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Píobaire, An, Volume 5, Issue 2, Page 9

Píobaire, An, Volume 5, Issue 2, Page 9
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Píobaire, An
volume Number
5
issue Content
One of the joys of Irish culture is ourmusic sessions. You stagger out of thelashing rain into a pub, someone is playing inthe corner; you grab a beer, whip out yourharpoon or your guitar and get involved.More fun than Disneyland, more team spiritthan the SAS, particularly at our annual folkfestival, where we have never had any prob-lems with the paramilitaries. “We knowwhere you live,” we threaten them, “and we'llcome and play outside your house”.There is a downside; music is in our blood,they say, but so is cholesterol, and years ofclandestine observation has led to the conclu-sion that there are many hidden dangersinvolved, and every instrument has its ownunique hazards. The Corner House inRostrevor has provided me with the followingobservational data, and any resemblance topersons alive or dead is right on the money.Uilleann pipes – For some bizarre, unfath-omable reason beautiful, exotic foreignwomen find grotesquely sweaty, hairy, ruddyfeatured men, maniacal-ly pumping their rightelbow, irresistibly attrac-tive. So before rushingout for lessons, stop atthe chemist for supplies.Flute – Slobber a lot, soother musicians must sitsome distance away lestbody fluids are inadver-tantly exchanged.Bodhrán – A kind ofdrum. The instrument oflast resort, for those whocan play nothing else, and basically an excuseto hang out with the band and drink.It is indeed a perverse and bizarre worldwhere you need a licence to own a dog yetany fool can play a bodhránAn excerpt from “Soundings – The Session” by LiamFarrell, British Medical Journal, 20-27 December 1997.Submitted by Wilbert Garvin.9Dear Old Erin’s IsleVarious artists(Nimbus Records NI 5350)Available from www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/index.htmlThis recording consists of a collection ofperformances recorded live in 1991 at the8th annual Éigse na Laoi, held under the title“Dear Old Erin’s Isle – a festival of IrishTraditional Music from America”, organisedby the student Traditional Music Society ofUniversity College Cork. The recording hasbeen available since 1992, but came our wayonly recently.The music consists mostly of solo perform-ances and duets, two of which will be of par-ticular interest to readers. These both includeJoe Shannon on uilleann pipes: in concertwith concertina player John Williams on “TheDerry Hornpipe”, and, on “The SwaggeringJig” and “The London Lasses”, in the compa-ny of John Williams again, and also fiddle-player Seamus Connolly.~ The Session ~
issue Number
2
page Number
9
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
2009-04-17T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Píobaire, An, Volume 5, Issue 2

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