Introduction

Here are short biographies of people - almost all of them men - who played the Irish kind of bagpipe in North America from about 1850 to 1950. Also a list of pipemakers. This instrument has been known by several names and today is called the uilleann (ill-un) pipes. It was developed in Ireland and in recognizable form by 1750. In North America, and until about 1920, it was most commonly known as the "Irish pipes." That is the name I will use for it most of the time.

The biographies aim to give a sense of what is known about their subjects, and what their lives were like. The kind and quality of their music is not ignored, but it is not examined in any depth, either. To some degree I go along with the apothegm attributed to Martin Mull, "writing about music is like dancing about architecture."

This work is mainly one of compilation; unearthing and assembling information. Assessing the context, examining historical and cultural changes, searching for meaning.... These are not strengths of mine. Perhaps there is material here that will suggest such insights to others. In the meantime, if these biographies give one a sense of the variety and possibilities of lives lived in association with this instrument, I am content.

Background

In 2013 I was fortunate enough to purchase a set of pipes made by the Taylor brothers of Philadelphia. It was once owned by Ed O'Donnell, a vaudevillian. I did considerable research on his vaudeville career, circa 1903-20. I wondered how successful his career was but had no basis for comparison. So I began research on Pat Touhey (1865-1923), the most successful of the vaudeville pipers. From there I began compiling information generally on Irish piping activity in North America. After a time I had amassed an enormous amount of material. These biographies are a way to make some of this information accessible to those who might be interested.

Other comments

Calling any musician "Professor" was very common from about 1870 to 1920. In the United States, anyway; I have seen this usage occasionally in Ireland and elsewhere. There are scores of references to pipers, good bad indifferent, as "Professor." An honorific. Perhaps an equivalent today would be calling someone "maestro" or referring to them as "an icon." A remnant of the practice is the stage name of New Orleans blues pianist Henry Bird, "Professor Longhair."

The "selected references" are intended to support information given, also sometimes to point the way for more information if the reader wants it. If the citation is from the internet I try to give a source or database name. If it is not behind a paywall at time of writing, I give an URL. If the URL name does not imply a source it is probably from the Fulton History index, an astounding if quirky index to newspapers and other sources, mostly from New York State. A Fulton History index link will look like this:

New York NY Irish American Advocate 1911 - 0240.pdf

and the home page for Fulton History is:

http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

Acknowledgements

Many people have been helpful and generous with their knowledge. I have tried to give credit where credit is due in the biographies.

Three men got me started on this project, David Quinn, Bill Ochs and Barry O'Neill. In their different ways, all showed me the importance of doing the work with diligence, care and thoroughness.

Michael Kelly and Richie Piggott have been openhanded with their own valuable research, and very tolerant of my questions and requests.

Thanks also to Cornell University Libraries in Ithaca, NY. Their policies permitted me - an unaffiliated town resident - to use their remarkable print and digital resources.

Nick Whitmer
Ithaca NY USA
August 2020