34th Belfast Piping Tionól – Programme Overview

Presented in conjunction with Na Píobairí Uilleann and An Droichead, the 34th Belfast Piping Tionól brings together pipers of all levels for a weekend of workshops, sessions, and shared music in Belfast.

Friday 6th March 2026

Piping Session
📍 Madden’s Bar
74 Berry Street, Belfast, BT1 1FJ
🕖 7.00 – 10.00pm

Open session – all pipers welcome. A relaxed and social start to the weekend.

Saturday 7th march 2026

📍 An Droichead, Belfast
20 Cooke Street, Belfast, BT7 2EP

Morning Workshops

🕙 10.00am – 12.00pm

• Workshop with Síle Friel
• Workshop with Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn
• Reed-making workshop with Robbie Hughes
• Total beginners’ class available on request.

Midday Sessions / Lunch Break

🕛 12.00 – 1.00pm

Participants may attend the following optional sessions during the break:
• Try the Pipes with Tom Clarke 12.00 - 1.00pm
• How to Tune the Pipes with Patrick O’Hare 12.00 -1.30pm

Afternoon Workshops

🕑 2.00 – 4.00pm

• Workshops continue
• Total beginners’ class available on request

Saturday Evening

Pipers’ Chair
📍 An Droichead
🕖 From 7.30pm (approx.)

A social close to the weekend with music from participants and guests.

Tutors

Síle Friel

Síle Friel is a highly regarded traditional musician with deep family roots in the Donegal Gaeltacht. Known for her expressive and sensitive approach to the uilleann pipes, Síle draws heavily on family repertoire and Donegal tradition, combining strong musicality with a thoughtful, song-influenced style. She has performed and recorded extensively, gaining a reputation as both an engaging performer and an inspiring teacher.

Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn

Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn is an award-winning uilleann piper from County Monaghan who began playing at a young age with the Armagh Pipers Club. Widely praised for his precision, musical imagination, and command of the instrument, his playing has been described as elegant, inventive, and deeply expressive.

Mike Patterson “Piping Centre-Glasgow” In his own playing, Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn achieves a smooth, confident elegance of technique and a precision of taste and expression that result in a style full of finesse, artistry and clarity of intention. He persuades the listener that he is wholly in control of the instrument and is drawing out the richest, purest and most persuasive emotion from his repertoire.