We went back to the Arlington Hotel for a night of traditional music and folk dancing. The dancers paled in comparison to the ones we saw last year, but I seriously loved this guy playing the uilleann pipes…
The uillean is one of just three native instruments from Ireland including the bodhran (smallish Irish drum) and the harp. Uillean means elbow in Irish which points out the major difference between these and the Scottish bag pipes.
Incredibly complicated to play with pumping air with your elbow, playing the whole flute-y part and all the while adjusting the sound with the back of your hand makes that sweet, sweet sound coming from them that much more amazing.
While he was playing I kept thinking about Braveheart, which was weird because that’s set in Scotland. Well, turns out the theme song uses the uillean pipes, not the Scottish bag pipe. Just another reason to dislike that disgusting bigot, Mel Gibson. Not that I needed another. Although I do want to point out that Braveheart predates my Mel Gibson ban so I’m still allowed to love it, which I do.
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