much superior to the set he had. Captain

Francis O'Neill Francis O'Neill (; August 28, 1848 – January 26, 1936) was an Irish-born American police officer and collector of Irish traditional music. His biographer Nicholas Carolan referred to him as "the greatest individual influence on the evolution ...

said of him:

"O'Gorman was universally respected. Whenever any event of importance was coming off, the first thing to be done was to send after him in a side car, a conveyance in which he was taken home again when his engagement was ended. Generous and liberal with his music, he played for all who asked him; in fact, his whole soul was in the beloved instrument, which responded in seeming sympathy with his touch. In close lingering and "peppering,' he was an expert. The first prize awarded him at the Oireachtas in 1902 was no more than his due-George McCarthy and Denis Delaney getting second and third prizes, respectively. In 1908 O'Gorman did not fare so well, being defeated for first prize by Delaney."

External links

* http://billhaneman.ie/IMM/IMM-XXII.html {{DEFAULTSORT:O Gorman, John 19th-century Irish male musicians Musicians from County Mayo Musicians from County Roscommon Irish male uilleann pipers People from Ballaghaderreen 19th-century Irish uilleann pipers