Davy began his apprenticeship to pipemaking with Johnny Bourke back in the early 70’s and was always interested in pipemaking so that he could have more control and input over the tone and tuning of his own pipes as a player. Even today as a professional musician, he is regarded as one of the country’s leading pipemakers.
About the Pipes
Very few musical instruments in the world enjoy so much praise for their beauty, myth and extraordinary sound as the Uilleann Pipes. Evolving through centuries, loved by gentry and traveling musicians alike, banned by foreign forces and at stages becoming virtually extinct, the Uilleann Pipes are still one of the most amazing musical instruments ever developed.
The Uilleann Pipes belong to the woodwind family is played with “Double Reed” or “Split Reed”. The Chanter of the pipes is a conically bored instrument equipped with finger holes and keys. These finger holes, when covered, alter the length of the bore which results in different notes. The three regulators are “Stopped Pipes”. Notes are played in accompaniment to the chanter only when a mechanical Key is depressed by the wrist or fingers. They can be used chordically or rhythmically.
“The Uilleann Pipe dates back as early as the 16th century, but the modern format came to be in the last quarter of the 1700’s. Most pipes are tuned to the key of D. The pipes were most popular prior to the Great Famine and then slowly began to die out until the Gaelic League was formed and native culture was rejuvenated. Piping competitions were organized and new generation learned to pipe. The components of a pipe are: Bag, Bellows, Chanter, Drones, Regulators” (http://www.pipers.ie/index.asp)