An appropriate home for an old set of Uileann pipes?

My father-in-law has an old set of Uileann Pipes (unfortunately without chanters) made in Belfast at 17 Edinburgh Street (off the Lisburn Road,near Tate’s Avenue). Not only are they stamped by the maker, but they also have an interesting hand written cover letter from him. They were made in 1917. Are these of particular interest or rarity? If so, it would be great to get them to a good home, instead of being stuck in a carrier bag in a cupboard.

All comments welcome.

There is a great interest in Richard Lewis O’Mealy’s pipes.

http://www.seanreidsociety.org/SRSJ3/3.02/O%27Mealy%20Biography.pdf

The Sean Reid Society volume 3 is devoted entirely to O’Mealy.

I would love to have them myself.but they should go to NPU or you will get a good price for them if you needed to sell.

I will call at his place over the weekend to get them and the letter, and post more details. Can’t remember the manufacturer’s name as I haven’t seen them in a while, are they O’Mealy?. What is the NPU?

At least give NPU first refusal.

They should ideally be restored to playable condition. Bill Haneman, apart from being a wonderful pipemaker, is a sensitive restorer.

Thanks Roger, I still don’t know what NPU means.

Dunnp, I have had a quick read of the excellent long write-up you have linked me too. A great folk-history, very detailed and well compiled. I see a few points of interest from my very brief initial reading of this (to be continued more thoroughly over the weekend):

He is buried in Knockbreda Churchyard, a few minutes walk from my house, I will have to call over and say hello.

The process of manufacture of the reed seems to be of great importance. I once, years ago, brought the pipes to a Liam O’Flynn concert in Belfast. When I showed him the pipes afterwards, his only interest was in the state of the reed.

I will get a hold of them tomorrow night and post more details. I remember in the covering letter that he asked the owner of the new pipes to be secretive about how to use them!

Sorry. Na Píobairí Uilleann, *the* uilleann pipers’ association in IRL and worldwide.
@napiobairi , http://pipers.ie/

The Sean Reed society is an emanation of it that takes a particular interest in researching past pipemakers and their skills.

Thanks Roger, now I am a little wiser. I need to brush up on my terminology - it is the drones that are missing, not the chanter. Sean Reed/old reed, a very appropriate name for a researcher in the history of the pipes!

It’s actually Sean *Reid* - Freudian misspelling on my part!
A perfect gent. Acquired sets like yours and made sure they ended up in good hands.

an O’Mealy chanter sold in 2010 for 921 pounds.

a damaged one fetched 620 at about the same time.

just as points of reference these were the prices realised on eBay.

When you say ‘unfortunately without drones’ -- are the drones missing, or is it a practise set? In other words, are there three holes / orifices / places where something is obviously missing, or does the thing look as if it would be airtight? Either way, the NPU would love to have them, and are very helpful in encouraging the popularity of piping.

LOL, me.

Just kidding (er…well). They should go to NPU and someone who can make them playable.

You should post about your grand’s set at: http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewforum.php?f=6 You can put up pictures there, and reach a greater audience too. Sean Donnelly from NPU sometimes posts things there.

It might be a set built by Frank McFadden, another old time Belfast maker. But 1917 would be a bit early for him. O’Meally made many sets with just one regulator instead of the usual three, too, thus the “missing” drones.

A partial update on these pipes.

They were made by R. L. O‘Mealy for William MacNeill, the Father of my Father-in-Law. He lived at Magheragall, a townland west of Lisburn, which is still a country area. He was a master carpenter, who at one time worked in the Belfast Shipyards. He became a ship’s carpenter, and he had bought the pipes to play while afloat. Tragically, he was lost at sea, sometime around 1930. He left a widow with seven young children, and his pipes. I don’tknow if the pipes had been at sea with him when he was lost.

These were originally a full set of pipes. When my Father-in-Law took them from the old family home, in 1964, he did not have the drones. He has no idea what could have happened to them. I will ask him to check with his remaining siblings if they have any idea, but I wouldn’t hold out much hope there.

Further update to come when I see the pipes & the letter from O‘Mealy. When I have full information I will follow your advice, Kevin, and post on ’Chiff & Fipple’

Madoc,

I’m actually heading up to Belfast to buy a set of R.L.O’Mealy pipes. Sadly they are missing a few components and I’m looking for a another set in the hope I’ll be able to get a full set out of it that can be fully restored and returned to full playing condition. I have spoken to the guys at NPU and they put me in touch with a specialist who can do all the restoration work.

I’d very much like to speak to you about the set. I was just surfing the Internet reading up on O’Mealy when I came across your post.

Give me a message on hear or my email which is ashorourke@hotmail.com if you want to chat.

All the best

Ashley

Ashley,

I would be interested in discussing the pipes further, but my father-in-law has not found them yet. I am living in hope of them appearing, because they are an interesting part of my wife’s family history, and it would be a crying shame if they were lost for good.

If/when they appear, I will put out a general notice on this site, but also contact you directly. In the meantime, I wish you luck in your mission.

Regards

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thank you for getting back to me.

I went up at the weekend and bought my O’Mealy set. 1901. Beautiful set, restoration starts end of July and will be a slow process.

I spoke at length to the chap who will restore the set for me and he said that finding the parts will be next to impossible so I have decided to wait to either have reproduction parts made for the parts I’m missing or hang on to see if you guys find your set. Or maybe if your set is found maybe get the parts made for that also, who knows. Just have to wait and see.

The letter from O’Mealy sounds amazing, is that lost also or do you have it?

Nice to hear from you.

All the best

Ashley

Hi Ashley,

I live in hope of pipes and letter being found. I have some pictures of a fully operational set in superb order, owned by a Belfast man. If of interest, I can email these to you.

I am not sure if the pipes will be for sale if found.

Good Luck for now.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Yes that would be of great interest to me, please forward them on. do you have my email address.

I can send you some pictures of my set if you like.

Is the man Trevor by any chance?

Ashley

Trevor it is, you have been doing your research well. I think I have your email and will send you anything of interest.

Mark

Thanks very much. I look forward to hearing from you

Ashley

The virtuoso uilleann piper Ronan Browne is very knowledgeable about O’Mealy and the great pipes that he made. I don’t have Ronan’s email address but you could contact him via the following link:
http://www.churchmusic.ie/wedding-musicians/uilleann-pipers/ronan-browne/
JFM

JFM, Many thanks for your comment, it is appreciated.

Hi Mark,

Is there any news?

I went over to see Ronan Browne the other and show him my set. He was a really nice chap.

Did you still have those photos to send to me??

Chat soon

Ashley

Hi Ashley,

I haven’t been on The Session website for a while. I will email those photos to you. if you can send me your email address.

Still no news on the William MacNeill set of pipes - I live in hope. It would be a tragedy if they were lost for good, especially with the letter from O’Mealy himself. His grave is quite close to our house, at Newtownbreda Cemetery!

Regards

Mark

Hi Mark,

How are things? I have my O’Meally set up and running now and made me think about your set. Has there been any sign of them?

Ashley