Donegal Pipers, New York City - Page 5

Airborne92 · 09-27-2010, 08:16 AM

"lusty antiphony", eh?

SCK

Tom_K · 10-01-2010, 03:17 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/Donegal-Piper-Ne...item2a0a9475a6

jeffg · 04-19-2017, 05:18 PM

I don't know if anyone will read this far but here's a few answers and corrections:

1. The Donegal Pipe Band did exist. I was a member from about 1955 to 1960. They taught me to play the pipes and I still do.

2. The funeral pyre ending described above was almost as I heard it from Greg OBrien the ex pipe major. He said the band had (after he had left it) inadvertently played through the picket line of Moore McCormick tugboat line when the QE II docked and the next day the Donegal Association recalled the uniforms and burned them behind their building. Not the pipes...those were owned by the pipers.

3. OBrien was a wonderful pipe major. Young, energetic, stern and a very good piper. His picture can still be found on the web because he posed for a Kodak ad while decked out in the highland outfit of a band in Washington which despite being Scottish selected him for pipe major. Talent came to the fore no doubt.

4. The band had colorful characters. Mention is made of Big John O'Connor for example. He was a 6'4" lanky dumb looking ex sailor. Every punk in the Irish bar scene saw him as an easy target to be beaten up as a way to impress the girlfriend. However, O'Connor had been in hundreds of fights and though scarred really knew how to handle himself. I never knew him to pick a fight and I never knew him to lose one.

We had a couple of huge steelworkers named Kelly. A couple of Australian ex soldiers who despite being short decked a passel of toughs who picked on them for wearing kilts in the subway. A bass drummer who knew every rebel Irish song ever composed.........and so on.

5. The band was not the only colorful band. The Armagh band used, I was told, to carry hatchets. Their drummer hocked the bass drum before a parade.

6. I never met Neil Duddy but I doubt he was ever pipe major. OBrien would surely have mentioned it when I met him 10 years ago in Washington. OBrien has since gone to the massed band in the sky.

Got any questions, post them and I will answer.

Dave Gallagher · 04-19-2017, 07:12 PM

I can't believe I am seeing this thread again. Duddy was the second worst piper I ever heard. I only heard his recordings but they are really bad in both tuning and playing. I have however heard one in person who is even worse than Duddy.
I thank everyone for posting only historical facts and questions. I thank the mods for seeing the historical value of the story being told of which politics were a major part of the story and letting the thread stay open.

DaveB · 04-20-2017, 04:20 AM

Being from Brooklyn, this has been a great thread. Anyone know how Clann Eireann pipe band is doing?

Ian Lawther · 04-20-2017, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Gallagher

I can't believe I am seeing this thread again. Duddy was the second worst piper I ever heard. I only heard his recordings but they are really bad in both tuning and playing.

Just so you don't have to take Dave's word for it......http://www.folkways.si.edu/neil-a-du...ck/smithsonian

el gaitero · 04-20-2017, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Lawther

Just so you don't have to take Dave's word for it.....]

I'd give credit for a big chanter du jour though. As far as being the worst?....I believe I've heard some who might exceed expectations.

magsevenband · 04-21-2017, 06:04 AM

Agree with el gaitero...the sample is reminiscent of many recordings of the era...including some recordings of Regimental Pipe bands of high repute that I have ...recording techniques were poor in those days...something to keep in mind when evaluating 50 years later...just to add to the earlier thread discussion, I'm told by one of the Donegal band members that was present during the infamous QE II kerfuffle that Willie Joe Cunningham was the head of the County Donegal Association at the time and was the driving force behind the band uniforms being confiscated.

Dave Gallagher · 04-21-2017, 07:51 AM

I like to think that I would know the difference between a poor quality recording of a piper playing poorly and using an out of tune set of pipes and
a poor quality recording of a piper playing well and using a set of well tuned pipes.

el gaitero · 04-21-2017, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Gallagher

I like to think that I would know the difference between a poor quality recording of a piper playing poorly and using an out of tune set of pipes and
a poor quality recording of a piper playing well and using a set of well tuned pipes.

Yep...I'm with you ...we all do.

09-27-2010, 08:16 AM	#41
Airborne92 Holy smoking keyboard! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,132	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City "lusty antiphony", eh? SCK __________________ Old Soldiers never die, we just smell that way.

10-01-2010, 03:17 PM	#42
Tom_K Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 224	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City http://cgi.ebay.com/Donegal-Piper-Ne...item2a0a9475a6 __________________ Tom

04-19-2017, 05:18 PM	#43
jeffg Forum Member - Shy or Quiet Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: South Dakota USA Posts: 2	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City I don't know if anyone will read this far but here's a few answers and corrections: 1. The Donegal Pipe Band did exist. I was a member from about 1955 to 1960. They taught me to play the pipes and I still do. 2. The funeral pyre ending described above was almost as I heard it from Greg OBrien the ex pipe major. He said the band had (after he had left it) inadvertently played through the picket line of Moore McCormick tugboat line when the QE II docked and the next day the Donegal Association recalled the uniforms and burned them behind their building. Not the pipes...those were owned by the pipers. 3. OBrien was a wonderful pipe major. Young, energetic, stern and a very good piper. His picture can still be found on the web because he posed for a Kodak ad while decked out in the highland outfit of a band in Washington which despite being Scottish selected him for pipe major. Talent came to the fore no doubt. 4. The band had colorful characters. Mention is made of Big John O'Connor for example. He was a 6'4" lanky dumb looking ex sailor. Every punk in the Irish bar scene saw him as an easy target to be beaten up as a way to impress the girlfriend. However, O'Connor had been in hundreds of fights and though scarred really knew how to handle himself. I never knew him to pick a fight and I never knew him to lose one. We had a couple of huge steelworkers named Kelly. A couple of Australian ex soldiers who despite being short decked a passel of toughs who picked on them for wearing kilts in the subway. A bass drummer who knew every rebel Irish song ever composed.........and so on. 5. The band was not the only colorful band. The Armagh band used, I was told, to carry hatchets. Their drummer hocked the bass drum before a parade. 6. I never met Neil Duddy but I doubt he was ever pipe major. OBrien would surely have mentioned it when I met him 10 years ago in Washington. OBrien has since gone to the massed band in the sky. Got any questions, post them and I will answer.

04-19-2017, 07:12 PM	#44
Dave Gallagher Holy smoking keyboard! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: St.Ann Mo Posts: 4,365	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City I can't believe I am seeing this thread again. Duddy was the second worst piper I ever heard. I only heard his recordings but they are really bad in both tuning and playing. I have however heard one in person who is even worse than Duddy. I thank everyone for posting only historical facts and questions. I thank the mods for seeing the historical value of the story being told of which politics were a major part of the story and letting the thread stay open. __________________ My Website The Best Pipe Band in the World When the foemen reel before them in the thunder of the fray,they shall shout your name in triumph at the "Dawning of the Day"

04-20-2017, 04:20 AM	#45
DaveB Forum Member - Shy or Quiet Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA Posts: 23	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City Being from Brooklyn, this has been a great thread. Anyone know how Clann Eireann pipe band is doing?

04-21-2017, 06:04 AM	#48
magsevenband Forum Gold Medal Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Jersey USA Posts: 503	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City Agree with el gaitero...the sample is reminiscent of many recordings of the era...including some recordings of Regimental Pipe bands of high repute that I have ...recording techniques were poor in those days...something to keep in mind when evaluating 50 years later...just to add to the earlier thread discussion, I'm told by one of the Donegal band members that was present during the infamous QE II kerfuffle that Willie Joe Cunningham was the head of the County Donegal Association at the time and was the driving force behind the band uniforms being confiscated. __________________ "...I think that I will take two small bottles of Dubonnet and gin with me this morning, in case it is needed..." Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother

04-21-2017, 07:51 AM	#49
Dave Gallagher Holy smoking keyboard! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: St.Ann Mo Posts: 4,365	Re: Donegal Pipers, New York City I like to think that I would know the difference between a poor quality recording of a piper playing poorly and using an out of tune set of pipes and a poor quality recording of a piper playing well and using a set of well tuned pipes. __________________ My Website The Best Pipe Band in the World When the foemen reel before them in the thunder of the fray,they shall shout your name in triumph at the "Dawning of the Day"