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Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 41

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 41
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music
volume Number
1
issue Content
72Ceol na hEireann Irish Music73commemoration of a founding member and Patron, Willie clancy.The society also provides teachers for the South Sligo Summer School inTubbercurry and members are also involved in the Joe Mooney Summer Schoolin Drumshambo. While the latter are both in their early years, we look forwardto the same mutually beneficial relationship as we have had with the Willieclancy Summer School. The summer schools must also take some credit for theinternational spread of our membership, some foreign-based pipers learned ofour existence through attending summer schools. It must be emphasised that allthese schools depend on the work of the local organisers and the societys rolehas been to assist this work, when invited.Regional classes have been organised by members both in Ireland andabroad. These intensive classes are run over a weekend and often are given byteachers from outside the district in which they are held. Those held in Irelandhave been grant aided by The Arts council. Regional TionOil and these classestend to attract each other and they dovetail so well that it is difficult to decidewhich came first. Where possible pipers from Ireland have travelled to TionOilabroad although funding for these events depends on the local pipers. Theseregional Tionil and classes have been held regularly in Templemore, An Rinn,Kilkenny, Ennis, Belfast, Hollywood (co. Down), Kenmare, cork City, Blackrock(co. Louth), and in various parts of Britain, The Netherlands, Germany,Australia, New Zealand, USA and canada. There are also active pipers in othercountries, but numbers and distances make co-ordinated activity more difficult.While the society gives whatever assistance it can these events rely on thelocal organisers. In the USA the Irish Pipers club has been active for manyyears and although not formally linked to NPU, many pipers are members ofboth organisations. In recent years members have formed local organisations inBritain, The Netherlands, Germany and New Zealand and regular reports andadvance notice of their activities are carried in An Piobaire.Although a single issue organisation the society has often made roomsavailable for other groups within the tradition. Set dancing classes are run byBrooks Academy, and classes in concertina, fiddle, flute, harp, whistle andbutton accordion have been run by individual musicians and singing workshopshave also been held in the headquarters. (At one stage parachute training atzero feet was conducted in the upper rooms but this activity has sincetransferred, I believe, to co. Offaly. In fact several members and friends havecompleted sponsored parachute jumps for the society). The Irish Pipe BandAssociation has held meetings and The Irish college of Piping and Drumminghas held courses in the house also. While not directly involved in theseVactivities the society is happy to extend what help it can and there is someintercourse, dancers have become pipers and fiddlers etc., pipers of course havea hand in everything.NPU has also acted as publisher for Brooks Academys books and cassetteson set dancing.NPU is now in its twenty-fifth year of activity. Mere survival would havebeen a success story of itself, given the opposition from some quarters. The factthat we have grown and prospered justifies the foundation if any justificationwere necessary. The numbers of pipers and pipemakers now, compared to1968, is the best illustration of our success. While proud of the achievements ofthe society, we are aware that to stagnate is to die and are always trying newways of serving the diverse needs of the membership and to promote ourinstrument and its music. We look forward to the next twenty-five years withenthusiasm and confidence.Coim de Brn
issue Number
1
page Number
41
periodical Author
[Various]
issue Publication Date
1993-01-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 1

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