Autumn Apples

Pat McNulty was born in Glasgow of Irish parents. His grandfather (on his mother's side) from Co. Monaghan was an Uilleann piper and although Pat started off in traditional music by playing the fiddle, tin whistle and the piano, he eventually turned his attention to the pipes. No less than six times did he win the All-Ireland championship on the pipes during the 'sixties. He also ran his own Ceili Band and played the major Folk Clubs and Festivals over the past twenty-odd years. He made several broadcasts on Radio and Television in Britain, Ireland, Germany and the U.S.A.

Pat was the first ever Piper to appear in Britain with a full concert orchestra, playing in John Tavener's 'A Celtic Requiem' (including a performance at the 'Proms'). His first album was issued in 1976 on the Silver Hill label. A second album 'Irish union Pipes' came out in 1984. He compiled 'A Collection of the Dance Music of Ireland' containing some of his own compositions. This book is now in its fifth edition (published by Ossian Publications). Another book entitled 'The Piper's Dream' has recently been published containing most of his own compositions together with his poems. He is a founder-member of Na Píobairí Uilleann, an organization set up in 1968, to foster and promote the Irish Uilleann pipes.

In Britain he set up a similar group, 'SOUP' (the Society Of Uilleann Pipers). He has taught the pipes at the annual Edinburgh Folk festival and continues to be active in research on aspects of the pipes such as the acoustics and physics of the instrument, which over the years has enabled him to make his own sets as well as repairing and restoring old and unuque sets for museums etc. He is a Fellow of the Makers and Researchers of Historical Instruments (FoMRHI). Presently, Pat is working on the preparation of a book covering all aspects of this sophisticated bagpipe, including the playing, maintenance, acoustics and technical features of the pipes. In 1991 he was commisioned by Fèis Glaschu to compose a suite of tunes (7 in all) as part of the Irish community's comtribution to the European City of Culture, which was held in Glasgow that year.

Links