Unique Irish instrument making course expanded to include the harp
Press release on behalf of Na Píobairí Uilleann *Irish Version Below*
June 1, 2020
Photography: Fennell
NA PÍOBAIRÍ UILLEANN (NPU) is delighted to announce that starting September 2020 and in partnership with Ballyfermot College of Further Education (BCFE) additional instruments are to be added to the instrument making strand of the Ceoltóir programme.
The Irish harp, following the uilleann pipes, was inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition last December and the making of this iconic instrument will now be taught at NPU’s PipeCraft training facility in Clonshaugh as part of BCFE’s National Higher Diploma in Traditional Music Performance Programme (Ceoltóir).
Other instruments included in the expansion of the teaching programme are the mandolin/mandola along with the existing courses in uilleann pipes, flute and whistle making.
The Level 6 programme in Musical Instrument Making and Performance is a two year course and will commence at the start of the academic year in September in accordance with all Covid-19 safety protocols.
Speaking about the announcement of this expansion, NPU Chief Executive Gay McKeon said: “Expanding the cohort of skilled instrument makers in Ireland is a vital part of the preservation and promotion of traditional music and we’re delighted that Na Píobairí Uilleann’s facility in north Dublin is able to play a pivotal role in that objective.
“In partnership with Ballyfermot College of Further Education, we have framed these new additional courses in harp, mandolin and mandola making in an accredited module which will help provide a career pathway for participants who have ambition to develop the specialised craft of instrument making.”
NPU’s PipeCraft Training Centre, the first dedicated facility of its kind in Ireland equipped with the machinery, tools and materials required for transmitting the skills required for the craft of instrument making, was opened in 2011 with the support of the then Dept of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht along with other Government agencies and continues to be assisted with an annual fundraising campaign.
Since then over 150 students have received specialised instruction in pipe-making on full time and modular part time courses with flute and whistle making added to the courses in 2018 when a partnership was formed with Ballyfermot College of Further Education.
The success of the NPU/BCFE instrument making courses will have the effect of delivering benefits in the areas of heritage, culture, art, enterprise and jobs.
The re-establishment of Ireland as the world centre for excellence in the manufacture of uilleann pipes, flutes, whistles, harps, mandolins and mandolas will result in the provision of employment in an export-led sector and an increase in cultural tourism.
Applications can be made through the college website www.bcfe.ie, Ballyfermot College of Further Education PH: (01) 6269421, info@bcfe.cdetb.ie
Further Information Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Henrietta St., Dublin 1, Ireland Tel: +353-1-8730093 Email: info@pipers.ie Web: www.pipers.ie
About Na Píobairí Uilleann
Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU), the Society of Uilleann Pipers, was founded in 1968 when there were fewer than 100 uilleann pipers remaining. Today NPU is a thriving arts organisation dedicated to Sharing the Sound of Ireland through Access, Education, Performance and Preservation.
Since unveiling its restored Georgian premises at 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin, in January 2007, NPU has been busy catering for the expanding demand for regular tuition, as well as releasing a number of significant publications and recordings. With demand for pipes considerably exceeding supply, a dedicated Training Centre – PipeCraft – was established in 2011 to deliver training in the very highly skilled craft of uilleann pipe making.
NPU is accredited to UNESCO as a competent NGO in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
NPU lobbied the Irish Government to ratify the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage which resulted in the inclusion of Uilleann Piping on the UNESCO representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2017.
Na Píobairí Uilleann’s primary funding agencies include the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Dublin City Council.
Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1, Ireland
W: www.pipers.ie E:info@pipers.ie P: 00353(0)1 8730093
www.facebook.com/napiobairiuilleann
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An chláirseach anois mar chuid de chúrsa sainiúil i ndéantús uirlisí ceoil
Preas-ráiteas ar son Na Píobairí Uilleann
1 Meitheamh, 2020
Grianghrafanna á ndáileadh ag Fennell
Tá áthas ar NA PÍOBAIRÍ UILLEANN (NPU) a fhógairt go bhfuil tuilleadh uirlisí ceoil le cur leis an sruth i ndéantús uirlisí ceoil atá mar chuid den chlár Ceoltóir. Tá seo le tosú i Meán Fómhair 2020 i gcomhpháirtíocht le Coláiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid (BCFE).
I mí na Nollag seo caite chuir Eagraíocht Oideachais, Eolaíochta agus Chultúir na Náisiún Aontaithe (UNESCO) an Chláirseach Éireannach lena Liosta Ionadaíoch d’Oidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe an Chine Daonna. Múinfear déantús na huirlise íocónaí seo anois ag PipeCraft, ionad oiliúna NPU i gCluain Seach, mar chuid den Ard-Dioplóma Náisiúnta i dTaibhiú an Cheoil Traidisiúnta le BCFE.
Tá na huirlisí ceoil an maindilín agus an mandóla curtha leis an gclár oiliúna freisin agus leanfar ar aghaidh leis na cúrsaí don phíb uilleann, don fhliúit agus don fheadóg atá ann cheana féin.
Is cúrsa dhá bhliain ar Leibhéal 6 é agus tosóidh sé ag tús na bliana acadúla i Meán Fómhair 2020 faoi réir treoracha sábháilteachta Covid 19.
Agus é ag caint ar fhorbairt an chúrsa dúirt Gay McKeon Príomhfheidhmeannach NPU: “Is cuid ríthábhachtach é de chosaint agus de chur chun cinn an cheoil traidisiúnta é an méid déantúsóirí oilte d’uirlisí ceoil a mhéadú agus tá áthas orainn gur féidir leis an áis atá ag NPU i mBaile Átha Cliath Thuaidh ról lárnach a imirt sa gcuspóir seo.
Chuir muid na cúrsaí nua seo don chláirseach, don mhaindilín, agus don mhandóla le chéile i gcomhpháirtíocht le Coláiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid (BCFE) mar mhodúl creidiúnaithe, rud a chabhróidh leis na rannpháirtithe a slí a dhéanamh i dtreo gairm bheatha a bhaint amach ins an saincheird a bhaineann le déantús uirlisí ceoil.”
Le tacaíocht ón Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta agus ó áisínteachtaí eile stáit osclaíodh PipeCraft, Ionad Oiliúna NPU, in 2011. Ba í an chéad áis dá sórt in Éirinn í leis an trealamh cuí, na huirlisí agus na hábhair atá ag teastáil chun na scileanna i ndéantús uirlisí ceoil a sheachadadh. Bíonn feachtas tiomsaithe airgid ann gach bliain le tacú léi.
Ó shin i leith tá os cionn 150 scoláire tar éis sainoiliúint a fháil i ndéantús píbe ar chúrsaí lánaimseartha agus ar mhodúil pháirtaimseartha. Cuireadh an fhliúit agus an fheadóg leis na cúrsaí in 2018 am a ndeachaigh NPU i gcomhpáirtíocht le Coláiste Breisoideachais Bhaile Formaid (BCFE).
Rachaidh cúrsaí NPU/BCFE i ndéantús uirlisí ceoil chun tairbhe na n-earnálacha oidhreachta, cultúir, ealaíon, fiontraíochta agus fostaíochta.
Agus Éire arís ina hionad barr feabhais i ndéantúsaíocht den phíb uilleann, den fhliúit, den fheadóg, den chláirseach, den mhaindilín agus den mhandóla cuirfidh sin le fostaíocht san earnáil easpórtála agus i dturasóireacht cultúrtha.
Is féidir iarratas a chur isteach ar shuíomh idirlín an choláiste Ballyfermot College of Further Education www.bcfe.ie Teileafón: (01) 6269421, info@bcfe.cdetb.ie.
Tuilleadh Eolais Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Sráid Henrietta, Baile Átha Cliath 1, Éire Teil: +353-1-8730093 Rphost: info@pipers.ie Suíomh idirlín: www.pipers.ie
Eolas faoi Na Píobairí Uilleann
Bunaíodh Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU) in 1968 ag an am a cheaptar nach raibh ach thar ar 100 píobaire uilleann fágtha sa tír. Ach is eagraíocht atá faoi bhláth inniu í agus é mar aidhm aici Fuaim na hÉireann a Roinnt trí Rochtain, trí Oideachas, trí Thaibhiú agus trí Chaomhnú.
Ón am ar oscail NPU a áitreabh i dteach Seoirseach athchóirithe i 15 Sráid Henrietta, Baile Átha Cliath in 2007 tá sé ag freastal ar an éileamh atá ag fás gan stad ar oiliúint rialta ar an uirlis. Tá sé ag foilsiú agus ag eisiúint taifeadtaí tábhachtacha ó shin i leith freisin. Toisc go bhfuil éileamh thar na bearta ar an uirlis í fhéin, bhunaigh NPU a sainionad oiliúna PipeCraft in 2011 chun oiliúint a chur ar fáil ins an saincheird ardoilte de dhéantús píbe.
Tá NPU creidiúnaithe le hEagraíocht Oideachais, Eolaíochta agus Chultúir na Náisiún Aontaithe (UNESCO) mar eagraíocht neamhrialtasach inniúil (NGO) in san earnáil a bhaineann le hOidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe (ICH).
Chuaigh NPU i mbun stocaireachta le Rialtas na hÉireann chun go ndaingneodh sé Coinbhinsiún UNESCO maidir le hOidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe. De thoradh ar sin chuir UNESCO Píobaireacht Uilleann ar a Liosta Ionadaíoch d’Oidhreacht Chultúir Dholáimhsithe an Chine Daonna i Nollaig 2017.
Is iad príomh-mhaoinitheoirí NPU ná An Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, An Chomhairle Ealaíon agus Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Sráid Henrietta, Baile Átha Cliath 1, Éire
Suíomh Idirlín: www.pipers.ie Rphost: info@pipers.ie Teileafón: 00353(0)1 8730093
www.facebook.com/napiobairiuilleann
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