Na Píobairí Uilleann will award 15 scholarships this year that include a course of private tuition with an established piper to take place via Zoom or similar online platform. Scholarship recipients will also receive a range of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s publications and learning resources.

The scholarship process is now open to all pipers under 20 years of age and we welcome applications from young pipers all around the globe. Closing date is midday Friday 30th April 2021. Applications must be supported by recordings of solo piping by the applicant.

Visit https://pipers.ie/resources/scholarships for application form with full terms and conditions and for more information.

Press Release on behalf of Na Píobairí Uilleann – Irish version see below.

Friday April 16, 2021

Na Píobairí Uilleann is delighted to welcome uilleann pipers Patricia Logan and Rita Farrell onto its Board. Both women were approved at a meeting of the NPU Board this evening.

As a previous long-serving Board member Logan, from Athlone in Co Westmeath, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the governing body of the Association. She worked in the further education sector in Dublin as a teacher and deputy principal for over 30 years before taking early retirement in 2018.

A former student of the pipes in NPU in the 1980s, Logan is married to well-known pipe-maker Donncha Keegan and lives in Leixlip in Co Kildare.

Farrell, a native of London with Irish parents, first began her involvement with traditional music at a young age in the city under the guidance of Marian Gill and Damien Mullane before learning the pipes from leading uilleann piper Emmet Gill.

A previous recipient of the NPU Scholarship Scheme for young students of the instrument, Farrell is a graduate in architecture from Queen’s University Belfast where she conducted research into soundscapes in Irish music as part of her Masters programme. She is currently practising in London.

A regular public performer on the pipes, Farrell features on NPU’s, The Rolling Wave, A New Generation of Pipers CD. She has since become a prominent member of the London music scene and continues to teach from her home in the city.

Speaking about the appointments, NPU Chairman Caoimhín Mac Aoidh said: “On behalf of the Board of Na Píobairí Uilleann I’m delighted to welcome Patricia Logan and Rita Farrell. Patricia’s authoritative knowledge of the NPU governing structure and uilleann piping in general will be extremely valuable to the new Board while Rita’s perspective as a young practitioner will help shape our efforts to support the piping community and the ambitious programme laid out by the staff of NPU under the Executive leadership of Gay McKeon.”

For further information contact Clara Grunefeld clara@pipers.ie  tel: +353-1-8730093

About Na Píobairí Uilleann

Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU), the Society of Uilleann Pipers was founded in 1968 when there were less than 100 uilleann pipers remaining. Today NPU is a thriving arts organisation dedicated to Sharing the Sound of Ireland through Access, Education, Performance and Preservation.

Since unveiling its restored Georgian premises at 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin, in January 2007, NPU has been busy catering for the expanding demand for regular tuition, as well as releasing a number of significant publications and recordings. With demand for pipes considerably exceeding supply, a dedicated Training Centre – PipeCraft – was established in 2011 to deliver training in the very highly skilled craft of uilleann pipemaking.

NPU is accredited to UNESCO as a competent NGO in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).

NPU lobbied the Irish Government to ratify the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage which resulted in the inclusion of Uilleann Piping on the UNESCO representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2017.

Na Píobairí Uilleann’s primary funding agencies include the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Dublin City Council.

Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1, Ireland

W: www.pipers.ie E:info@pipers.ie P: 00353(0)1 8730093

www.facebook.com/napiobairiuilleann

www.twitter.com/Napiobairi 

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Fearann Na Píobairí Uilleann fáilte roimh na píobairí Patricia Logan agus Rita Farrell chuig an mBord Nua.

Preaseisiúint de chuid Na bPíobairí Uilleann

Dé hAoine 16 Aibreán, 2021

Tá an-áthas ar Na Píobairí Uilleann fáilte a fhearadh roimh na píobairí Patricia Logan agus Rita Farrell chuig an mBord. Glacadh le hainmniúchán na beirte ban ag cruinniú de chuid Bhord NPU tráthnóna.

Chaith Logan, arb as Baile Átha Luain i gContae na hIarmhí di, tréimhse fhada mar bhall den bhord roimhe seo, agus tá neart taithí agus eolais le tairiscint aici do bhord stiúrtha an Chomhlachais. Tá breis agus tríocha bliain caite aici ag obair san earnáil oideachais i mBaile Átha Cliath agus í ina múinteoir agus ina leasphríomhoide. Chuaigh sí ar luathscor sa bhliain 2018.

Ba dhalta píobaireachta de chuid NPU í Logan sna 1980idí agus tá sí pósta leis an bpíobaire aitheanta Donncha Keegan. Tá cónaí uirthi i Léim an Bhradáin i gContae Chill Dara.

Is as Londain ó dhúchas do Farrell, arb as Éirinn dá tuismitheoirí, agus is sa chathair sin a thosaigh sí ag foghlaim an cheoil thraidisiúnta agus í óg, faoi stiúir Marian Gill agus Damien Mullane. Thosaigh sí ag foghlaim na bpíob ina dhiaidh sin leis an bpíobaire aitheanta Emmet Gill.

Bronnadh scéim scoláireachta NPU d’fhoghlaimeoirí óga na huirlise ar Farrell, agus bhain sí céim ailtireachta amach i gColáiste na Banríona, Béal Feirste, mar a ndearna sí taighde ar fhuaimdhreacha an cheoil thraidisiúnta mar chuid dá céim mháistreachta. Tá sí ag obair i Londain faoi láthair.

Bíonn Farrell ag seinnim go minic ar an bpíb agus tá sí le cloisteáil ar The Rolling Wave, A New Generation of Pipers, ceirnín de chuid NPU. Is ball aitheanta de phobal ceoil Londain í agus bíonn sí ag múineadh óna baile sa chathair sin.

Ag caint dó ar na ceapacháin, dúirt Cathaoireach NPU, Caoimhín Mac Aoidh: ‘Thar ceann Bhord na bPíobairí Uilleann tá an-áthas orm fáilte a fhearadh roimh Patricia Logan agus Rita Farrell. Beidh eolas údarásach Logan ar struchtúr stiúrtha NPU agus ar an bpíobaireacht go ginearálta ina bhuntáiste don Bhord nua, agus cuideoidh peirspictíocht Rita mar cheoltóir óg lenár gcuid iarrachtaí tacaíocht a chur ar fáil don phobal píobaireachta agus leis an gclár uaillmhianach tá leagtha amach ag meitheal NPU faoi cheannasaíocht fheidhmiúcháin Gay McKeon.

Is féidir tuilleadh eolais a fháil ach glaoch ar Clara Grunefeld clara@pipers.ie  guthán: +353-1-8730093.

Eolas faoi Na Píobairí Uilleann

Bunaíodh Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU) in 1968 ag an am a cheaptar nach raibh ach thar ar 100 píobaire uilleann fágtha sa tír. Ach is eagraíocht atá faoi bhláth inniu í agus é mar aidhm aici Fuaim na hÉireann a Roinnt trí Rochtain, trí Oideachas, trí Thaibhiú agus trí Chaomhnú.

Ón am ar oscail NPU a áitreabh i dteach Seoirseach athchóirithe i 15 Sráid Henrietta, Baile Átha Cliath in 2007 tá sé ag freastal ar an éileamh atá ag fás gan stad ar oiliúint rialta ar an uirlis. Tá sé ag foilsiú agus ag eisiúint taifeadtaí tábhachtacha ó shin i leith freisin. Toisc go bhfuil éileamh thar na bearta ar an uirlis í fhéin, bhunaigh NPU a sainionad oiliúna PipeCraft in 2011 chun oiliúint a chur ar fáil ins an saincheird ardoilte de dhéantús píbe.

Tá NPU creidiúnaithe le hEagraíocht Oideachais, Eolaíochta agus Chultúir na Náisiún Aontaithe (UNESCO) mar eagraíocht neamhrialtasach inniúil (NGO) in san earnáil a bhaineann le hOidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe (ICH).

Chuaigh NPU i mbun stocaireachta le Rialtas na hÉireann chun go ndaingneodh sé Coinbhinsiún UNESCO maidir le hOidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe. De thoradh ar sin chuir UNESCO Píobaireacht Uilleann ar a Liosta Ionadaíoch d’Oidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe an Chine Daonna i Nollaig 2017.

Is iad príomh-mhaoinitheoirí NPU ná An Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, An Chomhairle Ealaíon agus Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath.

Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Sráid Henrietta, Baile Átha Cliath 1, Éire

Suíomh Idirlín: www.pipers.ie

Rphost: info@pipers.ie  

Teileafón: +353 (0)1 8730093

www.facebook.com/napiobairiuilleann

www.twitter.com/Napiobairi

We wish all of our visitors and members a Happy St.Patrick’s Day 2021! 

For all of you at home, whether that’s in Ireland or elsewhere, we’d like to share two postcards from our Archive to mark the day. 

Note the unusual representations of uilleann pipes in both pictures!

You can listen back here to Bowman from RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday 7th March.  

The programme features (from 18:30mins) short clips of some early recordings of Séamus Ennis and Willie Clancy made by Bill Stapleton in the 1940s.

The piece also includes Harry Bradshaw talking about Bill Stapleton, his life and career recording music. 

Na Píobairí Uilleann has been awarded €498,948 in strategic funding by the Arts Council / An Comhairle Ealaíon for 2021.

We are very grateful to the Arts Council and Staff for their continued support of our organisation. The challenges of the past twelve months have led us to develop new ways to work with  artists and reach audiences.

The increased Strategic Funding will provide us with the opportunity to expand services and to provide opportunities for the public to meaningfully engage with and enjoy uilleann piping and the Traditional Arts.

In 2021, Na Píobairí Uilleann will award 15 piping scholarships. Given that many summer schools will be cancelled this year due to ongoing restrictions surrounding COVID-19, successful applicants in 2021 will instead be offered a course of private tuition with an established piper to take place via Zoom or similar online platform. Scholarship recipients will also receive a range of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s publications and learning resources.

Scholarship recipients from 2020 who carried their scholarships over into 2021 will also be offered this alternative arrangement.

The scholarship process is open from Monday 1st March until midday Friday 30th April 2021. Applications must be supported by recordings of solo piping by the applicant. Please see the application form for full terms and conditions.

Visit https://pipers.ie/resources/scholarships/ for application form and more information.

Na Píobairí Uilleann will hold two online reed making courses over six weeks, both commencing Monday 25th January 7.00pm GMT. No experience required!

The courses will be taught by Ultan MacGabhann who has many years’ experience teaching reedmaking, both in Henrietta St. as well as on the pipemaking course we operate in conjunction with BCFE, and by well known pipe maker and very experienced reed maker Bill Haneman.

Course costs €50.

Due to high demand, both of these two courses are now fully subscribed. To register your interest for other upcoming courses, please email us at info@pipers.ie. Students will need their own tools and materials.

The course takes place at 7pm GMT over Zoom on the following dates:

• Monday 25th January
• Monday 1st February
• Monday 8th February
• No class on Monday 15th February (mid-term)
• Monday 22nd February
• Monday 1st March
• Monday 8th March

Na Píobairí Uilleann is delighted to announce that two special festive episodes of the beloved concert series “Session with the Pipers” will be available on NPU-TV in the coming weeks.

The two programmes were filmed in Henrietta Street in December and will be available exclusively on NPU-TV on Saturday 26th December and Friday 1st January 2021 at 8pm, respectively. The episodes will be available to view free of charge for one week each.

In place of buying a ticket, we ask that you consider making a donation to Na Píobairí Uilleann, a link is available on the video page.

Here’s the line-up of the online concerts:

26th December

• Emmett Gill & Jesse Smith (uilleann pipes & fiddle)
• Rosie Stewart (song)
• Noel Hill (concertina)
• Presented by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin

1st January 

• Sheila Friel (uilleann pipes)
• Nell Ní Chróinín (song)
• Conor and Paddy McEvoy (fiddle & piano)
• Presented by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin

Na Píobairí Uilleann is delighted to present a short documentary about Breandán Breathnach on the occasion of this year’s Breathnach Commemoration on Saturday 5th December. The full film “Breandán Breathnach – Píobaire, Caomhnóir, Scoláire (1912-1985)” will be available on NPU TV and Social Media from Saturday 5th December at 8pm and feature Éadaoin Bhreathnach, Seán Potts, Gay McKeon and others. 

Press release on behalf of Na Píobairí Uilleann, 3rd December 2020 *Irish below*

Na Píobairí Uilleann is pleased to announce that Barra McGrory, Q.C. has accepted nomination to the Board of the organisation.

Barra is a native of Belfast and qualified with a BA degree in Ancient History and Celtic Studies from Queens University Belfast. In 1987 he qualified as a Solicitor following in his father, Paddy’s, footsteps. Barra undertook the position of Chairman of the Solicitor’s Criminal Bar Association in 1990 and was made a Queen’s Council (Q.C.) in 2007. In 2009 he transferred from the solicitor’s profession to the Bar of Northern Ireland.

The development over recent years of the Charities Governance Code for organisations with charitable status has rightfully seen a number of changes aimed at establishing best practice standards for the governance of such bodies. Recognising and agreeing with these requirements Na Píobairí Uilleann, the body working to promote all aspects of uilleann piping wherever it is played or appreciated, recently altered its Constitution to provide for membership at Board level of persons who bring unique sets of skills to the organisation. The active participation at Board level of such persons will ensure the existence of governance structures and standards of Na Píobairí Uilleann which are best fit for purpose.

Mr. McGrory successfully navigated one of the most difficult legal positions on the island of Ireland when undertaking the position of Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in 2011. As the first Catholic appointed to the position, legal sensitivities could not have been more challenging in the post-Peace Process period. Following six years in the latter role Mr. McGrory returned to private practice where he is one of the few senior counsel practicing regularly in both Irish jurisdictions and in Britain as a member of the Bar of England & Wales. 

In addition to his considerable legal skills, Barra McGrory has previously served on arts bodies in Northern Ireland and has a strong commitment to fostering community and traditional arts. He comes from a family of noted traditional musicians and is himself a skilled musician.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Na Píobairí Uilleann, Dr. Caoimhín Mac Aoidh, Chairman, noted:

“The Board of Na Píobairí Uilleann is most fortunate to avail of the considerable expertise of such a skilled and dedicated person as Barra McGrory. We greatly look forward to his contributions and working with him on many exciting projects. Na Píobairí Uilleann has achieved astonishing results in its work promoting, developing and passing on the unique tradition of uilleann piping in its more than fifty years of existence. While extraordinary and challenging milestones have been realised and surpassed, it is critical that the Board of Na Píobairí Uilleann continues into the future ensuring the highest standards of governance making certain those seeking to play the music, those who enjoy its performance and the wider public who are disposed to this uniquely Irish instrument continue to appreciate exceptional service.”

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Deimhníonn Na Píobairí Uilleann go mbeidh Barra McGrory Q.C. ina chomhalta den Bhord

Tá áthas ar Na Píobairí Uilleann a fhógairt gur ghlac Barra McGrory le hainmniúchán mar chomhalta de Bhord na heagraíochta.

Is as Béal Feirste ó dhúchas Barra agus bhain sé bunchéim amach sa Stair Ársa agus sa Léann Ceilteach in Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste. Cháiligh sé mar aturnae sa bhliain 1987 agus lorg a athar, Paddy, á leanúint aige. Sa bhliain 2007 ghlac Barra le Cathaoirleacht Chomhlachas Barra Coiriúil na nAturnaetha agus rinneadh Abhcóide de chuid na Banríona (Q.C.) de sa bhliain 2007. In 2009 d’aistrigh sé chuig Barra Thuaisceart Éireann.

Mar chuid den fhorbairt a rinneadh ar an gCód Rialachais do Charthanais le blianta beaga anuas, tá athruithe áirithe tagtha chun cinn, faoi mar is cóir, le caighdeáin dea-chleachtas a leagan amach do rialachas eagraíochtaí dá leithéid. Aithníonn agus aontaíonn Na Píobairí Uilleann – eagraíocht a fhéachann le gach gné den phíobaireacht a chur chun cinn cibé áit ina seinntear í nó ina ndéantar ceiliúradh uirthi – leis na hathruithe sin. Is mar gheall air sin a athraíodh bunreacht Na bPíobairí Uilleann le deireanaí le ballraíocht ag leibhéal an Bhoird a cheadú dóibh siúd a bhfuil scileanna uathúla le tairiscint acu. Cinnteoidh a leithéid de bhallraíocht ghníomhach ag leibhéil an Bhoird go mbeidh na struchtúir Rialachais agus na caighdeáin is oiriúnaí don fheidhm ag Na Píobairí Uilleann

D’éirigh le McGrory post atá ar na poist dhlíthiúla is dúshlánaí ar oileán na hÉireann a stiúradh nuair a ghlac sé le ról Stiúrthóir Ionchúiseamh Poiblí Thuaisceart Éireann in 2011. Ba é an chéad Chaitliceach a raibh an post sin aige, agus bhí dúshlán ar leith ag baint le cúrsaí dlí sa tréimhse sin i ndiaidh phróiseas na síochána. Tar éis dó sé bliana a chaitheamh ag plé leis an ról sin, d’fhill McGrory ar an gcleachtas príobháideach. Tá sé ar an mbeagán abhcóide sinsearach a bhíonn ag obair i ndlínsí na hÉireann agus na Breataine, agus é ina bhall de Bharra Shasana agus na Breataine Bige.

Sa mhullach ar a chuid scileanna dlíthiúla iomadúla, tá tréimhsí caite ag Barra McGrory ar choistí ealaíon i dTuaisceart Éireann agus tá sé tiomanta do chur chun cinn ealaíon traidisiúnta agus pobail. Tógadh i dteaghlach mór ceoil é agus is ceoltóir bisiúil é féin.

Ag labhairt dó thar cheann Bhord Na bPíobairí Uilleann, dúirt an Cathaoireach, an Dr. Caoimhín Mac Aoidh:

Tá an t-ádh le Bord Na bPíobairí Uilleann go mbeidh fáil aige ar shaineolas dhuine a bhfuil díograis agus scil Barra McGrory aige. Táimid ag súil go mór lena chuid rannpháirtíochta agus le bheith ag obair leis ar go leor tionscnamh spéisiúil amach anseo. Tá torthaí iontacha bainte amach ag Na Píobairí Uilleann ó thaobh thraidisiún uathúil na píobaireachta a chur chun cinn, a fhorbairt agus a chur ar aghaidh ó bunaíodh an eagraíocht breis agus caoga bliain ó shin. Cé gur baineadh amach agus gur sáraíodh spriocanna móra, dúshlánacha ó shin, tá sé ríthábhachtach go leanfadh Na Píobairí Uilleann le caighdeáin rialachais arda ionas go gcinnteofaí go mairfeadh an tseirbhís ar leith a thugtar dóibh siúd ar mhaith leo an uirlis a chasadh, dóibh siúd a bhaineann sult aisti, agus dóibh siúd atá báúil leis an uirlis shainiúil seo i gcoitinne.