Copperplate Distribution

Neil Mulligan
Barr na Cuille

Track Listing
1. Alexander's Hornpipe/Fisher's Hornpipe
2. The Bonny Bunch of Roses
3. Clancy's Dream/The Connaughtman's Rambles
4. Barr na Cuille
5. Se Fath Mo Bhurtha
6. The Whinny Hills of Leitrim/The Drops of Brandy
7. Uirchill an Chreagain
8. The Salamanca/Bonny Kate/The Copperplate
9. Port na h-eala air an traigh
10. John Egan's Hornpipe
11. Lucy Campbell/Miss Monaghan
12. Dark is the Colour of my True Loves Hair
13. The Leitrim Slashers/The Langstern Pony
14. The Standing Abbey/Tom Mulligan's Hornpipe
15. Wings of my Soul
16. The Yellow Tinker/The Bucks of Oranmore

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Press Reviews

Without question this selection will deservedly take its place among the classics of Irish piping. The Irish Times.

An absolutely wonderful album. Folk Roots.

When all other albums have gone the way of memory, this one will be with us in all its understated glory. Hot Press.

A top class Uilleann piper...an excellent album. Traditional Music Maker

Lovely clear ornamentation with mastery of the regulators..you will hear no better that what's to be found here. Irish Music Magazine.

Barr na Cuille confirms Neil Mulligan as one of the finest contemporary pipers...a superb performance which reaches exceptional heights. Treoir.

The LivingTradition May/June 2000
Amongst other things, I'm a failed piper. After listening to Neil Mulligan's playing, I'm almost glad; I'd probably have died of frustration trying to achieve anything like such skill.

Neil (aka Neillidh) Mulligan was 11 years old when he had his first lessons on the uilleann pipes from his fathe~~~om, and was later taught by the great Leo Rowsome. Se' amus Ennis was a friend of the family, and a great influence on the young piper. Neil is a founder member and past chairman of Na Piobairi Uilleann, the pipers' association.

On "Barr na Cui lie", he plays a flat set in B, a key more commonly used by pipers in previous centuries. This gives a warmer, mellower, tone than the more common concert pitch sets. His piping is tight and controlled, with sensitive ornamentation and sparing use of regulators, a feature of Seamus Ennis's playing.

There's a good mix of old and new tunes, including 6 slow airs, one of which is from the Isle of Barra. Neil learned this from Se' amus Ennis's singing. Unusually, there are only 4 sets of reels. There are 3 sets of hompipes, 2 of double jigs, and a tasteful pairing of the much-neglected slip jig, "The Whinny Hills of Leitrim" with "Drops of Brandy". The title reel is self composed, and dedicated to his father. It's a valuable addition to the store of piping tunes.

Sean Donnelly's liner notes are concise and informative, pointing to the Scottish origin of many of the tunes, and similarities between many of them.

I'll stick my neck out and say that this is one of the definitive recordings of uilleann piping. I played it to one of my piping friends. The poor man kept shaking his head and saying, "You just can't do that on the pipes!" Neil Mulligan can, and he does! Mick Furey

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