John McDonough (piper) facts for kids

John "Mac an Asal" McDonough (died around 1857) was a famous Irish piper. A piper is a musician who plays a type of bagpipes. John McDonough was known for his special way of playing music.

Early Life and Travels

John McDonough was born in Annaghdown, a place in County Galway, Ireland. He traveled a lot around Ireland. He spent a long time in Dublin, the capital city. While there, he sometimes played music for students or teachers at Trinity College, Dublin. He was also connected to a music expert named Canon James Goodman.

His Unique Music Style

People who heard John McDonough play said he made music sound very special. He could play many different types of tunes. He was especially good at playing "storytelling" music. This means his music could describe things or tell a story without words.

The Nickname "Mac an Asal"

John McDonough had a unique nickname: "Mac an Asal." This means "son of the donkey" in Irish. He got this name because his father bought and sold donkeys. When John was a boy, his father would have him sit on a donkey and play his pipes. This happened as they walked to a fair or market.

Family Life

John McDonough was married and had at least one child. His daughter was known as Mrs. Kenny. She was called the "Queen of the Irish Fiddlers" because she was so good at playing the fiddle. She married another piper named John Kenny. Later, John Kenny's daughter married a piper named John Flannagan, who was born in 1870.

Hard Times and Legacy

Sadly, John McDonough faced very difficult times. The Great Famine was a period of severe hunger in Ireland. This event made him very poor. He had to leave Dublin and sadly died in a poorhouse in Gort. A poorhouse was a place where very poor people could live.

John McDonough owned a wonderful musical instrument. It was a set of pipes made especially for him by Michael Egan. Egan was the most famous Irish pipe maker of his time. They were both in Liverpool when the pipes were made. John's wife kept these special pipes for seven years after he died. But because she needed money, she had to sell them. The pipes had cost a lot, about twenty pounds, but she sold them for a very small price to a pipe repairer in Dublin.

John McDonough was not related to another famous musician from Galway, Pat McDonagh.