Collection JOBM-18671 - Jimmy O'Brien Moran Collection

O’Brien-Moran, Jimmy. (1957-). Uilleann pipes, saxophone. Born at Tramore, Co. Waterford, his interest in Irish music, and piping especially, was awakened through Planxty, whose sleeve notes prompted his listening to Séamus Ennis and Willie Clancy. At age seventeen he began playing on a Matt Kiernan chanter and homemade bag and bellows. Lessons from Tommy Kearney, tips from Donncha Ó Maidín and Pat Mitchell’s classes at the Willie Clancy Summer School in 1975 and 1976, at Liam O’Flynn’s in 1977, all developed his playing, placing him on The Piper’s Rock showcase album of young pipers in 1977. He played pipes, whistle and saxophone with Scullion 1979–80 and also played saxophone in a ten-piece dance band for several years. Having worked in the jewellery trade for a number of years he took a music degree in 1992 and now lectures at WIT. His PhD research at UL concerned Galway piper Paddy Conneely; he was Fulbright visiting professor at Boston College in 2008. He plays a pre-1825 Colgan B set, this ‘loaned for life’ by the late Seán Reid. He played at the Sense of Ireland festival in London in 1980 and at the French 1996 l’Imaginaire Irlandais festival, has toured Europe, and USA and New Zealand. He gives workshops, lectures and writes in the field of piping. His solo cd entitled Seán Reid’s Favourite was released in 1996.