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3 unusual facts about uilleann pipes


Billy Pigg

The distinguishing characteristic of Pigg's playing style is the use of complex open-fingered ornaments, in imitation of Irish and Highland piping.

Gaunt's Ghosts

Tanith pipes are described as a small clutch of spidery reeds attached to a bellows bag which is squeezed rhythmically under the arm, and make a sound similar to Uilleann pipes.

Uilleann pipes

As late as the 19th century the instrument was still commonly associated with the Anglo-Irish, e.g. the Anglican clergyman Canon James Goodman (1828–1896) from Kerry, who interestingly had his uilleann pipes buried with him at Creagh (Church of Ireland) cemetery near Baltimore, County Cork.


Gaelic warfare

Bagpipes and Uilleann pipes would gain popularity in the later period notably the Great Highland Bagpipe and Great Irish Warpipes which would go on to be used by Gaelic mercenaries in Continental Europe and eventually develop into ceremonial

Out of the Air

Out of the Air is an album by the Irish uilleann pipes player Davy Spillane, that was originally released on Tara Music in 1988.


see also

Bob Dylan Tour with Mark Knopfler 2011

Knopfler's tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Richard Bennett (guitar), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Jim Cox (piano), Michael McGoldrick (flute, whistle, uilleann pipes), John McCusker (violin, cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), and Ian Thomas (drums).

Bob Dylan Tour with Mark Knopfler 2012

Knopfler's tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Richard Bennett (guitar), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Jim Cox (piano, organ, accordion), Michael McGoldrick (whistles, uilleann pipes), John McCusker (violin, cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), and Ian Thomas (drums).

Eric Rigler

He has been featured playing Great Highland bagpipes, Uilleann pipes and tin whistle on numerous movie soundtracks, including Titanic, Million Dollar Baby, Road to Perdition, Braveheart, Cinderella Man, Robots, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, DreamWorks's The Prince of Egypt, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and critically acclaimed South Korean TV series Jewel in the Palace.

Get Lucky Tour

The tour lineup for the North American leg included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Danny Cummings (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Matt Rollings (piano), Tim O'Brien (violin, mandolin), and Michael McGoldrick (flute, uilleann pipes).

Niall Vallely

It featured a diverse range of guests including brother Cillian on uilleann pipes, Zoë Conway on fiddle, Cian O’Duill on viola, Kate Ellis on cello, Neil Yates on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ed Boyd and Paul Meehan on guitars and Brian Morrissey on bodhrán, percussion and banjo.

Patrick Brown

Patsy Brown (Patrick A. Brown, 1872–1958), Irish-American maker of the uilleann pipes

Valentina Giovagnini

Her first solo album, "Creatura nuda" (Nude Creature), uses unusual typical Celtic instruments: whistle, musette de cour, uilleann pipes and others.