Draft and original correspondence between Helen Hickey, Museum Curator, Fermanagh County Museum, Enniskillen to Breandán Breathnach; exhibition catalogue ‘Pipes and piping: an exhibition at the Fermanagh County Museum August 15 – October 4 1977’; and ‘Fermanagh County Museum Spring and Summer Programme 1977’. Correspondence relating to the mounting of the piping exhibition in Fermanagh County Museum, Breandán Breathnach agrees to ‘compile a tape of pipe music’ for the exhibition. Helen Hickey writes on 15 Nov 1977 that she was ‘very pleased with the response here to your exhibition. We had an attendance of over 600 people, many of whom had come long distances especially to see the exhibits.’
Cnuasacht Iomlán den Cheol Damhsa, CICD for short, is Breandán Breathnach’s own title for this resource. CICD is a melodic card index written on 6544 large index cards, each 5 X 8 inches in size. These cards contain full handwritten and printed tunes.
Financial documents and receipts relating to the activities of Na Píobairí Uilleann. Included are an entry sheet for ‘Cumann na bPiobairí Uilleann / Uilleann Pipers' Club Members Private Sweep on The Grand National, Run at Aintree..., 1963; a hardback copy listing names & subscription payments to Na Píobairí Uilleann (1968-1972), the first entry is as follows ‘26th October 1968. Convention held at Bru na Gael, North Great George’s Street. Subscriptions were collected by me and the names of subscribers noted with addresses.’ The copy also includes ‘income’ and ‘expenditure’ accounts for these years. Also included are receipts for among other things, printing of the society’s newsletter An Píobaire, the printing of photographs from a pipers’ gathering in 1973, receipts for materials relating to reed making e.g. ‘12 balls of hemp, £1.07’ as well as receipts for the purchase of publications.
Letters, documents and posters relating to the organisation of piping Tionól, workshops and concerts. Notice of ‘Second annual autumn meeting of NPU on Saturday the 8th of November... in Brú na Gael, Dublin’ [1969]. Included are letters from the Irish Countrywomen’s Association, An Grianán, Termonfechin [Termonfeckin], Drogheda, Co Louth relating to the ‘Annual Conference of Na Píobairí Uilleann, May 1971’, ‘May 1972’ and 18 May 1973. A programme of events for ‘An Tionol Piobaireachta 1973, An Grianan, Termonfeckin, Co Louth’; also letters from Kieran Crinion, Neptune Hotel, Bettystown, Co Meath relating to the the pipers’ Tionól, Bettystown 20 May 1976. Letters from Séamus MacMathúna, Wexford to Breandán Breathnach about an event in [Wexford] Arts Centre on the 29 April 1978; also an undated [1970s ?] letter from C.B.S., Limerick to Breandán Breathnach about the ‘Seanchas’ event where ‘25 trainee cadets are coming down specially from the Curragh to this session.’ Also included are undated draft posters for an event ‘Pipes & Fiddles’ with ‘Seamus Ennis (Ennis, Séamus, 1919-1982), John Kelly (Kelly, John, 1912-1987), Sean Keane, Paddy Maloney [Paddy Moloney] and Guests.’
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)
