Piping Links
- Na Piobairi Uilleann
- SWAUP
- Reedshaman
- Uilleann Obsession
- Mad for Trad
- NWUP
- The Session
- Last Night's Fun
- Chiff and Fipple
- EZFolk
- The Hibernia Centre
- TradLessons.com
Other Links
Piping Events 2008
Jan 23-27
Temple Bar Trad, Temple Bar,
Dublin
Feb 15-17
West Coast Tionol, Seattle, USA
Mar 15
Ceardlann Earraigh, Celbridge,
Co. Kildare
Mar 20-23
50th German Tionol, Burg Fursteneck
Mar 26-30
New Zealand Tionol, Otaki, Nr Wellington. Contact:
p.egli@familyhealth.co.nz
Apr 4-6
Saint Louis Tionol, Roswell Georgia
Apr 25-27
Doran Centenary Tionol, Bellbridge Hotel, Spanish Point, Co. Clare.
Contact: leopipinghot@eircom.net
May 2-4
Feile Ceoil Tradisiunta Ard an
Ratha, Ardara, Co. Donegal
May 2-5
Feile Chois Cuain, Louisburgh,
Co. Mayo
May 16-18
Skerries Traditional
Music Weekend, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Steve J. Turner, Uilleann Piper
Céad míle fáilte - A warm welcome to my uilleann piping website. Please allow me to give you some information on why I feel the Uilleann Pipes, the Irish bagpipes, are the greatest instrument in existence. My love affair with the Uilleann Pipes started when a friend played me an old recording of Finbar and Eddie Furey one evening many years ago. I instantly fell in love with the sound of the pipes, the energy and feeling contained within the music, and I vowed there and then that I had to learn more about this awesome and complex instrument.
Much research followed, and before long I managed to obtain a practice
set, which
is simply a chanter, a bag and bellows. Having studied music
previously, and being able to play the organ, and guitar, I thought that I
would soon be playing jigs and reels with the best of them, but I couldn't
have been more wrong. I smile when I think of the awful noises I made
initially, but I was so determined to play this instrument that I
struggled on and with much effort started to grasp the basics. I even
remember apologising to my neighbours for the torturous noises emanating
daily from my house.
Early on in my piping career, I was fortunate to meet Nick Scott, of 'Last
Nights Fun' fame and he put me in touch with The South Western Association
of Uilleann Pipers (SWAUP), a very friendly bunch of lads who meet
regularly in Somerset. It was through SWAUP, and their annual piping
weekend, that the horizons of my piping world were widened, and I had the
chance at last to sit at the feet of master pipers, observe their
technique, and receive constructive
criticism of my own playing. I was
also fortunate indeed to receive instruction in the black art of
reedmaking from master reedmaker and piper Alan Burton. Now I am in the
position to be able to keep my Froment full set of Uilleann Pipes supplied
with reeds of my own construction.
Fifteen years have now passed since I took my first faltering steps towards becoming a piper, and in that time I have learnt a thing or two about playing the pipes, their maintenance, performance and teaching, and I now wish to assist those who want to start a piping career, or those who may need a piper for a special event, or are in need of reeds for their pipes. I hope this website also caters to those who just enjoy traditional Irish music played on the national instrument of Ireland.
I hope you enjoy this website, and my thanks for visiting.
Sláinte