Pipers Choice 7 Launch
An insight into the art of uilleann piping by three masters of Irish music – Ciarán MacFheidhlimidh, Leo Rickard and Eoin Ó Riabhaigh.
Na Píobairí Uilleann is delighted to announce the launch of Piper’s Choice Vol 7, a unique DVD recording of three of the greatest living exponents of the uilleann pipes.
On this recording, the seventh volume in a series by NPU, the three pipers perform their favourite pieces and explain in depth their individual approach to each selection and to the instrument in general.
This will give viewers – students of the pipes and lovers of Irish music alike – a unique and up-front insight into the extraordinary craft of piping. The three wonderful individual performances can be enjoyed on many levels but none more so than for pure listening entertainment.
Skilfully presented by piper and RTÉ radio broadcaster Peter Browne, Piper’s Choice gives the viewer a chance to share in the artistic process employed by great uilleann pipers and to understand what makes the pipes the iconic instrument in Irish music today.
The Musicians
Leo Rickard
Leo took up the pipes in 1976, with Matt Kiernan practice set pitched in ‘C’. He went for lessons to the Piper’s Club in Thomas Street, Dublin, where he was taught by Peter and Kevin McKenna, both pupils of Leo Rowsome. In the 1980s he formed a friendship with Paddy Keenan, and Leo derived great benefits for his piping from this association. At the same time his close study of the recordings of Leo Rowsome also provided a great deal of inspiration.
He joined with other friends in Howth to form a group called Clann Eadair, which had a brief association with Phil Lynnott. After the latter’s death Leo pursued other musical interests, including playing with rock bands, while never straying too far away from Irish music. He has taught piping classes at Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy and for NPU and others.
He has been recording for over 30 years, and appeared on projects for various artistes. He also released two CDs of his own, Pure Piping and Up, Down and Around. In 2011 He collaborated with Swedish Nyckelharpa player Peter Hedlund and Guitarist Raphy Doyle to produce From Halsingland to Howth, a CD which brought the pipes and the Nyckelharpa together for the first time.
Ciarán Mac Fheidhlimidh
Ciarán is from Lifford in County Donegal but now resident in Gaoth Dobhair. He was born into a non-musical family and took an interest in music at the age of eleven, inspired by music he heard on the television. He attended whistle lessons with Noel Devine, a piper and whistle player, from Co. Tyrone. Noel encouraged him to take up the pipes and he acquired a practice-set at the age of 13. He contiued to study under Noel, and also attended classes at Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy with teachers Tommy Keane and Robbie Hannon. He cites Robbie Hannon and Ronan Browne as strong early influences. In later years he took an interest in the piping of Séamus Ennis, Willie Clancy and Patsy Touhey, to name a few. Ciarán has a keen interest in fiddle and flute playing and likes to listen to players such as Michael Coleman, Vincent Campbell, Bobby Casey and Pádraig O’Keefe as well as flute players John McKenna and Harry Bradley. Ciarán is interested in music and song from all parts of the country and loves to listen to good exponents of the all the major regional styles. He plays a concert pitch set of pipes made by Paddy Hyland from County Laois.
Eoin Ó Riabhaigh
Eoin was born in the Coombe hospital in Dublin in 1959 but was rushed to Cork a few hours later!
His father Mícheál, also a Corkman, was a well known piper who dedicated his life to teaching the instrument until his untimely death in 1976. Mícheál instilled in Eoin a love and deep respect for the playing of such players as his good friends Leo Rowsome and Willie Clancy, as well as Patsy Touhy, while his mother, Marie Leyden, helped to develop his eclectic tastes in other musical genres. Through the years Eoin’s interests in piping have widened to include, among many others, players such as Paddy Keenan and Liam Ó Floinn, as well as the younger cohort that includes The McKeon brothers, Sean and Conor, Sean McCarthy and many others.
Eoin’s other musical interests and influences include Bluegrass and Old-Time music as played by such luminaries as Kenny Baker, Tim O Brien and Bill Monroe. After a lifetime working as a craftsman, Eoin recently started making pipes in his workshop in Cork.
