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Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 20, Page 5

Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 20, Page 5
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Píobaire, An
volume Number
1
issue Content
(131)I KENNEDY BLIND PI j OF TANDERAG EIn the pt.Dec. (Vol.1) issue of the Be]fast MonthlyMagazine, j mediately after treatises on the renioval of inkstains and the effect of oxymuriated acids, appears this bi-ographical sketch of the amazing William Kennedy.The subject of this shat notice is William Kennedy ofTanderagee, in the county of Arrnagh, who has been blindfrom his infancy. The best account of his extraordin-ary progress in mechanics, is to be found in his ownsimple narrative, which the author of this arLicle pro-cured from his dictation.1 was born near Banhridge, in the county of Down, inthe year 176 , and lost my sight at the age of fouryears. Having no other amusement, (being deprived ofsuch as children generally have) my mind turned itselfto mechanical pursuits, and I hortly became projectorand workman f r all the children in the neighbourhood.As I encreased in years, my desire for some kind ofprofession or employment that might render me not burthensome, though blind, induced me to think of music;at the age of thirteen, I was sent to Arruagh to learnto play tJie fiddle; my lodging happened to be at thehouse of a cabinet-maker; this was a fortunate circuuistance for me, as I there got such a knowledge of thetools and manner of working as has been useful to meever since. Though these things engaged my mind andoccupied a great part of my time, yet I made as decenta progress in music, as any other of my z aster Mr. Mooreheads scholars except one. After living a year and aquarter there, returned home, where I made and. gottools so as to enable me to construct different piecesof household furniture. Not being satisfied with thepccupation of cabinetmaker, I purchased an old set ofIrish Bagpipes, and without instruction, it was withdifficulty that I put them into playing order. I soonhowever became so well acquainted with the mechanicalpart of them, that instrunienbs were brought to me fromevery part of the neighbourhood. to be repaired.. Ifound so many defects in this instrument that I beganto consider whether there might not be a better planof it than any I had yet met with, and from my earlyinstruction in mUSiC, and continual study of the ins-trument, for indeed I slept but little, in about ninemonths tine (having my tools to make) I produced thefirst new set. I then began to clock and watch making,and soon found out a clock maker in Banbridge, who hada desire to play on the pipes, and we mutually instr-ucted each other. From this time I encreased in mus-ical knowledge, but made no more pipes thougli I re-paired many, until the year l7 3, when I married andmy necessities induced me to us all my industry for themaintenance of my wife and encrea ing arnily my em-ployment for twelve years was making and repairing windand strinied instruments of music. I also constructedclocks both common and musical, and sometimes recurredto my first employment of a cabir et-maker, I also madelinen looms with their different tackling. My princip-al employment however is the construction of the Irishbagpipes, of which I have made thirty.sets in the
issue Number
20
page Number
5
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
1975-02-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Píobaire, An, Volume 1, Issue 20

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