ill for some time. In 1964, he performed at the Newport Folk Festival. His father gave him the pipes he had bought in 1908. Although most pipers can be classed as playing in a tight style or an open style, Séamus was in between. Séamus was a master of the slow air, knowing how to decorate long notes with taste and discreet variation. Two events will live in legend among pipers. The first was in Bettystown in 1968, when the society of Irish pipers, Na Píobairí Uilleann, was formed. Breandán Breathnach was playing a tape of his own piping. Séamus asked "What year?" Brendan replied "1948". Séamus said "So I thought". For a couple of hours the younger players performed while Séamus sat in silence. Eventually he was asked to play. Slowly he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves. He spent 20 minutes tuning up his 130-year-old pipes. He then asked the gathering whether all the tape recorders were ready and proceeded to play for over an hour. To everyone's astonishment he then offered his precious pipes to Willie Clancy to play a set. Willie demurred but eventually gave in. Next Liam O'Flynn (Liam Óg Ó Floinn) was asked to play them, and so on, round the room. The second unforgettable session was in Dowlings' pub in Prosperous in County Kildare. Christy Moore was there, as well as most of the future members of Planxty. Séamus never ran any school of piping but his enthusiasm infused everyone he met. In the early seventies, he shared a house with Liam O'Flynn for almost three years. Finally he bought a piece of land in Naul and lived in a mobile home there. One of his last performances was at the Willie Clancy Summer School in 1982. He died on 5 October 1982. His pipes were bequeathed to Liam O'Flynn. Radio producer Peter Browne produced a compilation of his performances, called The Return from Fingal, spanning 40 years. Commemoration Séamus Ennis Road in his native Finglas is named in his honour. The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre in Naul was opened in his honour, to commemorate his work and to promote the traditional arts. He is also the subject of Christy Moore's song 'The Easter Snow.' This is the title of a slow air Ennis used to play, and one after which he named his final home in Naul. Discography Albums