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Píobaire, An, Volume 4, Issue 35, Page 7

Píobaire, An, Volume 4, Issue 35, Page 7
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Píobaire, An
volume Number
4
issue Content
13Set 1910.600 is a most beautiful earlyIrish bagpipe, hard to date becausethere is no regulator but three D drones.It could date from anywhere between 1760and 1800 but I would go for closer to 1760.The museum notes attribute it to the earlyEgan but I think this is doubtful. Materials area fruitwood and brass. The stock is hollowwith a plug. The chanter throat is 4.2mm,which is too large for this date of instrument.Again I must assume that some ignoramushas probably been trying to fit the chanter tohis reeds rather than the other way around.The chanter length is 373.5 or 14.7 incheswhich appears a little too long also for thisperiod. It may have been extended a little withthe bottom ferrule totune it to modern D.There are no stamps sothe maker is unknown.A great pity for it is amost beautiful little set.However, it is damagedand so we can neverever hear it as wasintended by the maker.The famous “Lord Edward” set[1899.59] is an early Egan set in ivoryand silver with the name Lord EdwardFitzgerald engraved on the stock ferrule. Thisferrule is also engraved with the Egan arms.What bothers me about the Lord Edward con-nection is that his name almost runs into theEgan coat of arms. The workmanship is ofsuch high quality that I do not see the makermaking that mistake. Another point to consid-er is that in 1768 Lord Edward was five yearsold. That is not to say that he did not acquirethe pipes at a later date and had his nameengraved. The chanter is boxwood and has theappearance of Maurice Coyne about it. Nodoubt the original chanter was ivory. The bodyis entirely ivory with silver ferrules and fivesilver keys on the one regulator. The excep-tion being the stock plug, which is wood. Asilver ferrule is hall-marked for 1768 so thedate on the main-stock is absolutely believ-able. The dainty little bellows has two ivorymounted inlet valves and is probably original.The bag is ancient. The chanter, which has nokeys, would tune around modern C#.(Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the son of the Duke ofLeinster, was the leader of the Society of UnitedIrishmen in the insurrection of 1798)12
issue Number
35
page Number
7
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
2006-05-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Píobaire, An, Volume 4, Issue 35

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