Black & white and colour photographs of The Chieftains. Includes professional and publicity photographs as well as amateur photographs. There are some images of The Chieftains performing but the majority are posed portrait shots. Includes a number of photographs taken by Marian van de Veen of The Chieftains in concert in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Jan 1986); publicity photographs for The long black veil (1995); and a colour photograph taken of The Chieftains in New York, United States of America by Michael Brennan (2001).
Includes Irish times article by Charles Acton ‘A Schumann mystery’ (14 May 1979); concert programme for pianist Carlo Grante’s performance in Wigmore Hall, London, England (9 June 1996); copy of a drawing of pianist Leopold Godowsky; and photograph of concert pianist [Arthur Rubenstein].
Draft & original correspondence between Breandán Breathnach, Jackie Small, Ballinfoyle, Galway and two employees of Gaeltarra Éireann, Na Forbacha, Gaillimh [Galway], Cathal Mac Gabhann, Stiúrthoir, and Tomás Bairéad, Oifigeach Taighde; a typescript entitled ‘A Proposal for manufacture of Uilleann Pipes’ which proposes setting up the watchmaker, Brian Gallahar, ‘a skilled craftsman in a field which has some common ground with musical instrument making (in turning and boring fine metals)’ as a pipe maker in the Ros Muc Gaeltacht. Gaeltarra turn down Na Píobairí Uilleann’s proposal because of a similar venture which was being considered in Rinn, [Co. Waterford] involving ‘‘Sky’ and Liam Clancy (of the Clancy Brothers)’ [16 Apr 1976]
Included in a file marked ‘Shannon Development: Costings L. Byrne’ are draft & original correspondence between Breandán Breathnach and Nick Condon, Librarian, Shannon Development, Shannon Free Airport, Co Clare and Bruce W. Du Ve, Barr Rua, Feakle, Co Clare; and an undated photocopy of Lonan Byrne’s costs for ‘manufacturing uilleann pipes.’ The correspondence relates to a project being researched by Nick Condon ‘on pipe-making, ascertaining ways and means of making it a more productive craft industry’ (17 Feb 1977); Breathnach meets with Condon and recommends pipe-maker, Bruce De Ve; De Ve subsequently writes to Breathnach saying that ‘Shannon Development have been of little assistance of late, and although they are still working on processing my application I am not holding out great hopes’ he asks Breathnach to ‘help me by guaranteeing this bank loan’ (17 Dec 1977); Breathnach replies saying he is ‘unable to meet’ his request and notes that ‘when Shannon Development began dragging their heels I felt they had grown dubious about the enterprise and what I had earmarked for the piping I diverted elsewhere’ (3 Jan 1978).
Originally in a file marked 'NPU [Na Píobairí Uilleann] Exhibition' includes both original & draft correspondence to and from Breandán Breathnach, relating to the exhibition ‘Pipes and Piping’ and its mounting in various locations across Ireland including the Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare; Muckross House, Killarney, Co. Kerry; Ulster Museum, Belfast; also included are press releases, exhibition catalogues, invitations, and press cuttings. Letters from Máirtín Talty, Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; David Hammond, 25 Downshire Rd, Cregagh, Belfast; Mr E. Myers, Manager, Muckross House, Killarney; Dinah Molloy, 77 Wood St, Barnet, Herts, England; Dave Williams, Uilleann Pipes & Flutes, 26 Spring Gardens, Newark, Notts; draft and original correspondence between Kathleen White, Secretary Cultural Relations Committee, Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin 2 and Breandán Breathnach; draft and original correspondence between Bill Ochs, 467 W 46th St, New York and Breandán Breathnach; letter from Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh (Ó Riabhaigh, Mícheál, 1911-1976), Cathaoirleach, Cumann na bPíobairí Uileann [Uilleann] Corcaigh, 7 St Anne’s Drive, Montenotte Park, Cork to Liam McNulty, Na Píobairí Uileann [Uilleann], 15 Henrietta St, Dublin 1; ‘Brochure of Piping Exhibition: Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 1974’; exhibition catalogue ‘Pipes and Piping held at C.B.S. Theatre, Sexton Street, Limerick on Saturday 12th October 1974’; draft exhibition display cards; entry form for ‘Museum's Special Exhibition Award 1980’; receipts, accommodation information, press release and various ephemera relating to exhibition. Letters and correspondence relate to the mounting of the piping exhibition at the Willie Clancy Summer School, Muckross House and Ulster Museum. There is further correspondence about the possibility of mounting the exhibition in Cork, and at the ‘Sense of Ireland festival, [and] in various centres in the United States in 1981’. Also included is an Ulster Museum press release announcing the ‘First Uilleann Pipe Concert in Ulster Museum’ featuring ‘the most distinguished pipers in Ireland’ including ‘Peter Browne, Lonan Byrne, Gerry McFadden, Liam Og O’Flynn and Trevor Stewart’.
The Breandán Breathnach Post-Retirement Index, or PRI for short, was the name given to this melodic card index by Jackie Small so that the resource could be distinguished from the other two Breathnach indexes. Breathnach retired from University College Dublin in 1977 at the age of 65. PRI is written on 6302 index cards, each 15.5 X 10.5 cm in size.
This file relates to the various premises of Na Píobairí Uilleann including 44 Parnell Sq, Dublin 1; 32 East Essex St, Dublin 2; and 15 Henrietta St, Dublin 1. It includes receipts, rent notices, architect reports, electricity bills, public liability policy for 32 Essex Street, Dublin 2 and invitations to various dignitaries to the opening of Na Píobairí Uilleann’s new headquarters at 32 East Essex Street on 24 October 1975. Also included is correspondence between the Property Department, Dublin Corporation and Breandán Breathnach relating to the demolition of 32 East Essex Street ‘following an inspection the Chief Architect has advised that the premises has deteriorated considerably during the past 2 years, the roof is beyond repair, that the days of this premises are numbered and the cost of maintaining it even for a limited time is totally unacceptable’ (30 June 1977). Also included are documents relating to the rent of Na Píobairí Uilleann premises by other organisations including Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and the Folk Music Society of Ireland. Originally included in an envelope marked 'Gemma' is correspondence and photographs relating to the purchase / donation of a mahogany Georgian fireplace from Newry and Mourne Co-Operative Society for the organisation’s new premises [in Henrietta Street, Dublin].
Various items of ephemera including concert programmes, advertising flyers for concerts and recordings, and seven beer mats. Includes programmes for 1975 United Kingdom tour ‘The Chieftains in concert’ in association with Harvey Goldsmith and Jo Lustig (6 Nov [1975]); The Edinburgh Rock Festival ‘79’ (1 Sep 1979); The Chieftains tour of China [May 1983]; ‘The Chieftains and Northern Ireland Symphony, Ulster Hall’ (14 Apr 1991); ‘Utah Symphony’ (20 Mar 1998); and a programme in Japanese ‘The Chieftains 2001’ (17 May 2001); also includes a beer mat from the ‘First Australian tour, Hail The Chieftains’ [1976].
Typescript programmes, scripts, song lists, and notes, including the script from Nellie Walsh's appearance singing on a radio show on 29 April 1957, several drafts of a write-up on collecting folk songs, and a 24 page booklet of poems and songs that were 'The subject of a lecture given by Mr. Seamus Murphy in November, 1981."
