Club History

By Mary Mitchell-Ingoldsby

The Cork Pipers’ Club was founded in 1898, the centenary year of the 1798 rebellion and consequently a year of great historic importance. The country was experiencing a strong Gaelic revival at this time which was manifested primarily, by the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, the Gaelic League in 1896 and the inauguration of the Feis Ceoil in 1897. However, quite apart from a growing Gaelic revival, the passing of the Friendly Societies Act and the development of the trade union movement contributed significantly to creating the right climate for the successful growth of organisations such as the Pipers’ Club. In a phrase, the time was right.

The primary driving force behind the formation of the club was John Smithwick Wayland, or Seán Wayland as he became known. Wayland devoted his enormous energy and enthusiasm to promoting and preserving all things Irish. The main aims of the Club were to promote Irish music and dance, language and culture. It sought to bring together musicians, especially pipers, and all those interested in its aims.

The inaugural meeting of the Cork Pipers’ Club was held in early March 1898 at 10, Marlboro St, Cork. All available pipers in the city were present, including John Smithwick Wayland, Alderman William Phair, Robert “Bob” Thompson, Shane O’Neill, James Barry, Richard L. O’Mealy, Thomas Croasdale, Jeremiah O’Donovan & Morgan Galwey. Seán Wayland, chief founder and first vice-president of the Club, was born in 1874 in Clonkelly, near Cashel, Co. Tipperary, where his father Palliser Wayland was a farmer. Seán was the youngest of ten children and the only musician in the family. His love of piping was first inspired by the Cashel piper, Thomas Horgan. Some years prior to 1896, Seán Wayland came to Cork and began work in the clerical department of Dwyer and Co. Ltd., Washington St, Cork. He was an active member of the Gaelic League. Wayland spent a great deal of his time and energy traveling all around the country with a phonograph, interviewing old musicians. As a young boy, Cormac O Caoimh (dancer) remembered visiting an old woman with Wayland, who was celebrating her hundredth birthday, and she danced a reel for them. Wayland continued to devote all his available time to promoting Irish music and culture until his departure for Australia in 1912.

Alderman William Phair, co-organiser and first President of the Cork Pipers’ Club was, according to Captain Francis O’Neill; “none other than a gentleman piper”. He was a native Irish speaker and made a significant contribution to the Gaelic Revival both in terms of the music and the language. Captain O’Neill was a personal friend of William Phairs, and he enjoyed good sessions of music at the Alderman’s home, Gilabbey House. Seán Wayland was also present at these and was subsequently re-elected to various offices of responsibility until his death on March 9th, 1912, having had the full support and confidence of the people of Cork for over a quarter of a century. He died as Alderman and councillor when only sixty-six years old.

Seán Wayland and Alderman Phair sought out and introduced many pipers to the Club including Robert Thompson, Shane O’Neill, Jimmy Barry, and Michael O’Sullivan (nicknamed “Cumbaw”) to mention but a few. Their encouragement was instrumental in getting these pipers, and others, to play once more. Alderman Phair traced the very gifted piper Robert “Bob” Thompson, who had not played or even owned a set of pipes for at least ten years. The Alderman, being of a generous nature, lent Thompson his magnificent set of Taylor pipes, which had been previously owned by Canon James Goodman, piper and scholar. It was through the persistence of the Alderman that Robert Thompson made a return to the pipes. Thompson proved to be a great find for the Cork Pipers’ Club, as not only did he teach but he was also an expert reed maker. It is interesting to note that according to the American publication “The Gael” dated February 1902, Bob Thompson gained a national reputation by winning first prize at the first Feis Ceoil held in Dublin on May 8th, 1897. Turlough McSweeney, the noted Donegal piper took second prize, and William Rowsome was awarded third. Thompson was again awarded first prize at a similar contest in Belfast the following year.

Henry Mitchell, was described by piper Dan O’Gorman as being a “king pin of the Club, and a good leader and adviser”, despite the fact that he never actually played an instrument. He worked unceasingly to further the aims of the Club. He often performed such tasks as M.C. at dances organised by the Club.

Activities of the Club

The activites of the Club included piping and dancing classes, which were held on several evenings each week. A monthly fee was paid for these, half of which went to the tutor and the other half to the Club. The piping tutors in the early years included Robert Thompson and Seán Wayland. However, Wayland never accepted payment for teaching. The dance tutors included Theo Corkery and later Cormac O Caoimh. Cormac joined the club as a small boy of five years of age in 1901. He subsequently became one of the most outstanding dancers of this time and was elected president of the revived Club in 1965.

Annual concerts were held at the City Hall, Cork. The Club’s own members were the chief performers, with invited guests. The concert of 1912 included amongst others, the virtuoso James O’Mahony, and his brother, both from Mitchelstown, who were profiled in O’Neills Irish Minstrels and Musicians of 1913.

The Pioneer Quadrille Club was a social evening organised by the Piper’s Club. It was held on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights of each week. Members were admitted free of charge but non-members were charged a fee of 3d. Two concertina players, Jim Hourigan and Bobby Brothers provided the music

At an early stage the Club founded a pipe band and called it The Brian Boru Pipe Band. The first sets of war pipes were bought from J. and R. Glenn of Edinburgh, at £4 per set. The drums were bought from Potter and Son of Aldershot, England. The Brian Boru Pipe Band was the first band in Ireland to parade in kilts. Quoting from O’Neills Ireish Minstrels and Musicians (1913), “The distinction of popularising the warpipes belongs to Mr. Wayland”. O’Neill continues, “Equally proficient on the uilleann pipes and warpipes, Mr. Wayland organised and directed one of the best warpipe bands in Ireland from which he furbished pipers and drummers on demand to various meetings and entertainments throughout the south-east.”

Seán Wayland was the first warpipe teacher in the Club. He taught Dan O’Gorman and most of the early members. The were first taught the feadóg, then the chanter, then a half-set and finally the full set.

It is not feasible at this stage, to give a detailed account of all the pipers who were involved in the Pipers’ Club. However, some of the more notable names included brothers Denis and Tadhg Crowley, who later became well known and highly respected Cork Uilleann pipe makers, Edward Cronin (uilleann pipes), Mollie Morrissey (uilleann pipes), brother and sister Michael and Mary McCarthy (warpipes and uilleann pipes respectively), Bernie O’Donovan, who later became a noted piper in Chicago, Professor O’Leary, who moved from Macroom to Cork on Seán Wayland’s advice in order to learn the uilleann pipes, Seán Scanlon (uilleann pipes) and Dan O’Gorman (warpipes). Some of the outstanding dancers in the Club included Mazie McCarthy, Alice Dunne, Lily Healy, Suzanna Mulcahy, Kittl Allen, May McCarthy, Christy Bastible and Cormac Ó Caoimh.

Female Pipers

A feature of the Pipers’ Club and also of the revived Pipers’ Club, was the number of female pipers. Mollie Morrissey, profiled in O’Neills Minstrels and Musicians (1913), was taught to play the uilleann pipes by Seán Wayland. She was, according to O’Neill, “one of the aptest learners he had ever taught, in that she could learn four or five new tunes in one evening”. She was also a fine dancer and was described in The Lady’s Pictorial of June 10th 1905 as being the “youngest and most proficient female piper in Ireland”. Mollie had left the Club by 1911, as she went to Dublin to train as a national school teacher.

May McCarthy also learned to play the uilleann pipes at the Club. Both May and her brother Michael, who was a fine warpiper and a member of the Club’s earliest pipe band, received their tuition from Seán Wayland. May was also a fine whistle player and step-dancer, all of which she learned at the Club. May not only played all over Ireland but also in England and Wales. As a young girl May was invited to Wales to play in a series of concerts in December 1910, after which followed engagements in Manchester and Birmingham.`

May was a busy performer, as her diary for the month of August 1917 indicated in that she had nineteen engagements all around Cork, Kerry and West Limerick. She later founded her own céilí band and was an active member of Cumann na mBan. May died on February 3rd 1961, her brother Michael passed away on November 13th 1947.

Wayland’s Departure to Australia

The departure of Seán Wayland to Australia, was the first in a sequence of events that led to the eventual winding-down of the Club. Wayland emigrated in 1912, the Great War broke out in 1914, the War of Independence took place from 1919 to 1922, followed by the Civil War in 1923. All these events contributed to the demise of the Club in 1930, when the instruments were sold off and the Club ceased. However, the musicians continued to play and appeared at concerts and functions throughout Ireland. Some would once again become members when the Club revived in 1963.

…Seán Waylands departure to Australia precipitated the winding down of the Club…

Revival of the Cork Pipers’ Club

The Club was revived in 1963, primarily due to the efforts of Micheál Ó Riabhaigh, who had returned to Cork in 1961, having spent many years in the Civil Service in Dublin. Originally from Killavullen, County Cork, Micheál was a very fine and highly respected uilleann piper. He was a wonderful teacher and was known far and wide for, interalia, his performances, his great knowledge of traditional music, and his radio programmes Journey through Munster and Irish Music Collected in America.

From the outset much assistance was given by members of the original club, including Seán Scanlon who was the last secretary of the original club, and Cormac Ó Caoimh who became President in 1965 following the death of M. McCarthy of Gilabbey House, Cork.

Membership grew rapidly and soon there were large numbers of young musicians attending the classes. Meetings were held every Saturday evening, where classes were taught by Micheál Í Riabhaigh, followed by sessions of music and dancing. These nights were great fun for the young members of the Club, as everyone was given an opportunity to perform his/her ‘party piece’, whether it be singing, dancing, piping, whistling or playing any other instrument. Everyone learned to dance the various céilí dances, one of the most memorable dances was the ‘statue dance’, where as one can imagine, great fun was had by all. In a short time the young musicians became very proficient and were well-known for their performances.

Activities included an annual concert held at the Cork School of Music, at which some of the great pipers of the time performed, including Leo Rowsome and Willie Clancy. An annual excursion to Tralibane, Bantry, Co. Cork, the birthplace of Captain Francis O’Neill was held in October, where a dance and session took place at the cross-roads near O’Neill’s old home. This was then followed by high-tea in Bantry, ending with another session and céilí. Other annual excursions took place to Mitchelstown, Coulavokig and Cill na Martra where music was played, shared and enjoyed with local musicians.

A notable feature of the Club was the number of families, both parents and children, who attended. To mind come family names like Ó Riabhaigh, Ó Gráda, Mitchell, O’Leary, Ryan, Ó Cathasaigh, Twomey (Pat Snr. was secretary of the Club for a number of years), McCarthy, Corkery, Cuthbert, Stack, Harris, Grainger, Guinivan, O’Donovan, and latterly Moynihan. Another notable feature was the large number of female pipers attending the classes. Brothers and sisters all learned and played together.

As student numbers grew, the need for more pipes became more evident. The chairman, Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh, located some chanters at Crowley’s Music Centre, Cork and fitted them out with reeds and bags. He was helped, as always in his endeavours by the then secretary Herbert (Bertie) Mitchell (no relation of Henry Mitchell mentioned earlier) who made bellows for the sets. The Club benefited greatly from Bertie Mitchell’s obvious organisational abilities, and a wealth of experience gained through his involvement in the Student’s Union of University College Cork, as as captain of the U.C.C. boxing team. The two men became great friends and worked very well together in promoting the aims of the Club.

Classes for traditional music, uilleann pipes and whistle were established in the Department of Music, U.C.C., the Cork School of Music and at the County Cork School of Music at which the chairman, Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh, was appointed teacher.

At the height of its success the Club suffered a huge loss on 16th September 1976 with the death of its chairman, teacher and founding member, Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh. Naturally the void left by Mícheál’s passing could not be filled. He was greatly missed by all the club members, his students and his many friends within the Irish music world.

Gradually Micheál’s students became the new organisers and promoters of the Club.

 

This article was first printed in the Cork Pipers Club centenary booklet and reproduced here with kind permission from Mary Mitchell-Ingoldsby.