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Charles O'Donnell comments and selected references
Here is the registry information for the Charles O'Donnell Uilleann Pipes in the National Museum of Ireland, museum registration number DF:1994.1.1
This full set appears to be well made and in the Taylor style. An article in the Indianapolis News, June 22, 1918, says "The bagpipe which Mr. O'Donnell uses was made almost entirely by himself as the original makers of the instruments in Ireland are fast dying out, and it will probably soon become an obsolete instrument."
To this point there is no evidence that O'Donnell made other sets or bagpipe parts. To my mind, however, it would be very unusual if a craftsman made, as his first and only instrument, one of such complexity and quality. More than one person has looked at photographs of the set and come away with the impression that the mainstock, drones and regulators give every indication of being made by the Taylor brothers, and the chanter appears to have been made by a "less experienced hand" trying to copy the Taylor style.
O'Donnell may have been born "in or near Thurles," County Tipperary. His parents, Dennis and Anastasia Dwyer O'Donnell, were natives of Hollyford, County Tipperary, according to their gravestone.
Charles O'Donnell immigrated to the US in 1869 or 1870, was in Indianapolis by 1876. In that year he began work at Kingan and Company, meatpackers, where he was employed for at least 60 years. He was trained as a cooper, a barrel-maker, and for years was the foreman of the "cooperage department" in this enormous factory.
He was married twice, with four children by his first wife Margaret Lucid. Two of his children were musical. Charles Jr. was a singer. Anastasia a piano player and teacher, who sometimes accompanied Charles when he played pipes.
O'Donnell played in public at entertainments and concerts, and is several times mentioned as playing for exhibition dancers. Almost all appearances were for Irish cultural organizations. He was a local piper and with one exception all his known engagements were in Indianapolis.
The 1918 article which said O'Donnell made his pipes adds that much of his music was "learned from his father in Tipperary, Ireland, many years ago, and has never [been] heard from anyone else." Also, "Mr. O'Donnell goes each year to Chicago to an annual gathering of Irish bagpipe players. One of these has collected more than 1,800 Irish tunes." Chicago is about 190 miles (305km) northwest of Indianapolis. The collector of tunes was Francis O'Neill.
O'Donnell became a naturalized US citizen in 1922. He died at his home August 19, 1949 and is buried in Holy Cross St. Joseph Cemetery, Indianapolis. His obituary described him as "retired cooper and expert in Irish lore."
Nick Whitmer July 2020
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Cierzniak, Libby "Indianapolis Collected: Butterine, anyone?" [about Kingan & Co.]
https://historicindianapolis.com/indianapolis-collected-butterine-anyone/
"Irish Bagpipe Music to Accompany Fairy Tales" [pipes made by himself; goes to Chicago once a year] Indianapolis [IN] News June 22, 1918 p. 16 column 2
Newspapers.com
"Kingan Employees to Hold Banquet - Members of Old Timers' Association With Firm At Least 20 Years" [employed since 1876] Indianapolis [IN] Star March 3, 1939 p. 14
Newspapers.com
National Museum of Ireland. Email from Dr. Jennifer Goff June 12, 2017 [registry information]
"O'Donnell Burial To Be Tomorrow" [obituary] Indianapolis [IN] Times Aug. 21, 1949 p. 4 column 3
Hoosier State Chronicles Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program
https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IPT19490821.1.4&srpos=180&e=-------en-20--161-byDA-txt-txIN-%22charles+o%27donnell%22------
O'Donnell, Dennis and Anastasia, gravestone in St. Michael's Cemetery, Stratford, Connecticut
Find a Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156225565