2002
The next nine photos were sent to me by Robert Gardiner of Toronto, Canada. They were taken over the weekend of The Chris Langan Tionól.

Ciarán Ó Máille at the Saturday Concert.
Debbie Quigley and Kelly Hood at Church recital.
Kelly Hood at church recital.
Giles Bettison at Church recital.
Robbie Hannan at Saturday concert.
Ray Caldwell at church recital.
Robbie Hannans saturday class, second from the left (Bearded with dark sweater is Joe Kennedy the Ontario pipemaker).
Musicians at the book launch for "Move Your Fingers" are L to R. Pat Hutchinson, Dave Papazian, Karin Light and Steve Jeffrey.
Youngest Piper trying out a Joe Kennedy practice set.
Now to the 2002 North West Tionól. Here is Brian McNamara, the guest for the weekend, playing a few tunes in the classroom on his Quinn/Koehler D set. Looks like he's playing a Seth Gallagher C chanter there too??
Brian giving instruction to the class.
Seth Gallagher playing one of his creations, I think this is Larry Dunn's set.
Seth giving his reed making workshop.
Here are two great musicians that attended the tionól. A pair of sisters who played some thundering tunes, fair play to them. If you know their names please let me know, thanks.
The Four Pipers of the Apocalypse! A scary scene ensued to present that night concert at the Tractor Tavern. Don't try this at home without adult supervision!
The evening rounded off nicely with Brian taking the stage playing his Wooff set which held up very well to the wet/dry conditions of Seattle. See you there in 2004.
Séamus Ennis and Jean Richie doing their show "As I Roved Out" for the BBC.
Here is a photo of a moment I hold dear. Al Purcell on one of his frequent visits to LA to see his family. We were lucky enough to have had a few evenings like this with Al.
Máire Ní Gráda - a photo sent my way via Susanne Ward to promote the 2002 East Coast Tionól © unknown
Here's a lovely old Egan chanter and it's copy by Brad Angus. Lovely looking stuff Brad!
Here are a group of photos from Belfast piper Fergus Maunsell.

He says of his set, "The photos 1, 2 and 3 are a Andreas Rogge lefthanded full set of uilleann pipes in the key of C which is made from snakewood, brass/artificial ivory. The three chanters photo are also made by Andreas Rogge from left is B chanter made from plumwood brass/boxwood, middle is C chanter made from snakewood, brass/artificial ivory and a D chanter made from ebony brass/artificial ivory."

Thanks very much Fergus for sending me these following *twenty* photos.
Fergus' Andreas Rogge C set. Liam O'Flynn, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh June 1995
Fergus' Andreas Rogge C set. Paddy Keenan and Allan Mac Donald, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh June 1999
Fergus' Andreas Rogge chanters in B, C and D. Paddy Keenan and Seamus Tansey, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh February 1999
Andreas Rogge, Belfast Tionól March 1997 Robbie Hannan and Paddy Glackin, Hatfeild Bar Belfast Feburary 1997
Dennis Brookes, Belfast Tionól March 1997 Robbie Hannan and Paddy Glackin, Duke of York Bar Belfast November 1999
Andreas Rogge, Belfast Tionól March 1999 Sean Keane, Liam O'Flynn and Brendan Begley, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Holywood, Co. Down (old Catholic Church from Drumcree Portadown) Concert December 1998
Fergus Maunsell (donator of these fine photographs), North Co Donegal March 1999 Tiarnan Dinkin, Belfast Tionól March 1998
Liam O'Flynn & Arty McGlynn, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh October 1998 Tom Clarke, St Michael's Parish Hall October 1996
Liam O'Flynn, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh June 1995 Tommy and Jackie Keane, Stray Leaf Folk Club Mullaghbawn Co Armagh November 1999
Liam O'Flynn & Arty McGlynn, Duke of York Bar Belfast 1993 Trevor Strewart, Belfast Tionól March 1999
Tommy Kearney playing what I think to be his own four regulator set which he owned at the time the photo was taken. Stephen Scales of NPU tells me, "It looks like the C set that Alain Froment made for himself during the 80s. I think he sold it to Jim McGuire of Chicago." I know Alain has made himself a "5" regulator set in C#, but I'm not sure as to when he made it. Anyone know more about this set? Who made it etc.?

Here are two paintings by Pieter Brueghel (approx.1525-69). The top painting is"The Peasent Wedding" and the bottom painting is "The Peasant Dance". I found these paintings at ibiblio, go there for more info on the artist and his legacy. Even more on this topic can be obtained from www.prydein.com/pipes/ Here is an example of his work being made excellent use of today Bruegel Beer
These following photos were submitted via "bil" a.k.a. William McKenty and were originally sent to Séamus Taylor directly from Geoff Wooff. These photos are over twenty years old so keep that in mind when reading the odd quoted price etc! Not to mention the hair-do's :)
An old Alain Froment D set. Geoff's Harrington C set.
Four old sets by Geoff Wooff. Leo Kelly playing his Wooff set.
Les Crockford with his Wooff set. Phil Wardle with his Wooff set.

Geoff's 88th set.
Tom Wolverton, SCUPC member and guitarist/banjo player with The Rattlesnake Creek String Band sent me this photo of a piper playing a Wooff set at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Tom and his band were there as guests at the Feakle Festival. He had a fabulous time he tells me. If you know the name of this piper let me know so I can list him correctly.
I found this in the archived An Píobaire section of the NPU website. Not sure of the year but probably in the mid eighties.... my how the times have changed! Notice that the price is Ozzy Dollars! WOW! The link to NPU members is http://www.pipersclub.com/piobaire/Piob0235/Piob023508.pdf




Here are some nice looking sets of drones made by Stephen Vickers. He sent them to me to promote sets that Dessie Seery and himself currently have for sale having joined forces. You can contact Dessie and Stephen at svick@eircom.net

On a visit home in May 2002. Driving through Cahir saw this sculpture and rapidly pulled over to get a quick photo. This is what is written on the placard accompanying the sculpture:
"Edward Keating Highland (Cahir) 1780 - 1845 Despite being blinded by smallpox at the age of 15 he became one of Irelands most gifted uilleann pipers and a renowned composer. He brought joy to all who heard him play. - Sculpted by Mona Croome Carroll 1999."
The artist did a great job on sculpting the pipes, I wonder if she had a model to go on? Ignore your man on the left, he kept on slipping into these photos ;)
We had the pleasure of staying a night with Jimmy O'Brien-Moran and his family. We had a great night and couple of afternoons looking over sets of pipes and various pieces Jimmy has collected. In the background you will notice a framed Planxty gig poster, this was the first Planxty concert Jimmy was at, he has the ticket from the gig in there too, great stuff!
We then found ourselves in Milltown Malbay (of course) and payed a visit on Geoff and Gabbi Wooff. After a lovely evening perusing new sets Geoff had made, old ones he has around and strengthening bonds of a personal nature we spent the following morning and afternoon in his workshop. He hadn't had a close look at my set since he built it really, towards the end of 1999. I picked the set up on January the 3rd 2000, I believe it was, the millennium set he calls it. He gave it the once over and they are working better then I ever remember, once again..... great stuff!




A wonderful set has been aquired by an S.C.U.P.C. member, namely Mr. Larry Dunn. It's a Peter Hunter half set in B which, as far as I can tell is modelled after Ronan Brown's Harrington set. It has a fourth drone made to play an A note and the chanter has five keys. Tasty schmasty! The smaller photos were taken by Alan Burton who reeded the set, very nicely I might add, and the larger two were taken by Larry.
Came across this great article by Eugene Lambe from the early 1980's in the NPU "An Píobaire" archives. It is of particular interest to pipers in the US as it talks about the forming of the "East Coast Branch" of the Seattle PIpers Club, among many other great topics.
Here is an oil painting by Lewis Blevins of Croke Patrick, the holy mountain located on Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. My Mothers side of the family is from very close to there in a village called Sandhill, in the parish of Tiernaur near Mulranny. Lewis painted it for Joy and Myself as a wedding gift for which we are truly greatful. Thanks Lewis it's a beautiful piece! I have left it so big so that it can be used as a wallpaper on your computer if you so desire.
Here's a publicity poster for the 9th Annual William Kennedy International Festival of Piping. Now that's a poster! Rarrr! ;)
Lewis Blevins sent me these photos from the East Coast Pipers' Tionól 2002, thanks Lewis!
Benedict Koehler and Brian McNamara. Bruce Foley of Pittsburg with his Alain Froment set.
The Rt. Hnr. Rev. David Quinn. Debbie Quigley and Anthony Santoro..... segway..... I was in Ireland last week for my Sister's wedding and met Anthony at a session purely by accident! You can imagine my horror surprise!
"The very good-looking and enormously talented Tom Klein playing his Andreas Rogge D set" - Tom Klein :) Tom Quinn playing his Andreas Rogge set with his David Quinn chanter.
Willie Kelly playing either Mike Rafferty's Willie Rowsome half set with two added regs or Benedict Koehlers Rowsome/Quinn set.
For a full report and photographs on the 2002 Southern California Tionól with special guest Robbie Hannan please visit the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club website ::: more»
Here are a couple of nice photos of Dr. Lewis Blevins out in the country on a hunt..... hold on a second that isn't a Winchester in the good doctor's arms but a David Quinn 3/4 set.... and what's that he's leaning up against? Looks like a BMW Z4 to me.... where'd you nick that one Lewis ;) Congrats on the car she's a beauty …..most unique German-made “case” for a set of pipes to date!
This is a picture sent to me by Peter Laban but Mick O Brien took it with the digital snapper, Peter is playing Mick's Bflat Froment in Caiominh O Raghallaigh's kitchen in Milltown Malbay. The young lady in the background is Breda Keville playing the fiddle. Peter says, "We were playing Murphy's Greyhounds far as I remember."
Can you spot the real Tom Klein?
Here are a couple of items sent to me by Fel Bautista. Fel has been in the piping scene in California since the early 70's and even spent some time back then in Ireland where he attended a NPU meeting on a Saturday night at which Séamus Ennis attended. These images are the original flyer/invitation to the first San Francisco Tionól and it's accompanying newspaper article featuring Dennis Brookes on his Kennedy set.
Here's a blast from the past! These are the stamps that were on the envelope sent to Fel Bautista from NPU back in 1980. Great stuff! Bring back the pipers stamp! Not sure who the piper is, possibly Leon Rowsome?? Any ideas anyone?
The president of the Great Northern Irish Pipers Club being sworn in. Serious business indeed!
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