There were formerly in Ireland two kinds of Pipes in common use, viz., the PIOB MOR (large pipe) and the UILLEANN pipe (elbow pipe). Though in the following notes I purpose to deal mainly with the PIOB MOR, a brief description of the UILLEANN or Union pipe will also, I think, be of interest to many readers.
This latter pipe came into common use in 1580 and has continued in vogue to the present day, being now heard in many parts of the country as well as Dublin. It is popular at the OIREACHTAS, FEIS CEOIL, and FEISEANNA throughout Ireland.
A small bellows placed under the right arm, inflates the skin bag, which is controlled by the left forearm. To the bag is attached the chanter and stock, which latter holds a complicated and elaborate system of drones and regulators. The pipe can only be played by a man in a sitting position, or with one leg rested on a stick. CUISLEANNA, i.e., bagpipes, was the term common to both pipes.
Let us now turn to the war pipe. The Irish "PIOB MOR," that is, big pipe, now known as the Irish War Pipe, was in existence in Ireland from a very early date, for we find mention of it in the Brehon Laws, which were committed to writing in the 5th century, and there is a 9th century representation of a pipes to be ssen on the high cross at Clonmacnoise. From the 11th century onwards of the war pipe figures freaquently in Irish literature, and many illustrations of is occur in Iriah manuscripts scattered through the libraries of the world.
The limited space at my disposal forbids any attempt at a full history of the instrument, and I have, therefore, to content myself with citing a few of the salient facts.
King Griffith, of North Wales, who had been in exile in Ireland from his youth until 1080 (when, after the decisive battle of Carno, he came into his lawful estate), organised in 100 a great Eisteddfod at Caerwys (county Flintshire, North Wales), and there gave a prize for Irish bagpipe playing. It is worthy of note that a record of this appears in the Welsh annals:-"The prize was carried off by an Irishman, who received from the monarch a silver pipe as a reward for his skill."
The programme of the great Leinster festival, known as the Fair of Carman, which was held every third August, included music as well as athletic sports; and, in their lists of the musicians present at the 1138 gathering, the books of Leinster and Ballymore make mention of pipes an pipers.
In the reign of Henry II. (1154-1189) Brompton, writing on the music of Ireland, makes particular mention of the Irish bagpipe and pipe players.
Entries appear in many church papers referring to pipes and pipers. In the Deeds of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, there is a note to this effect that in 1206 Geoffrey the piper adopted the Irish dress and customs; and again in 1260 mention is made of William the piper.
That the instrument was known in about 1300 is evident from the attached drawing, which is taken from the manuscript of DINNSEANCHUS, a collection of Irish history and topography.
The illustration forms one of the initial letters of a chapter, and represents a pig gravely occupied in performing on the pipes.
The pipe appears to be double-droned and ornamented with encircling straps, probably of brass. Four holes are represented open on the chanter, but whether the whole number intended be 5 or 6 it is diffrcult to say. Certainiy the instrument is not so complete as that of the Elizabelhan period.
Many references to the pipes are to be found in the State papers. For instance, in one of the 14th century the bagpipe is termed "The music of the Irish Kerns."
By the Statute of Kilkenny, 1367, it was a penal offence to receive or entertain Irish bards, pipers, harpers, musical rhymers etc. Irish pipers led the charge of the Irish troops at Calais (1346), at Harfleur (1415), at Rouen (1618), and at Boulogne (1540).
There is in Vienna a beautiful painting of an Irish piper by Albrecht Dürer, dated 1514 showing that not only was the Irish pipe known to the British Isles, but also on the Continent.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth many pipers were driven from the country by the penal laws, and during this period innumerable pardons were granted to pipers.
In the State papers dated December 7th, 1572, it is said of Feach M'Hugh, O'Bryne, Rory Oge (O'More), and others of the Leinster Clans, then in arms, that "The manner of their coming is by daylight with bagpipes, by night with torchlight."
In 1578 Derrick published a satirical history of Rory O'More, in which not only is the piper specially mentioned, but he gives two excellent drawings, reproduced below, in which the pipe is clearly illustrated. They show that the kind of bagpipe then in use had a chanter, a blowpipe, and two drones with a bag. The former picture shows the piper at the head of a company of Kerns marching on an expedition, whereas the latter drawing represents the Irish in retreat from the soldiers of the Pale, leaving behind them their piper, slain, with his pipes lying beside him. Derrick has written the word "pyper," thus showing the importance that was attached to the fall of the musicians, an event of importance, second only to that of a considerable officer.
We have a very clear description of the pipe, written by Stanihurst in the year 1584. He says: "The Irish, likewise, instead of the trumpet, make use of a wooden pipe of the most ingenious structure, to which is joined a leather bag, very closely bound with bands. A pipe is inserted in the side oh the skin, through which the piper, with his swollen neck and puffed up cheeks, blows in the same manner as we do through a tube. The skin, being thus filled with air, begins to swell, and the player presses against it with his arm, thus a loud and shrill sound is produced through two wooden pipes of different lengths. In addition to these, there is yet a fourth pipe, perforated in different places (having 5 or 6 holes), which the player so regulates by the dexterity of his fingers in the shutting and opening of the holes that he can cause the upper pipes to send forth either a loud or a low sound, at pleasure."
Many other references to the pipe might be quoted from Elizabethan records, but I fear to weary my readers, and will, therefore, only quote a passage from Galilei (1581), which gives an excellent summary of the uses of the pipe, both in war and pence. This author says that the pipe "is used as an accompaniment to funerals in the 16th century." "It (pipe) is much used by the Irish; to its sound this unconquered, fierce and warlike people march against their enemies, and encourage each other to deeds of valour. With it also they accompany their dead to the grave, making mournful sounds as to invite, nay, almost force, the bystanders to weep."
During the Civil War the pipe was carried by those regiments in Ireland who remained faithful to the Stuarts, and in the records may be found the names not only of the company commanders who had pipers, but also in many cases of the pipers themselves. We are told that in 1649 they received 28 shillings a month, which would be equivalent to about £20 a month nowadays [ca.1917 The Phantom Piper]. Curiously enough a common pipe tune at that period was called "Cold and Rough," and at a much later date this tune was annexed by the Scotch and called "Cold and Raw." Another pipe tune of this period is "Fortune my Foe," and in February, 1649-50, we read in a contemporary chronicle that the Irish pipers attached to Lord Inchiquin's army drew off from NAAS to the march of "Fortune my Foe."
The last instance that can be found of the pipes being carried in war was by the Irish Brigade at Fontenoy 1745, in which battle they were played with effect, the tunes being "The White Cockade" and "St. Patrick's Day in the Morning." The former of these two tunes was written by Maurice Fitz-Gerald in 1620, in reference to a fashion which the Munster ladies had of wearing a white cockade in their hair when going to a party or wedding, or other form of amusement. This tune was afterwards adopted by the Scotch, who, in the year 1778, printed it as a "Scotch" air.
The Irish Volunteers and the Irish Light Iniantry, under Lieut.-Col. Morgan, had a band of Irish pipers, and we also find another band in America, belonging to Lord Rawdon, and under the leadership of Pipe Major Barney Thompson from Co. Down. This band, however, disappeared from New York in 1783, on the evacuation of that city by the British troops; whose commander-in-Chief was Sir Guy Carleton, a native of the North of Ireland (Strabane, Co. Down).
From the beginning of the 19th Century until 30 years ago the war pipe seems to have been little used. It was played by a few individuals throughout the country, but no bands seem to have been formed. This is not, however, the case of late years, and we find bands of Irish War Pipers all over the country, not only among Irish Regiments, but also kept up by private enterprise in Dublin, Armagh, Kilkenny, Cork, Limerick, Brownstown, Enniscorthy, Monaghan, Thurles and elswhere.
In conclusion, many Irish Regiments have taken up the Irish war pipe, and its vogue is increasing, for which lovers of the instrument have reason to be grateful to some of the Irish Militia Regiments, who were the true pioneers of the movement in the Army. The Tyrones (4th Inniskilling Fusiliers) possessed a pipe band until they were disbanded, when their pipes were taken over by the Waterford R.G.A.
Other battalions which have revived the war pipe are the Dublin Fusiliers--their 2nd Battalion, now in Aldershot, having a band. Their 3rd Battalion, at the depot at Naas has an excellent band of eight pipers, whose number during the training season is augmented by four more players. The 2nd Battalion of the Inniskilling Fusiliers, has some sets of the Irish war pipe and pipers in practice.
As regards the Leinster Regiment, the 4th Battalion (late Queen's County Militia) were the first in the field, having been in possession of a pipe band since 1903, the pipes being presented by Lieu:.-Col. Lord Castletown, K.P., at that time commanding the battalion, and under his expert supervision they attained to a very considerable degree or excellence. The 1st Battalion started their pipe band in 1908, and the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Battalions have pipe bands, so that now all five Battalions are in possession of the war pipe. For some years past the 2nd Battalion have been in possession of a Union pipe band, bur there is no question that in a regiment the war pipes prove much more effective instruments.
If the Irish Regiments would combine to bring the case before higher authorities the war pipe of old might be heard once more leading the Irish to battle and to do deeds of valour, for what true Celt does not love the skirl of the wild pibroch sounding from the pipe!
[I am much indebted to Dr. W. H. Grattan Flood, the well-known writer on ancient Irish music, for his kind assistance and the valuable information he has given me, and I am also indebted to Capt. Wrayter, Leinster Regt., Mr. Hough, and Sgt. Drummer O. Toole, Dublin Fusilliers, for their kind help in completing this work.]
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