Draft and original correspondence between Seán Ó Téacháin, National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin 2; draft press release and list of newspaper contact information; draft and final copies of ‘Opening speech by Breandán Breathnach at the Exhibition ‘Pipes and Piping’ at the National Museum, Kildare Street, Dublin, from 21 July 1978’; list of ‘Players at the Museum Exhibition’; invitation to the opening of ‘Pipes and Piping’; and photograph taken at the opening of the exhibition. Correspondence relating to the mounting of the piping exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland including a list of uilleann pipers who played ‘at the exhibition each day from Tuesday to Friday inclusive’, these included ‘Dan O’Dowd, Joe McLoughlin, Robbie Hannon [Hannan], Noel Pocock, Terry Moylan, Peter Browne, Paddy Keenan, Padraig MacMathúna, Ronan Browne, Pat Mitchell, Liam Óg Ó Floinn and Andy Conroy’ (Conroy, Andy, 1911-1999) (21 July 1978).
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).
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].
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’.
Correspondence, catalogues, instruction manuals and receipts relating to the purchase of a music typewriter from the Music Print Corporation, New York by Na Píobairí Uilleann. Also included is a letter to Mr P. Glackin (Glackin, Paddy), Traditional Music Officer, Arts Council, [Dublin] relating to grants awarded to Na Píobairí Uilleann & the Folk Music Society for the ‘cost of the musicwriter’ and ‘cost of laying out the Goodman mss’ and the ‘cost of preparing the Petrie mss for printers.’ (5 May 1981)
Letters from Séamus MacMathúna, Wexford; Larry McCullough; Larry Lynch who encloses a copy of an itinerary for a ‘14 day dance and music tour of Ireland June 23-July 6, 1981’; letter from Diarmuid Grainger ‘enclosing details of the passing away of Mr Moss Kennedy, piper and pipe maker… he was 82’ Grainger gives a good deal of biographical information in this letter (4 June 1982); letter from Tadhg Mac Lochlainn thanking Breandán Breathnach for the tape of ‘D[enis]. Delaney’, MacLochlainn ‘knew Denis well and saw [him] playing in 1916/17 when I was about 10 or 11 yrs.’ (4 Dec 1982)
Letters, notices and articles sent to Breandán Breathnach relating to the society’s newsletter An Píobaire. Most of the material dates to the early 1970s including an article and illustration from Ronnie Wathen (Wathen, Ronnie, 1934-1993), Es Cloí, Deyá, Mallorca entitled ‘Beginning the pipes: a personal note’ (10 Nov 1970); ‘Latest News Snippets from Pat McNulty’, Glasgow’ (May 1972) and a retraction statement from Theodor Podnos, New Jersey, U.S.A ‘Theodor Podnos regrets the erroneous statement made in his lecture of June 19, 1972 concerning the tunings of modern Highland chanters’ (30 April 1973). Also included are two copies of An Píobaire Nov [1977] and May 1982.
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.
