The Wheels of the World: 300 Years of Irish Uilleann Pipers

by John McSherry, John McSherry

One chanter, three drones, three regulators, thirteen keys, too many near-extinctions to mention and 300 years of that, with a frisson of fairies on moonlit knolls, is the Irish uilleann ('ill-in') pipes. The Wheels Of The World presents an epic tale of triumph and survival, where the soulful heart of a nation has been kept alive across ages by a slender thread of guardians - blind men, eccentrics, self-aggrandisers, noble heroes, bloody-minded revivalists and at least three people compared to Jimi Hendrix. Uilleann piping is Ireland's equivalent to the story of the blues in America, save that here the trail of legends and lore is richer and deeper by far. It is the sound of 18th-century blues - a microtonal virtuoso machine wielded by misfits and geniuses, often one and the same. This is the story of a continuum, from John McSherry, a 21st-century icon, backwards in time through Paddy Keenan, Liam O'Flynn, Finbar Furey, Seamus Ennis, Willie Clancy, Johnny Doran, Leo Rowsome and Patsy Touhey - at the dawn of recorded sound - and thence to find a litany of unrecorded legends before them. It is also a snapshot of professional Irish traditional musicians, after the gold rush of the late 20th century, keeping calm and carrying on.

624 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Chet Makoski · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a pleasure learning about the history of the Irish uilleann pipes and pipers. I love the sound this instrument makes. I think the introduction of this unique instrument into traditional Irish music bands and ensembles adds a spirit and quality that is profoundly complementary to the other traditional instruments. I wish the book would have featured more analysis of the influence of Paddy Moloney, the Chieftains, Seán Ó Riada and the Irish traditional music chamber ensemble, Ceoltóirí Chualann. They had a profound impact on the transition of traditional Irish music from solo performances to bands, as well as promoting the introduction of uilleann pipes, the bodhrán and harps to these ensembles. Patrick Werick, I thought of you and your artistry on the uilleann pipes as I read about these remarkable past and current pipers.