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Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 5, Page 10

Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 5, Page 10
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Píobaire, An
volume Number
1
issue Content
(49)The Secretarys Report given at the Third Annual lionolheld at Ballymahon (Co.Longford), 20/22 March,1970We are now at the start of the third year in the life of N.P.U. Our Association of pipers run bypipers has survived two years despite the efforts of the chief organizer of C.C.E. successively totalk us out of existence, buy us out of existence, and smear us out of existence. The temptationto indulge in a dissipating controversy has been resisted by your Council, as it has been felt ofmore urgency to work in a positive fashion for the fulure of piping. Instead, we have beenquietly building up an extensively researched list of pipers, (almost doubling the number previouslyreckoned), and establishing links with each other through meetings and through An Piobaire , astencilled bulletin for internal circulation, four editions of which have appeared so far. To reallyconsolidate these links, priority is being given to the establishment of a headquarters in Dublinwhich will be museum, meetingplace, workshop and pipingschool. Five meetings of N.P.U.have been held and activities at these have included talks and demonstrations of piping bySeamus Ennis and Willie Clancy, classes in bag and bellowsmaking and reedmaking by MattKiernan and Dan ODowd, exhibitions of old pipes, photogrcphs and manuscripts, etc., showsof historic lantern slides, recording sessions and of course endless impromptu pipingsessions.Pc t McNulty, who has been conducting research into chanterintervals gave us a report onprogress to date at the last Autumn meeting. The lantern slides since their first showing havebeen transferred to 35 mm. film and are now available for booking by interested groups.In addition, Dan ODowd has travelled to Armagh to give further instruction in bag and bellowsmaking and reedmaking and he is prepared to travel anywhere to help interested groups.N.P.U. has set itself the task ofc-ompiling an accurate history of pipes and pipers and allinformation of a local nature would be welcome. The Autumn meeting endorsed the continua-tion of the Bulletin on a quarterly basis and contributions for this are urgently requested. Thissums up briefly what has taken place since the first pipers gathering in Bettystown 1968.What is of importance now is to assess this record against the aims expressed at thatfirstmeeting.1 PipeMakingWe all heard then of how perilously near extinction the craft of pipemaking had become in thecountry. There was generous talk of subsidizing the training of apprentices in the craft andthere was further talk of German engineers. All agreed that something had to be done to ensurea future supply of pipes. As a first step, the secretary was instructed to prepare a circularappealing for those with old pipes to contact N. P. U. This was sent to over 200 local news-papers in the country. It was further broadcase on the B.B.C. The net result was someenquiries about membership and the offer of ci couple of sets of bag pipes.2 Reed-MakingReedmaking was, of course, discussed (when two or more pipers are gathered together) and allagreed it was a frustrating hobby with very few good at it.3 PipingFinally there was much talk on the subject of piping. Everyone went away happy from thatmeeting. The next meeflng cou:JdnLt orne soon enough, but .theresponsibility. for action soonfell on the c rnmittee.whi:cb,wos elected a few months later.PipeMakingThis committee investigated the narrow field of pipe-making and decided that an approach bemade to four of the men at present engaged in pipemaking in the country, namely Rowsome,McFadden, Kennedy and Kiernan, to discover their attitude to taking apprentices on.Rowsome and Kennedy make their living from pipemaking. Of the other two Matt Kiernanhas been cooperating 100% with N. P. U. all along while Frank McFadden has expressed hiswish to help in every possible way. We understand that Frank has a young grandson follow-ing in his footsteps who may continue the McFadden tradition of pipemaking.over...10
issue Number
5
page Number
10
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
1971-03-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 5

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