Ahead of his Hall of Fame award at this year's RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Music Awards, piper and flautist Louise Mulcahy writes about the late great musician and musicologist Séamus Ennis.
Séamus Ennis (1919 – 1982) was one of the most influential figures in the history of Irish traditional music and an iconic master of uilleann piping.
Séamus Ennis was a pivotal figure in the preservation, evolution, documentation and transmission of Irish traditional music, song and lore. A virtuoso uilleann piper, singer, tin-whistle and fiddle player, broadcaster, linguist, storyteller, folklorist and collector of music, song and story.
His virtuosic playing, artistic mastery, knowledge of the tradition and ability as a collector and presenter, made an indelible mark on the landscape of Irish traditional music in the twentieth century.
Séamus Ennis was born in Jamestown, Finglas, Co. Dublin in 1919. From birth he was immersed in the tradition. His mother Mary Josephine Ennis played the fiddle and Séamus learned the art of uilleann piping from his father, James Ennis.
Séamus also acquired the ability to sight read music from his father, a skill which would prove beneficial throughout his career as a collector. Séamus had a great command of the Irish language and attended second level education through Irish at Scoil Cholm Cille and Coláiste Mhuire.
Séamus reached exceptional standards in all aspects of his work within the tradition. After his education at Coláiste Mhuire, Séamus completed a commercial course and commenced employment with Colm O' Lochlainn’s 'At the Sign of the Three Candles’ printing firm in Dublin until 1942. During this time, Séamus became proficient at music transcription and acquired a theoretical knowledge of music.
From 1942-1947, Séamus was employed by the Irish Folklore Commission as a collector of music and song. Séamus had a special rapport with many of the great tradition bearers and documented a vast collection of music, song and lore from Gaeltacht regions and counties Galway, Clare, Mayo, Donegal, Limerick and Cavan. Séamus also collected in Kerry, Cork and the Scottish Hebrides.
During his five years with the Commission he collected almost two thousand items of music, song and lore. This seminal fieldwork highlights Ennis’ outstanding contribution as a collector. The diaries of Séamus Ennis are part of the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin and provide an important insight into Irish life, music, song and folklore during the 1940s. The Ennis collection was handwritten and in the language and dialect of the area. The diaries have been translated and edited by Ríonach uí Ógáin in the publication Mise and fear cheoil - Séamus Ennis -Dialann Taistil 1942 -1946.
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Listen: A Living Voice - the Lyric Feature celebrates Seamus Ennis
In August 1947, Séamus was employed by Radio Éireann as an Outside Broadcast Officer. Between, 1947 and 1951 Séamus made extensive recordings of musicians and singers for Radio Éireann. These recordings were extremely important in the documentation, dissemination and development of Irish traditional music and song. In 1951 Séamus moved to London to work with the BBC. During this time Séamus also worked on the pioneering and influential BBC radio programme As I Roved Out. In 1952 Séamus married Margaret Glynn and they had two children Catherine and Christopher.
Séamus’ exceptional style of uilleann piping, command of the instrument, extensive repertoire and understanding of the tradition made a profound impact on Irish traditional music. His iconic recordings represent the finest art of uilleann piping. Séamus displayed incredible technical mastery incorporating distinctive uilleann piping techniques within his playing.
His exploration of these highly emotive and expressive techniques including the ‘Ghost D’, a ‘shiver’ technique on the upper octave notes E and F and his very distinctive cran were beautifully woven throughout his repertoire. Séamus had an in-depth understanding of the beauty of the music and also displayed a masterful interpretation of the slow air tradition.
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Séamus had the unique ability to captivate an audience and his playing inspired listeners on multiple levels. Séamus made a profound impact on many generations of uilleann pipers including master piper Liam O’ Flynn. Séamus bequeathed the beautiful Coyne set of uilleann pipes to his friend Liam O’ Flynn. When Liam sadly passed away in 2018, Liam bequeathed the set to renowned piper Pádraic Mac Mathúna.
Séamus contributed to many recordings throughout his career. An outstanding compilation of Séamus’s music released in 1997 entitled The Return from Fingal was compiled by uilleann piper and broadcaster Peter Browne. The recordings were sourced from 40 years of recording material in the Radio Éireann and later RTÉ archives.
From the 1960s to 1982 Séamus continued to perform and contribute to radio and television broadcasts. He worked as an independent journalist and musician and began to provide English translations for Irish songs. In 1962 he translated Peig Sayers’ 1939 work Machtnamh Seana-mhná into English under the title ‘An old woman’s reflections’.
Séamus played at the first meeting of Na Píobairí Uilleann in Bettystown, Co. Meath in 1968 and became a patron of the newly formed Na Píobairí Uilleann that same year. His tutor book titled The Master’s Touch – A Tutor for the Uilleann Pipes by Séamus Ennis was published by Na Píobairí Uilleann in 1998. During his final years, Séamus resided in Naul in North County Dublin until his untimely death at 63 years of age in 1982.
Séamus Ennis left an incredibly important and lasting legacy behind. The immense body of work collected by Séamus throughout his career, his outstanding contribution to transmission of Irish traditional music and song and his exceptional uilleann piping will continue to inspire many generations to come.
D’fhág Séamus Ennis oidhreacht shuntasach agus tobar saibhir ceoil dúinn. Beidh daoine ag tarraingt ón tobair sin go deo.
The winners of this year's RTÉ Folk Awards will be announced at a special live event at Vicar Street, Dublin on Tuesday 27th February 2024, hosted by RTÉ's John Creedon - tickets for the night are available here.
