Union Pipes - Irish Traditional Music Archive

COURTNEY’S ‘UNION PIPES’ AND THE TERMINOLOGY OF IRISH BELLOWS-BLOWN BAGPIPES 42
Later in the same month, at a benefit for him, Courtney is extending
his performance repertory in a more Irish direction: ‘Mr Courtney
will introduce several Airs on the Union Pipes, particularly The
Munster Lilt, And Papa! Papa! Mama! Mama! 120 By this time he is
being billed as ‘Performer on the Union Pipes to the Prince of
Wales’, and is also now performing ‘Ellenaroon’ 121 and ‘the
favourite Air of Coolun’. 122 These are among the ‘Irish lilts’ and
‘Irish airs’ he now regularly performs. By June 1793 Courtney’s
Irish visit only had a few weeks to run, and the publicity stops were
being pulled out for another benefit for him:
The performance of... Mr. Courtney... on the Union Pipes is justly
admired here as well as in England, and this evening he is to give
such further instances of his abilities, as never were known before.
This... is a desirable treat; and as Mr. Courtney, who has had the
honour of being countenanced for his singular merit on the Union
Pipes, by his Majesty, and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
is shortly to return to England, it is probable those who delight in
that music, will never have such another opportunity of
enjoyment. 123
In the event Courtney stayed on in Dublin for another six weeks, and
finished up the theatrical season in the Theatre Royal at the end of
July in his by now usual style: ‘Mr. Courtney will perform the
celebrated Overture and Rondeau of Oscar and Malvina, with several
favourite Irish Airs, on the Union Pipes’. 124
120
Freeman’s Journal, Dublin, 14 May 1793.
121
Irish ‘Eibhlín a Rún’ (Eileen my love). Freeman’s Journal, Dublin, 18 May
1793.
122
Irish ‘An Chúilfhionn’ (The fair-haired girl). Freeman’s Journal, Dublin, 18
May 1793.
123
Freeman’s Journal, Dublin, 11 June 1793.
124
Freeman’s Journal, Dublin, 30 July 1793. He appeared on the same bill as
Robert Owenson, who was performing a ‘Planxty in character’.