3 Instrument Makers and their music

The Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon Co. Clare will host 3 Instrument Makers (and their music) until November 26th, an exhibition celebrating the work of three of the most innovative traditional musicians and instrument makers in the country; Paul Dooley (harp), Martin Doyle (flute) and Davy Spillane (uillean pipes).

In conjunction with the year of the craft, this unique exhibition will offer the visitor a multi media experience of film, photography, audio, as well as a chance to see a display of the exquisitely crafted instruments made by each of these musicians all of whom live within a ten mile radius of Ennistymon.

Paul Dooley is one of the leading exponents of the Irish harp in its historical form and style, having studied the construction of medieval Irish harps in Dublin during the early 1980s. He started his performing career on the metal-strung harp in 1986 and has appeared on numerous CD recordings and television soundtracks his latest recording is called The Harpers Fancy.

In 2005 Martin Doyle moved from Bray to Co. Clare, where from his workshop he makes flutes for musicians worldwide.His love of flute making carries an aspiration for the progression of the craft,

“I like to strive to transcend my capacities and therefore my results. It’s important to me that the contemporary flutes keep evolving and giving us new horizons — that’s the real joy of this work! My feeling is that we should never stop striving for the better good in any field of endeavour.”

In the mid '70's Davy Spillane started his uilleann pipe making apprenticeship with Johnny Burke in Bray Co. Wicklow and by 1988 Davy had made his own set of uilleann pipes with Johnny. These pipes are made of sterling silver, African blackwood, ebony and ivory. 1988 being the Millennium Year in Dublin, all the silver parts were individually hallmarked in Dublin Castle and received the Millennium hallmark unique to that year. This is the instrument that Davy has played on all his recordings and performances from when they were made to the present time. This is the instrument that is on display.

Photographer Christy McNamara, well known for his photographs of traditional musicians will be collaborating in this exhibition with a series of comissioned photographs. Also included will be a short film made by Packmule Films documenting each of the musicians at work in their workshops. In conjunction with North Clare Historical Society there will be a lecture Monday 21st at 8pm by Eugene Lambe, collector of tunes and stories from County Clare. This exhibiiton will be held in the old courthouse building in Ennistymon which has been beautifuly renovated into a new art space.