Pat McNulty

From THE ROUGH GUIDE TO IRISH MUSIC SUPPLEMENT:

Born in Glasgow to Irish parents, Pat McNulty’s maternal grandfather and great-grandfather from Co. Monaghan had both been uilleann pipers, though Pat himself began playing tin whistle, fiddle and piano before taking up the pipes in the 1950s. In the following decade he dominated the All-Ireland pipes championship, winning the title on six occasions. Naturally, he was an original member of the NPU and was the first person to be recorded by Brendan Breathnach who had set himself the task of taping all pipers present. Back in Britain, Pat founded a similar, if smaller group, SOUP (the Society of Uilleann Pipers) and continued to play at folk clubs and festivals, while also broadcasting on radio and TV. His most noteworthy appearance, however, was as the first piper to appear in a British concert hall with a full orchestra when he featured in John Tavener’s A Celtic Requiem. His own first album appeared in 1976, but the only one currently available is Autumn Apples where, in part he uses a full set of Egan flat pipes from the mid-19th century. McNulty exhibits striking employment of drones and regulators throughout and the reels Music of the Forge/Stoney Steps, learned from Séamus Ennis and Leo Rowsome respectively, are glorious piped dance music. Other pieces include the grand lament from Co. Limerick, Slan Le Maighe, and several of McNulty’s own, such as the air Doohamlet Church, celebrating his forbears’ village.

His collection Dance Music of Ireland was published in 1965.

The recordings in raretunes.org are from a recital/discussion held at the College of Piping as part of the Glasgow West End Festival 20 June 2010.