Nance the Piper facts for kids
Nance the Piper was a famous Irish musician from the late 1800s. She played the uilleann pipes, a special type of Irish bagpipes. Nance was from a place called Castlelyons in County Cork, Ireland. She was quite unique because it was very rare for women to be professional pipers back then.
A Talented and Unique Musician
A piper named Jimmy Barry (piper) shared stories about Nance the Piper. He said she became a performer because she needed to earn money after her husband died. Even though she was blind, she was an amazing musician. She was especially popular with dancers.
Barry believed Nance must have had a lot of training to be so good. Only the best pipers could play for stage dancers, and Nance could tell exactly what each dancer was doing just by the sound of their feet!
Her Lively Personality
Nance the Piper was also known for her fun comments while she played. She would cheer on the dancers with encouraging words. For example, she might say things like, "Go for it, Patsy Magner! You're doing great!" or "Keep going, Mickey Joe Sullivan, no one can beat you!" She made her performances very entertaining for everyone.
Remembering Nance
Francis O'Neill, another famous musician and collector of Irish music, was very impressed by the stories of Nance. He thought such a special and unique blind woman piper should be remembered in Irish history and literature. Her story shows how talented and important she was in Irish music.
See also
- Kitty Hanley
- Margaret Barry (1917–1989), Irish traditional singer and banjo player
- Eileen Donaghy (1930–2008), Irish traditional singer.
- Martin O'Reilly (1829-1904), Irish piper
