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O'Neill - Irish Minstrels and Musicians, Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 84

O'Neill - Irish Minstrels and Musicians, Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 84
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periodical Publisher
Regan Printing House, Chicago, 1913
periodical Editor
[none]
periodical Title
O'Neill - Irish Minstrels and Musicians
volume Number
1
issue Content
i66 Irish Minstrels and MusiciansFamous Bagpipe Makers 167pipers know the secret of. His finger technique is as complete as any Ive known,and his use of the regulators, the expressive ringing tones of his tremolo (or, morecorrectly, his vibrato) are wonderful.As a pipeinaker lie is no less remarkable. All the workwood work, brazing,turning ivories, curing skins for bellows and bagsis clone by his own hands.What he doesnt know about the making and repairing of pipes isnt much. Itwas in tile blood of the family.It is claimed that at the Oireachtas in 1901, and also in 1902, prizes wereawarded Mr. OMealv for his workmanship, and he is also said to have receivedan award at tile Dublin Feis Ceoil in 1897 for unpublished tunes.Liberally endowed with the artistic temperament, OMealy seems wellequipped for his profession. He claims to have worked certain improvementsin various parts of the instrbment which do away with many of the difficultieswith which the learner had formerly to contend. If Irish piping becomes a lostart it will not be for want of skillful pipemakers in this generation.Since the death of William and Charles Taylor of Philadelphia in 1901 nocapable successor in the art has appeared on the American continent. We empha-size the word capable because an aniateur in Massachusetts turns out a set oncein awhile which though pleasing to the eye is disappointing to the ear. In fact, thedrones of a nice looking set owned in Chicago cannot be fitted with guills at all, bythe most expert in that line in the city.ROBERT HUTTONof Wilmington. Delaware, an excellent turner and general mechanic, got posses-sion of all Billy Taylors tools and equipment after his death. Mr. Hutton isan enthusiast on bagpipes, both Scotch and Irish, and we are informed enjoysturning out an instrument occasionally, such is his love of everything connectedwith them. But it takes more than a mechanic to put the true tones in a set ofUnion pipes, and besides it is an art that all cant learn, try as they may.SERGT. JAMES CAHILLHad there been any scarcity of Union pipes ill Chicago in recent years, severalof our citizens could have risen to the occasion and supplied the want. Sergt.Jallies Cahill, a native of Kildare, one of the group of pipers in the Irish MusicClub, was an expert wood turner. In a workshop attached to his residence he hasturiied out at least a dozen chantersflat and sharpequal to the best, and fullyequipped with keys.JAMES CARBRAiAnother musicianmechanic to whom nothing comes amiss has devisedreamers which bore out clianters as true in tone as any that ever came from tilehands of Taylor. In evidence thereof it can be stated that Sergt. James Early andBernard Delaney, our celebrated policenian piper. use Mr. Carbrays chanters inpreference to those which belong to their sets of Taylor pipes.Mr. Carbrav, who is a florist in the employ of the \Vest Park Commissioners,Chicago. loves to daIly with the lrish piles. but his execution thereon is not at allcomparable to his mastery of the violin, though lie never saw Ireland or the skyover it. being a native of Oueiec. Canada. to which his parents had emigratedfrom the county of Tvrc:ne in the !i fties of the last century.JAM ES \Vi LLIAM SONAmong the exhibits at the Irish Harp Festival ill Belfast in 1903 were sev-eral sets of pipes made by James Williamson, Belfast. From the press we learnthat lie played magnificently on the Irish pipes on that occasion.Another exhibit was a set of Irish Union pipes attributed to a maker namedKennedy.In the vicissitudes of human life with its changing moods and fashions, tilepipemakersnot so long ago a flourishing fraternityhave dwindled almost to thevanishing point.
issue Number
1
page Number
84
periodical Author
O'Neill, Capt. Francis
issue Publication Date
1913-01-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

O'Neill - Irish Minstrels and Musicians

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