Peter Kelly (1837 – 1 April 1910) was an Irish piper. Kelly was born in the town of Galway but blinded in infancy. When old enough, his parents saw to it that he was taught the pipes by

Martin O'Reilly Martin O'Reilly (1829–1904) was a blind Irish piper. Although associated with east County Galway in some sources, O'Reilly was born in Galway City, living at the junction of Eyre Street and Suckeen (now St. Brendan's Avenue). At one stage ...

as a means of ensuing his welfare. When aged about thirty he moved to

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

with fiddler John Crockwell, where he married and had nine children. He was survived upon his death by his widow and three children. O'Neill said of him:

"This ideal old minstrel was a well-known figure for many years in the vicinity of the Jamaica and Albert bridges, and opposite the Queen Street Station, but instead of sitting down while playing he stood upright, resting his right leg above the knee on a short crotched stick so as to manipulate his instrument successfully. He had the reputation of being a particularly skilful and sweet player, and Mr. Henderson, the famous bagpipe maker who made his reeds, speaks in very high terms of his capabilities as a musician. Kelly played all his music by ear, and so quick was he in picking up a tune, that if he heard it played, sung, or whistled once, he could repeat it on the pipes without making a mistake. His favorite melodies were ''The Coolin'' and ''The Blackbird''"

"Very often he was accompanied by another blind man named Smith, who played the flute, and the two were looked upon as inseparable cronies, and both were equally fond of their pint of porter, though by no means drunkards. Kelly was at his usual stand on the Albert bridge on the Saturday evening preceding his death from pneumonia four days later."

"Dire want drove his widow to a pawnshop with the pipes shortly after, and the generous ( ?) pawnbroker said, had not the chanter been worn nearly through by the finger marks he could afford to have given much more than the ten shillings he allowed her."

External links

* http://billhaneman.ie/IMM/IMM-XXII.html

References

* ''Irish pipers of distinction'', Chapter XXII, ''Irish Minstrels and Musicians'', by Capt.

Francis O'Neill Francis O'Neill (; August 28, 1848 – January 26, 1936) was an Irish-born American police officer and collector of Irish traditional music. His biographer Nicholas Carolan referred to him as "the greatest individual influence on the evolution ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, 1913. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Peter 1837 births 1910 deaths Irish blind musicians Irish male uilleann pipers Musicians from Galway (city) Musicians from Glasgow 19th-century Irish male musicians 20th-century Irish male musicians 19th-century Irish uilleann pipers 20th-century Irish uilleann pipers 1870s in Irish music 1880s in Irish music 1890s in Irish music 1900s in Irish music 1910s in Irish music