Chiff and Fipple Forums

Are there any recordings of Garech de Brún's Timothy Kenna set. I was re-reading Sean Donnelly's article in SRS. Don't have the Drones & chanter LP handy just now so can't check if Paddy Moloney plays the set on one track or not? It looks to be a magnificent set, and I wonder how it sounds, but prehaps it's unreeded and unplayed, sleeping in a box. Sean states that the 3rd Baron Rossmore was by all accounts a good piper. Has anyone living today heard the set played live? Has it been documented, photographed, measured? Is there a replica existing somewhere? I understand that Garech lives abroad somewhere

Moloney plays his Rowsome set on all three tracks.

I have the CD edition, which has a photo of an "early nineteenth century" Thomas [sic] Kenna set on the cover, but no mention of who owned it. There's a bass regulator finial about the size and shape of a billiard ball at the top, and a gooseneck-style chanter top.

I heard that on his quest to photograph famous sets of pipes Ronan Browne contacted Garech about photographing the pipes but his request was denied. They're a beautiful looking set of pipes its a shame that there's not some better photos of them other then one on the D&C album

RORY

Julie Ann Rhodes writes in her blog:
"On any given weekend Luggala was filled with the likes of Van Morrison or Marianne Faithful singing to us. Seamus Heaney reciting poetry while Edward Delaney sculpted in the gardens. There were long conversations over dinner with film director John Boorman and actor John Hurt. More often than not Ronan Browne (no relation) or Seamus Ennis would play the pipes while I was mesmerized by the footwork of the Irish folk dancers. "
http://julieannerhodes.com/2010/03/lugg ... adise.html

Interesting that Seamus Ennis visited Luggala. I'm sure that he would have been allowed to play the set if it was reeded. Prehaps Ronan Browne too?

Zombie thread revival:

Does anyone know, Peter maybe, what has happened to Garech's Kenna set after his demise? I was reminded of the set the other day whilst thinking of Reck's Kenna. Does Reck's daughter still have his Kenna set?

In 2011 I asked if there were any recordings of de Brún's Kenna. Apparently there were not at the time, but perhaps there are now in 2019? Has anyone ever heard the set played? Ronan Browne was refused access to the set a few years ago, where is the set now?

I have seen this set, had it in my hands at Dan O'Dowd's house back in 1979... I took some photos and marveled at the quality of the craftsmanship. The set looked as if it had never been played and Dan suggested that it might be the case. I can hardly imagine it was made purely for display but as it was 'for the carriage trade' the very best of materials and craftsmanship went into it. The raised and knurled beads on the metalwork are a marvel and the bass regulator attachement to the mainstock is the model for my own version. The chanter had a sprung loaded poping valve which did not work properly, somewhat like a 2 stroke engine's piston and valve ports, it probably worked when new but was too flimsy for the sort of sideways stresses that occur when playing.

I'll have to dig deep in the boxes of photos to see if I still have any pictures of the set, it was snaps on black and white 35mm taken with neon lighting in Dan's kitchen.

There are other pictures on the cover of the Chieftain's Five album.

Wow Geoff, 40 years ago, was the set reeded at the time? Did you, or Dan play it? I've only seen the Drones & Chanter LP cover shot of the set. Monahan County Museum is having an event later this year with a Rossmore set of pipes that have been renovated, but I assume it is another set of pipes, not de Brún's Kenna that is to be showcased:
https://www.creativeireland.gov.ie/en/m ... -rossmores

An interview from 2017 with Garech de Brún, who died in March 2018, and Paddy Moloney:
https://www.rte.ie/culture/2018/0315/94 ... interview/

No Thomas, the set was not 'going' at that time. Perhaps I should have just measured the set whilst it was on the kitchen table . I recall is was a C set , or there abouts.
Knowing Pipes as we do, it is quite likely that Rossmore had a set that was going well and he was comfortable playing them. On ordering a new one , with all the bells and whistles, he found them new ,stiff and nicer to look at than play... Well who knows , but Ronan will know what the current story is.

Kind of interesting that this set, and the Coyne set owned by Westenra both have the gravity / spring controlled popping valves....
Perhaps the Coyne was "...the set that was going well and he was comfortable playing them."

"Perhaps the Coyne was "...the set that was going well and he was comfortable playing them." m4malious.

Yes, perhaps it's the Coyne set which will be on show at the Monahan County Museum later this year.

Malcolm, the Wooff chanter I bought from you in 2001 is going well.