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O’Mealy, Richard Lewis

1873-1947

bagpipe maker, also a piper (or vv.) (&c.), mentioned by name

Born in a house called "Templecross cottage" [NE of Ballynacarrigy, Co. Westmeath] in the townland of Tristernagh, parish of Kilbixy, near an old ruined chapel and burial ground that gave the cottage its name; He was the youngest of 9 children; His 8 siblings were Edward ("Ned", a piper), William and Johnny (fiddlers), Robert (who died a baby), Katie (a concertina and fiddle player), Letitia, Isabella and Louisa Annie; Most of his adult life he lived in Belfast, where he was renowned as a piper, broadcaster, piping teacher and pipe maker; NB: ➺ Francis McPeake.

Instrument: Uilleann pipe(s)


Sources

Airs du temps: cornemuses du monde, musiques des régions. Ploezal, 1996, p.37* (O’Meally).

O’Neill, Francis: Irish minstrels and musicians: the story of Irish music [Chicago, 1913]. Cork, 1987 [facsimile], p.164-166* & passim.

Web

seanreidsociety.org (O’Mealy presentation, part 1)
seanreidsociety.org (O’Mealy presentation, part 2)