Home the Archive Uilleann Pipes Artists' Homepages Picture Gallery Cobblestone gigs		Pictures 01 - 09 taken by Olvet Triin Pictures 'palmse1' - 'palmse9' and text by Néillidh Mulligan (some pictures by Tom Mulligan and Peter Woods) This was the Third Lahemaa International Bagpipe Festival to be held at the Palmse Manor Estate in Lahemaa National Park in North Eastern Estonia, not far from The Baltic coast. Pipers came from France, Ireland, Scotland, Livonia, along with pipers and groups from various regions of Estonia. All the performances were outdoor in brilliant sunshine in over 30 degrees of heat. The festival this year was brought forward to coincide with Baltica 2001, a festival the rotates between the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. This festival was based in Tallinn and we performed, as part of this festival, at the old Monastery in the Centre of Tallinn prior to our departure to Dublin. Prior to this the bagpipe festivals were held in southern Estonia in Torva, Valgamaa, which is quite near the Latvian border. The inspiration behind these festivals and indeed the revival of the Estonian bagpipe was Johannes Taul and his son Ants. Ants is a full-time instrument maker and has made most of the Estonian bagpipes to be found played in Estonia today. The bagpipe group they formed was called "Toupill" (meaning bagpipe) and they existed for 25 years and had their final performance in 1997, which was to coincide with the first International Bagpipe Festival in Lahemaa. Myself and Brian Vallely played at both occasions and it was my first time to bring another piper with me as I had been performing solo at these festivals every second year since 1991. The Irish group has expanded and has included to date Brian Vallely, Peadar Ó Caennabháin, Alphie Mulligan, Tom Mulligan, Meaití Jó Sheamuis Ó Fatharta and Peter Woods. Garech De Brún also came with me in 1995 to Torva. thmb_middle_01.jpg popup preview (400 x 282, 42K) big image (841 x 593, 66K) Evening Concert. (If a bad performance is delivered the musicians are burnt at the stake... seen here in the background!!) thmb_middle_02.jpg popup preview (400 x 247, 35K) big image (894 x 551, 62K) Viivi Voorand (Famous Music Teacher - Foreground) and the women from Kihnu Island where national dress is worn all year round, dance to my Labajalavals (Flat-foot Walse) thmb_middle_03.jpg popup preview (270 x 400, 32K) big image (601 x 889, 55K) Scots/Viking meets Irishman! thmb_middle_04.jpg popup preview (400 x 270, 34K) big image (815 x 551, 55K) Concert outside Palmse Manor House thmb_middle_05.jpg popup preview (400 x 284, 41K) big image (847 x 602, 70K) Opening Festival Procession thmb_middle_06.jpg popup preview (400 x 270, 30K) big image (843 x 569, 53K) Concert in the Old Monastery Courtyard, behind Kloostri Ait Café, in the Centre of Tallinn. thmb_middle_07.jpg popup preview (400 x 252, 32K) big image (886 x 559, 59K) The Irish bring up the rear at the Opening procession in Lahemaa National Park. thmb_middle_08.jpg popup preview (400 x 268, 29K) big image (883 x 592, 48K) Concert at the old monastery prior to departure back to Dublin. thmb_middle_09.jpg popup preview (400 x 281, 35K) big image (842 x 592, 55K) Meaití, Alphie, Tom, Brian and I relax during the search for Peter Woods!!! Yes he was in Estonia too... somewhere...!!! thmb_middle_palmse1.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 45K) big image (1024 x 683, 208K) Talking to the presenters of the concert before my performance. thmb_middle_palmse2.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 26K) big image (1024 x 683, 122K) Me and Viivi, a famous music teacher and a player of the Estonian Bagpipe and many other instruments. thmb_middle_palmse3.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 19K) big image (1024 x 683, 99K) thmb_middle_palmse4.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 22K) big image (1024 x 683, 107K) Cätlin Jaago (left) and Celia Roose (right). thmb_middle_palmse5.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 20K) big image (1024 x 683, 102K) Women From Kihnu Island at the 'Ballroom of Romance' thmb_middle_palmse6.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 14K) big image (1024 x 683, 84K) These national costumes are worn all year round by the women of Kihnu Island in the Baltic sea off Estonia. Nearly all the women on the Island sing. It has a population of 500. thmb_middle_palmse7.jpg popup preview (267 x 400, 28K) big image (683 x 1024, 134K) Karmen Laus from the Depatment of Foreign affairs in Estonia. A frequent visitor to Ireland and possibly the next Estonian Consul to be appointed to Ireland to suceed Triin Parts, our current Consul. thmb_middle_palmse8.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 34K) big image (1024 x 683, 163K) The stage is taken by a group of dancers, which is why these French musicians are sitting next to the stage. thmb_middle_palmse9.jpg popup preview (400 x 267, 36K) big image (1024 x 683, 174K) Contact me for the full size images (3.34 Megapixel) for printing purposes
		If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or if you want to have your CD included, please contact Paul Eliasberg, uilleannpipes@mac.com.