Mayo artist features on historic female uilleann pipers recording

TRADITIONAL musician Emer Mayock, from Ross West, Castlebar, has contributed recordings to the first ever volume of female uilleann pipers.

Na Píobairí Uilleann - the leading uilleann pipes organisation in Ireland - are launching the highly anticipated album Mná na bPíob Uilleann: Volume 1 on Wednesday, April 19, in the Mansion House, Dublin, with performances from Emer and a number of the pipers featured on the publication.

This unique recording is a representation of some of the many women uilleann pipers in Ireland and internationally. This is a very significant publication for Na Píobairí Uilleann and it follows on from many years of actively promoting and encouraging women and girls to play the pipes.

Emer has focussed on the music of her native Co. Mayo for this recording, including performances of music from a manuscript collection compiled near Crossmolina by farmer and fiddle player Philip Carolan (c.1839-1910), a reel associated with Piper Caulfield of Liscat, Aghamore, and tunes sources from Mayo fiddle-player Delia Henry of Killaturley, Swinford.

Emer is the founder and artistic director of Music of Mayo which explores the rich traditional musical heritage of the county, past and present, and creates a resource in which the music and song of Mayo can be further researched, shared and celebrated (www.musicofmayo.ie).

Mná na bPíob Uilleann: Volume 1 will be available from pipers.ie following the launch on April 19.