Breandán Breathnach facts for kids

Breandán Breathnach (born April 1, 1912 – died November 6, 1985) was a very important person in Irish music. He was an uilleann piper, which means he played a special type of Irish bagpipes. He also spent his life collecting and writing down thousands of old Irish tunes. His most famous work is a series of books called Ceol Rince na hÉireann, which means "Dance Music of Ireland."

Who Was Breandán Breathnach?

Breandán Breathnach was a key figure in keeping traditional Irish music alive. He made sure that many old tunes were not forgotten. People remember him for his huge collection of music and his skill as a piper.

His Early Life and Music

Breandán grew up in a part of Dublin called the Liberties. His father was a silk weaver. His uncle, Joe, played the uilleann pipes and was part of a club for pipers. This is how Breandán first got interested in the pipes. He learned to play from famous pipers like John Potts, William Andrews, and Leo Rowsome.

Breandán started working for the government in the Department of Agriculture. But in 1965, he moved to the Department of Education. In this new job, he was in charge of finding and collecting music from all over Ireland.

Collecting Irish Music

In the 1950s, Breandán decided to share some of the music he had collected. Many talented musicians helped him. Pipers like his uncle Joe, John Potts, Tommy Reck, Matt Kiernan, and Willie Clancy shared their tunes. Fiddlers such as John Kelly, Donncha Ó Cróinín, Tommy Potts, and Tom Mulligan also contributed. Flutists and whistlers like John Egan, John Brennan, and Michael Tubridy, along with box-player Sonny Brogan, added to the collection.

This amazing collection was named Ceol Rince na hÉireann, meaning "Dance Music of Ireland." The first book came out in 1963. A second book, which was very popular, was published in 1976. This book included music from musicians like James McEnery from Limerick, John Doherty from County Donegal, Micho Russell from County Clare, and Denis Murphy from County Kerry. More books based on his work were published in 1985, 1996, and 1999.

By the time he passed away, Breandán had collected over 7,000 tunes! His hard work saved countless traditional Irish songs from being lost forever. He is seen as a very important person in making sure traditional Irish music continues to be played and loved today.

His Family Life

In 1943, Breandán married Lena Donnellan. They had five daughters together. One of his daughters, Niamh Bhreathnach, became a Labour Party politician. She even served as the Minister for Education, which means she was in charge of schools and learning for the country.