I’ll be in Dublin and Drogheda on June 26-27 for a business trip and will probably stay over for that weekend.
Three things:
Can anyone recommend a nice inexpensive place to stay over the weekend? My wife and I were in Ireland 15 years ago on our honeymoon and enjoyed the bed & breakfasts, but we were mostly in the west and south parts. Only stayed one night outside of Dublin so we are not at all familiar with the area (and its probably changed a bit since then as well!)
I’m looking for a practice set for a beginner with no experience (me), and only minor experience with the whistle. Are there any makers in the Dublin area I could visit and hear their pipes while I’m there? I’m trying to decide if I’m going to rent a car over the weekend or not, so if there are makers within easy driving distance it may tip the scales.
Where can I find info on any sessions or pubs where we can hear some good music that weekend?
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Gary
I only spent a bit of time in Dublin, but you should check out MacNeill’s, a small music store not to far from downtown, they had used and new pipes for sale there, and definitely a knowlegable staff. I don’t remember the street name now, it’s been a few years but the place frankly made me drool, so many good instruments. I went to one pub called Hughes’ and another called The Cobblestone, both of which had great sessions. The Cobblestone has a room upstairs with a good small stage and great sound, so if there’s anyone playing there you might want to check it out. But you know, there are people who actually live in Dublin who are on this forum so I’ll shut up and let them talk.
A word of advice, Gary: resist the temptation to buy a practice set from any retailer. Just because it’s sitting in a reputable irish music shop does not mean that it’s any good. Take someone with you who knows a thing or two about pipes to assess them if possible; otherwise, save your money and get on a waiting list. When buying pipes from retailers, no matter how reputable they may be, it’s wise to be cautious. The odds are that if it’s sitting in a shop untouched there’s probably a very good reason.
You may want to drop by Na Piobairi Uilleann, #15 Henrietta street, if you’re keen to hear pipes in action. There may be a Saturday class where you could just sit and listen a bit.
Oh, for a music hot spot where you might get to hear some good piping-go to Hughes’ Pub on Chancery street, I think Gay Mckeon does a session there and Martin Nolan has been spotted playing the odd tune as well…Just remember it’s a session, not a concert. The musicians are there for their own enjoyment, not necessarily that of the patrons.
Is that the shop that John Kelly used to own Peter? I remember years ago going in there and seeing an old boxwood set in all it’s banana glory… not looking too healthy. I think it may have been a Rowsome??? As far as I can remember a guy in Arizona bought it. Anyone know what’s up with this set now?
McNeill’s is indeed on Capel…no pipes there the lat two visits I’ve made but they have lots of good botton boxes, etc. Worth the visit anyways. I second the reccomendation re The Cobblestone Pub in Smithfield just a few blocks north of the Liffey. Tom Muligan, Neillidh Mulligan’s brother runs the establishment. Kevin Rowsome and Lorraine Hickey used to hav a regualr session there on Sunday afternoons…there is a session of sorts every day as I recall, however.
It isn’t the Horseshoe shop Pat.
I am not sure we are talking about the same set but steve bought a boxwood set in an antiqueshop in England for 6-800 sterling some eight years ago, had Geoff overhaul [well, did a bit of work on it] it into playability. I was in one of these phases where I was thinking that movign to Clare maybe I should have a cocnert pitch set to play out more and considered buying it very briefly but he wanted 1600 punt or more for it, can’t remember adn I thought ‘stuff it’. It looked very antique and all crooked but it turned out it was an early Dan O Dowd. I don’t know where it went, he had it for a long time.
John Kelly owned a shop called The Horse Shoe which was right next door to the Four Seasons Pub. MacNeills shop is much further down Capel Street, near Capel Street Bridge (which spans the river Liffey)
There was two sessions going in Hughes pub last Friday night. The main session (up near the top of the pub) had Conor McKeown and Harry Bradley playing. Paul Doyle was backing and Simon McBride (Paul o’Shaughnessy’s uncle) joined them later on.
If that sounds a little high powered for you then there is a regular session in the snug where a lot of pipers meet and play. These would include Vincent Collins, Jimmy Troy, Eamonn Lane, Donnchada Keegan, Patricia Keegan, Ken, Priontias, Alan and numerous others (sometimes all together). This informal pipers session has been going on for years and is great for dropping into (if you are mad about pipes)
There only seems to be three pipemakers plying their trade in Dublin at the moment. Kevin Thompson, Arie De Keyser and Donnchada Keegan.
I believe that the NPU can provide contact details for these makers or failing that you could send me a private message and I will see what I can do.
Thanks everyone for the info and the warning about the sets of unknown origin or quality you might find in a shop. I wasn’t thinking about buying yet, but that reminder will help me overcome my enthusiasm if I stumble across a set that looks like a good deal. I know a local piper (our daughters go to the same set dancing school) and am enlisting his help and advice prior to purchase. I don’t feel at this point I’ve heard enough makers to know which I prefer.
After posting, I had the same thought to stop by NPU HQ and will probably do that (hey if you’re that close to ‘Mecca’ you might as well stop by!)
My post may have not made it clear, but I have no intention of joining a session in any way. I just want to hear some good trad, and the sessions I’ve listened to in the past have been great. I would say that music played for the musicians own pleasure usually has more heart than a performance for an audience, but of course maybe not the perfect execution. Not to say the musicians couldn’t play perfectly, but that their purpose at that time is different. (e.g. playing the same A or B part over and over so others in the session can pick it up and join in)
It sounds like there are several pubs which we’ll definitely check out.
John, where is the piper’s session you were talking about? Is that at Hughes also?
