Posted by Michele Mele 23 July 2024
With their distinctive sound and their vast repertoire, the uilleann pipes are surely one of the most recognizable voices belonging to the trad scene of these isles. One of the top interpreters of this iconic instrument has to be the Sligo based artist Leonard Barry.
In his work, particularly his latest solo effort Littoral, released in 2024 and produced under the guidance of Michael McGoldrick, his virtuoso playing shines through, revealing the depth of his connection to the pipes. The overall result is the impression that the instrument is just a natural extension of his body.
He has been so kind as to answer a few questions for Bright Young Folk readers.
How did you pick up the pipes?
It’s a good question! I had started the whistle when I was about 8 I think, it was my uncle that started me on it and to be honest I had no idea what pipes even were until I was 14. During the summers on school holidays I used to work on my Uncle’s farm and one summer I was given a Walkman cassette player.
My other two Uncles were home from London at the time and one of them had a cassette tape of The Bothy Band. It was the first tape I put into the player and the first tune I heard on it was The Pipe in The Hob and I just instantly fell for that sound.
I still remember that moment like it was yesterday, standing in my great aunt’s kitchen. I subsequently recorded The Pipe in The Hob on this record for that reason.
About a month or two after that I was involved with a local drama group which was formed by our local priest Fr. Tom Looney, a lovely man, and I told him of my interest in the pipes. He gave me a recording of Johnny Doran the travelling piper which I supposed got me more hooked. He also introduced me to Dave Hegarty who live in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Who in turn set me up with my first set of practice pipes, which is just a bag, bellows and chanter; and it was Dave and Cillian O’Briain the brilliant pipe maker who gave me my first lesson, and that was it - I was on my way!
Who were the most influential figures in the development of your musical taste?
I suppose where I’m from in County Kerry is not a place where there is a very strong piping tradition so a lot of my early influences were local musicians from Kerry, Cork and Limerick. I suppose that was more on my repertoire than piping technique, so local musicians and the musicians of the Sliaibh Luachra region were a huge influence growing up.
Obviously when I was younger The Bothy Band and Planxty were a huge influence but that in turn as I got right into the music led me to heir influences and I was fascinated by where they got their music. Willie Clancy, Liam O’Flynn, Paddy Keenan, Finbar Furey, Seamus Ennis, Tommy Reck, and I’m probably leaving out a few here.
I was influenced by so many it’s hard to pick out one or two really. The musicians of Sligo too where I live now were also and continue to be an influence.
Do you lean more towards the open or to the closed piping style, i. e. to the standard fingering or to the one necessary to play with the chanter placed on the piper’s knee and hence closed? And why?
I suppose when I was younger it was the open style and playing everything 100 miles an hour! Now I take inspiration from both.
I believe that in order to master the instrument you have to be able to play open and closed style. I do play on and off the knee also as it gives the notes a different colour or texture and gets the most out of the instrument in an expressive manner.
A lot will also depend on the tune that I’m playing. I’m a firm believer that it’s the tune that tells you what to do and the more skills you have as a musician, no matter what instrument you are playing, influences how you can portray that in your music.
What are, in your opinion, the strong points of the uilleann pipes?
Ah, this is a tough one, or maybe not! I think every instruments has strong points.
I think it’s the range of the pipes and the depth and emotion of the sound when one is playing the full set. The power that’s in it and the versatility to play both open and tight styles, which is so important to expressing yourself as a musician.
Any funny moments of your piping life you would like to share with us?
I think it was the day I went to get my first practice set. I was working on a neighbour’s farm picking potatoes for a summer job while off school.
I had to ask him for a half day from work as I had to cycle to Ballyheigue (one of the local villages) which is about four or five miles from where I’m from. The farmer was looking very strangely at me; in the middle of my excitement I headed off on my bicycle and never told my parents where I was going. So that evening my father met the neighbour and asked him where I was.
To which he replied “Richie, I think there’s something wrong with that young fella! He’s after cycling off to Ballyheigue to get some waving piping (which is used in plumbing). I don’t know where he’s going to get that in Ballyheigue!”
Is there a tune you particularly love to play when you feel down?
Not really. When it does happen I get most satisfaction from, learning a new tune. The repertoire is so vast and the beauty about our music is that is a constant learning curve. I do get a lot of joy from discovering new tunes and learning them and in turn then teaching them to others. It’s great when you get a rare pice and bring that back to life as such and pass it onto others. I suppose that’s what tradition is about really.
What would you say to our readers who want to pick up this instrument?
Simple. Go for it! Don’t be put off when you see the full set or are overawed by it. When you start it’s with what we call a practice set. Which is the bag, bellows and chanter. I often say to students that the first six months is almost like an endurance test and I find that the majority of the people that survive that stick with it.
Also, don’t let age be a factor. over the years I’ve had students that range from 8 to 70 years of age, both getting equal amounts of joy and satisfaction from the instrument.
What are your plans for the near future?
Keep learning and developing. This coming week I’m teaching at the South Sligo Summer School in Tubercurry which is one of my favourite weeks of the year, always loads of great music is and area where some of the most influential Irish Traditional musicians come from.
After that it’s off to France and Spain. Thankfully the new album has been well received and I’m pretty busy for the rest of the year doing concerts and festivals on the back of that with Seamie O’Dowd and Andy Morrow. We’re going to be joined by other guest too along the way with dates in Ireland, the UK and Europe this year and into next year also.
I have a few other ideas too about a couple of new projects which will hope come to fruition over the next 12 to 18 months.
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