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Our Mission
In late 1997 two fledgling pipers, Patrick D'Arcy and Gabriel McKeagney, had a chance encounter and decided on the spot to form the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club. This lead to the clubs first meeting in December 1997. We've been meeting monthly ever since.
Membership is available to anyone with an interest in the uilleann pipes (pronounced illan).
Members are entitled to lessons once a month at our monthly meeting which takes place on the second Sunday of each month.
If you would like to be notified of meetings and their location please click here.
At these monthly meetings there is a room assigned to learning a "tune of the month" and a room assigned to reed making, pipe maintenance, sharing of tunes and other general misbehaviour.
All dues and contributions go directly to the promotion of uilleann piping in Southern California.
We have been hosting Tionóil (piping conventions) here in Southern California since 2000. These events have attracted the best in Traditional Irish Music to Southern California. We now host a Tionól each year in late Autumn.
News
The So Cal Pipers have the honor this year of hosting the 2024 West Coast Tionól with special guest Fiachra O Regan -CLICK HERE for details.
2022: The Piper Sunday videos have been taken offline. The cost of hosting with Vimeo far outweighed the very few rentals. Thank you so much to everyone for taking part.
2021: Thank you eveyone that participated in the PIPER SUNDAY events that took place each Sunday during 2020 and 2021. The videos are archived for rental at the following link ::: more»
10/29/20: Thank you to everyone that attended this years Southern California Tionól! We weren't sure what it would be but we made it work and it was a great success. Massive thanks to Gay McKeon, Kara Doyle and Barry O'Neill for being such engaging teachers! ::: more»
09/27/20: The 2020 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of October 23, 24 & 25, 2020. Saturdays guests are Gay McKeon & Kara Doyle whilst on Sunday, Barry O'Neill will present a talk on A Societal History of the Irish Pipes. For obvious reasons, this years event is online only so make sure your Zoom app is up to date! We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
07/06/20: Piper Sunday - Zoom Seminar: The Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club invites you to join us Sunday's at 11am (PDT) for the continuation of our Piper Sunday Zoom Seminar series featuring online discussion with guest speakers about Irish piping and music ::: Details »
06/25/20: Piper Sunday - Zoom Seminar: The Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club invites you to join us Sunday June 28, 2020 at 11am (PST) for the continuation of our Piper Sunday Zoom Seminar series featuring online discussion with guest speakers about Irish piping and music. For our next event we are delighted to have Jimmy O'Brien-Moran joining us from Tramore, Ireland. ::: Details »
08/06/19: The 2019 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of November 1, 2 & 3, 2019. Guests include Sean Gavin & Tom Klein. On Sunday Barry O'Neill will present a talk on the pipes and piping of Patsy Touhey. SeanGavin will also be giving a flute workshop on Sunday. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
08/27/18: The 2018 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of October 26, 27 & 28, 2018. Guests include Joey Abarta, K Padraig O'Kane & our special guest representing NPU, Emmett Gill. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
06/30/17: The 2017 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of November 10, 11 & 12, 2017. Our guest this year are Patrick Hutchinson. At the reedmaking table we're delighted to welcome our own local reed maestro Michael O'Donovan to offer moral support to one and all. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
09/22/15: David Power Concert & Workshop - The concert is Saturday, October 3, at 3:00pm, at The Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake, Alta Dena, CA, 91001. Call for reservations (10am to 10pm), 626-798-6236 www.coffeegallery.com. Tickets are $20.
The piping workshop with David is Sunday, Oct. 4, 2:00-4:00pm at Michael O'Donovan's, cost is $40. Please RSVP to Larry Dunn at larry@socalpipers.com
The learn more about David and his music please visit his website: http://www.davidpowerup.com/
02/24/15: The 2015 Southern California Tionól will take place over the weekend of November 6, 7 & 8, 2015. Our guests this year are our very own prodigal Joey Abarta and Tallahassee piper Michael Stribling. At the reedmaking table we're delighted to welcome our own local reed maestro Michael O'Donovan to offer moral support to one and all. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
09/23/14: The So Cal Tionol this year will take place over Halloween weekend, October 31 to November 2. Our guests will be Lúnasa piper and whistler Cillian Vallely and Patrick D'Arcy on playing. Michael O'Donovan on reeds. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
03/25/13: The Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club is hosting Kerry piper Leonard Barry for the weekend of 11th Apr til 13th. He is available for workshops and will give a house concert Saturday night. Contact pat@socalpipers.com if you plan to attend. Events will take place in and around San Juan Capistrano, CA.
08/14/13: The Tionol this year will take place over the weekend of November 16 & 17. Our guests will be Eamonn Dillon and Patrick D'Arcy on playing. Michael O'Donovan on reeds and David Quinn on pipemaking. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
07/03/12: The Tionol this year will take place over the weekend of November 9, 10 & 11. Our guests will be Jerry O'Sullivan and Patrick D'Arcy. We look forward to seeing you there! ::: more»
06/06/11: The Tionol this year will take place over the weekend of November 11, 12 & 13. We have secured Jimmy O'Brien-Moran and Michael Cooney to be our guests. It'll be a good one!
01/22/11: In The Ould Ago, meaning a long time ago, is a book of Illustrated Irish Folklore book by Johnny McKeagney. It comprises of 200 intricately hand-drawn illustrated pages of Irish traditions, crafts, history, countryside, farming ways, wildlife, myths and customs. All sewn together in a case-bound hardback A3 size cover and printed by Nicholson & Bass. Competition: You could win one of 5 copies of In The Ould Ago. Simply answer the question and submit your details below to enter ::: more»
01/10/11: Bennett pipe bags make high quality hand stitched Highland pipe bags and are now making excellent uilleann pipe bags too at the same high standard ::: more»
11/08/10: The Southern California Tionol went very well this year. Thanks to our guests, hosts and attendees alike! ::: more»
10/13/10: We are planning to stream video of the concert and possibly some classes and events from our tionol live via our website. Check in periodically to see what's happening! ::: more»
09/13/10: In my absence there seemed to have been a good meeting yesterday.... in my absence! X-O ::: more»
08/08/10: Good meeting yesterday ::: more»
06/15/10: The Southern California Tionól 2010 will take place over the weekend of November 5, 6 & 7. Our guests this year will be Tom Creegan, Eamonn Dillon as well as pipemakers Joe Kennedy & David Quinn. Events will take place at The McKeagney residence in San Juan Capistrano ::: more»
05/05/10: An article about piper, pipemaker and folklorist Patrick Sky appeared in the Berkley Fine Arts magazine recently. At one point they even mention our good selves! ::: more»
04/12/10: Another good monthly meeting yesterday. This month we were glad to see a couple of new faces ::: more»
04/12/10: The Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club would like to extend a hearty congratulations to Seán McKiernan on receiving the TG4 Musician of the Year Award, An Gradam Cheoil! Here is a link to the video, Seán's segment starts at 14:30 approximately ::: more»
01/11/10: Yesterday's Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club meeting was high-lighted by the arrival of Fel Bautista's new concert pitched set ::: more»
12/09/09: Ever more photos of the 2009 Southern California Tionól have been posted ::: more»
11/17/09: Fresh photos of the 2009 Southern California Tionól have been posted ::: more»
11/12/09: The 2009 Southern California Tionól went off without a hitch. Great fun was had by all. Thanks to everyone for participating ::: more»
10/11/09: Photos of Sunday's meeting have been added ::: more»
05/18/09: A hearty CONGRATULATIONS to Joey Abarta for winning the uilleann piping segment of the 2009 Mid-West Fleadh Cheoil this past weekend. He also got first place in accompaniment on bodhrán and second place on whistle ::: more»
04/21/09: We are very excited in the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club to be welcoming PIPERLINK to The Neighborhood Church of Pasadena on May 10th, 2009.
Featuring uilleann pipers Gay McKeon & Tommy Keane, eminent folklorist Seán Donnelly, and vocalist Muireann Nic Ambhlaoibh.
Click here to download PDF document with details about the show.
To make your reservation please email Larry Dunn at larry@socalpipers.com
01/16/08: House Concert: Irish Traditional Music on Harp and Flute featuring Marta Cook on Irish Harp & Ben Power on wooden flute, bodhrán, song, sean nós dance. This is a rare opportunity to see one of the world's finest Irish harpers in Southern California. Monday, January 19th at 8.00pm. Tickets $15. At Eileen and Gabriel McKeagney's in San Juan Capistrano. Bio's and an example of this duo's playing can be heard at myspace.com/woodenflute - For further information contact Ben at bepoq1@gmail.com or Eileen at emckeagney@cox.net
01/12/09: Happy new year once again. The meetings page is all up to date now with photos from our last couple of get togethers ::: more»
12/04/08: This months meeting marks the 11th anniversary of our club. Now all that's left to do is celebrate in style! Here's to many, many more years of comaraderie with these contraptions!
11/07/08: Photos of last weekends SCUPC "Autumn" Tionól are now up ::: more»
09/10/08: Thanks to The Sash for sending me a couple of new photos of the SCUPC Spring Tionól ::: more»
08/14/08: The Southern California Tionól will take place this year from Oct 31st to Nov 2nd... Halloween weekend! Our guests will be Nollaig MacCárthaigh, Tommy Martin, Martin Preshaw and David Quinn. Looking forward to seeing some of you there! ::: more»
08/11/08: Photos of yesterday's meeting have been added featuring Gabriel, Larry, Victor & Tom ::: more»
06/24/08: The club made an appearance at the Irish Fair in Irvine this year ::: more»
04/16/08: SCUPC member Fel Bautista sent me some photos of our Spring Tionól. They are available now to look at on this website ::: more»
04/15/08: The SCUPC Spring Tionól was very nice. Mickey Dunne was the calm gentleman we've all come to know. It was a pleasure having him around and was sad to see him go. Looking forward to the next one Mickey!
03/19/08: We have a SCUPC Spring Tionól coming up on April 5th & 6th. Our guest this year is Mickey Dunne. The Tionól will start around 10:00am at Larry's Dunn's house. Morning workshop from 10-noon, afternoon from 2:00-4:00pm. Registration for the weekend is $75.00, concert only is $20.00. RSVP please to larry@socalpipers.com
02/12/08: This months meeting was great fun ::: more»
01/14/08: We had an almost surprise visit from Tim Britton last weekend and Tim Drake borrows Steve Farrell's drones ::: more»
01/10/08: Larry Dunn & myself, Patrick D'Arcy, were invited last night to attend a meeting of the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society. We did a presentation on the uilleann pipes and were warmly received. Strengthening the bonds between the scattered Irish communities here in LA county ::: more»
12/09/07: We are celebrating our 10th Anniversary this December and marked the occassion at this months meeting ::: more»
11/09/07: Photos and videos of the SCUPC Tionól are now up on this site ::: more»
11/05/07: The SCUPC Tionól was a great success. Thanks so much to everyone involved. Photos and reviews will be posted as they emerge from the exhausted attendees ::: more»
09/27/07: The Paddy Keenan workshop & concert went great. Photos and a bit of a write up are on this site ::: more»
04/09/07: Sufficiently rested Larry Dunn has forwarded a review of the weekends exploits ::: more»
04/02/07: Photos of the Spring Tionól featuring David Power are now available ::: more»
03/12/07: Added photos of last weekends meeting ::: more»
12/12/06: 7 Years a Listening and 2 Years a Practising! Officially! It's our ninth anniversary! ::: more»
10/19/06: Tionól Update: Everything went nice and smoothy this year. Photographs of this years event are now available ::: more»
09/05/06: Tionól Update: We just received word that pipemaker Martin Preshaw will be joining us for the tionól this year along with Tommy Keane, Marion McCarthy, David Quinn, Michael Hubbert, Michael O'Donovan & Kevin Crehan ::: more»
09/01/06: More sad news I'm afraid. SCUPC member Jason Bond succumbed to cancer Sept. 1 at the age of 58 ::: more»
Jason Bond R.I.P.
04/09/06: Another wonderful article from the gifted pen of Michael O'Donovan on the latest NFCSCUPC meeting ::: more»
04/09/06: S.C.U.P.C. Piper Steve Farrell passed away on Sunday morning due to liver cancer. You'll be missed Steve. It was great to know such a warm and open spirit. As you always said yourself, "God Bless". ::: more»
Steve Farrell R.I.P.
04/09/06: SCUPC meeting photos added ::: more»
11/28/05: Added the latest N.F.C.S.C.U.P.C. meeting minutes to it's corresponding page. If you don't know what this means you are not allowed to go there ::: more»
10/26/05: More photos added to the tionól page. Thanks for these Gaby! ::: more»
10/12/05: The 2005 Southern California Tionól was a roaring success. Thanks to Larry Dunn for his organizational skills, Gabriel & Eileen McKeagney for hosting the event and all the rest of the lads that chipped in particularly Steve Farrell and Nicholas ::: more»
09/09/05: Just confirmed: Fiddler Kevin Crehan will be joining us on the Saturday of the tionól to teach a workshop. Please spread the word to all your fiddle playing friends ::: more»
08/23/05: I have set up a BLOG for anyone interested in attending the Southern California Tionól. The idea is that you can connect with people and arrange room sharing and car pooling etc ::: more»
08/18/05: Conor McKeon swung by for a few tunes and to teach a class at the latest pipers club meeting. Photos coming soon.
08/04/05: Added the latest N.F.C.S.C.U.P.C. meeting minutes to it's corresponding page. If you don't know what this means you are not allowed to go there ::: more»
06/27/05: Mikie Smyth was back for more punishment this past weekend and it was great! Oh my weary bones! This one'll take a while to get over. Mikie's new CD was on hand during this visit and there were many snapped up gladly. I believe more than were even sold in New Zealand ;) Beautiful music, I highly recommend it. Keep an eye on Mikie's website for further details ::: more»
06/09/05: Lewis Blevins visited our stomping grounds this past weekend. Here are some photos taken by Michael Eskin of the evening ::: more»
06/02/05: By popular demand I've added a N.F.C.S.C.U.P.C. page. If you don't know what this means you are not allowed to go there ::: more»
05/31/05: We had a fantastic time with Mikie Smyth this past weekend. He's now on his way to New Zealand for a few weeks and will be returning to give another workshop and house concert on June 24-26, 2005. Mark your calendars! ::: more»
04/11/05: A double CD set is now available of the 2004 SCUPC Tionól concert. Musicians featured are Mick O'Brien, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Benedict Koehler, Pat D'Arcy & Kynch O'Kaine. All proceeds go directly to the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club. This CD is only available at SCUPC mettings and events.
12/26/04: Added some video of Mick & Caoimhín in concert at the tionól ::: more»
12/22/04: Check out Gabriel McKeagney on radio in Ireland. Scroll to the bottom of the page for Gay's link ::: more»
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