John Lennon on the Uilleann Pipes

carel · Post by **carel** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:42 pm

djm wrote:This is the only McPeake web site I found: http://www.francismcpeake.com/

I think Peter is referring to this site
http://www.iol.ie/~ronolan/mcpeakes.html

"They have also performed in Moscow. Other admirers included Van Morrison and John Lennon who once asked Francie to teach him the uilleann pipes and almost bought a set off him."

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:51 pm

carel wrote:
djm wrote:This is the only McPeake web site I found: http://www.francismcpeake.com/
I think Peter is referring to this site
http://www.iol.ie/~ronolan/mcpeakes.html

"They have also performed in Moscow. Other admirers included Van Morrison and John Lennon who once asked Francie to teach him the uilleann pipes and almost bought a set off him."

It used to be on the Francis Mcpeake one but aparently it's all about the school now. Never mind.

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:51 am

djm wrote:The McPeake feature mentions how "faring" (sp?) music was being lost. I'm not sure what this refers to, and they don't explain it on the show. Is anyone familiar with this term and can define it?

Thx,

djm

Fairing music probably. Music that'd be played at horse fairs and festivals out in the open air.

Patrick.

marcpipes · Post by **marcpipes** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:48 pm

Another celeb who can play pipes is Peter O'toole. It mentions him playing Paddy's pipes(with different reeds rigged up) in the Chieftains biography.

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:17 pm

marcpipes wrote:Another celeb who can play pipes is Peter O'toole.

Maybe it was brilliant piping emerging through genetics. He probably was related to Touhey (O'Toole the anglicized version of Touhey).

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:38 am

Jim McGuire wrote:
marcpipes wrote:Another celeb who can play pipes is Peter O'toole.
Maybe it was brilliant piping emerging through genetics. He probably was related to Touhey (O'Toole the anglicized version of Touhey).

I am related to the O'Toole Clan so ye shouldnae mind the correction...in Irish it is O'TUATHAIL O'Toole and Touhey are the anglicized mutations thereof....
John Lennon did get lessons but couldnae hackit.. and returned them to Francie...
Slán Agat
Uilliam

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:20 am

That's correct. Touhey's birth certificate says "O'Toole".

Colin29 · Post by **Colin29** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:40 pm

Apparently the pipes that John Lennon got lessons on were made by the Kennedys of Cork, I think it was Moss who made them, John had a few lessons and by all accounts was a fast learner but got interested in other things which meant a decline in his interest in the pipes, the pipes are now in the hands of the McPeak family or so I have been lead to believe.

PJ · Post by PJ » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:00 pm

Colin29,

Am I addressing a Cork piper? If so, you're the first I've come across. Are there any more pipers in Cork?

By the way, any info you might have on Kennedy or Crowley pipes would be of great interest to me.

leremarkable · Post by **leremarkable** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:47 pm

WRT pipers in Cork, I expect a full head-count would net between 50 and 100.

Just because you haven't come accross them doesn't mean they're not there.

PJ · Post by PJ » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:24 pm

leremarkable wrote:Just because you haven't come accross them doesn't mean they're not there.

I've no doubt.

But I lived in Cork from 1984 to 1996 and never came across a single uilleann piper. However, it was only when I left Cork that I became interested in UPs. (One thing has nothing to do with the other

). I go back from time to time and would love to find out who the pipers are and where they meet. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

leremarkable · Post by **leremarkable** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:43 pm

There's John Mitchell, living in Ballincollig somewhere, plays, makes pipes, Jimmy Morrison in Fermoy, plays, teaches, Dennis Brooks in Cork City, architect of west coast piping in the USA. There's the Cork Pipers Club, based in the city, there's Diarmuid Moynihan and his clan, Diarmuid may not still live in Cork, I heard something about him in Prague. Sean McKiernan teaches at the Cork school of music I believe, altho' he lives in Carna, Co. Galway. There are a bucket load of young upandcoming pipers there too.

PJ · Post by PJ » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:49 pm

Great to hear. I'm already looking forward to my next trip back to Cork.

Thanks,

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:53 pm

Eoin O'Riabhaigh too!

PD.

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:15 pm

Didn't Paul recorded Mull of Kintyre and had pipes of some sort?

Cork Pipers Club is going strong; met John Murphy, their secretary on my visit in 2003. He plays a D Rogge set. Very nice person to talk to; really helpful with visitors. The club is meets on Mondays, I think. They had a tionol the weekend I left (darn). I have a picture of John Murphy and John Mitchell playing together. (thanks Dave, for the reminder) omeone tell me how to load a picture and I'll post it.

Address follows:

15 Aras Na Dige,
Mardyke,
Cork
Ireland

Edited twice, added comment on Cork Pipers Club

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John Lennon on the Uilleann Pipes

John Lennon on the Uilleann pipes