Comments about pipes from this maker. pros &cons.
(I know that one swedish piper has his fullset ,but that’s all)
Cheers,
Mikko
One of the finest Irish makers out there. Donnacha apprenticed to the late Johnny Bourke and Dan Dowd, in fact I think he may have inherited some of Johnny’s tools.
His concert pitch chanters are immaculate!!!
Beautiful rich tone. Sweet, like Leo Rowsome stuff yet bang on in tune. They don’t tend to go sharp like other Rowsome copys.
If I was starting all over again, he’d be the man I’d go to for a great chanter. Deffo!
Tommy
My first practice set was by Donnacha. I ended up being talked into selling the chanter once I got my Lambe set. I have regretted selling it ever since. I know where it is though and it is still playing well.
Very nice workmanship all around.
Robbie Hannan uses one to teach with.
Patrick.
Could somebody supply a pic?
Hans
Jörgen Fischer playing Johnny Bourke chanter with rest made by Donnacha Keegan. Sound clips also that http://www.piping.se/
Brian Walsh playing Donnacha Keegan chanter and rest by Johnny Bourke. From http://www.socalpipers.com/meetings.html.
Few pipers in Belfast play Donnacha Keegan chanters Cormac Buzz O’ Briain, Martin Doughertyand another person. I think Robbie Hannon told them about Keegan chanters.
Mikie Smyth also has a set by Donnacha Keegan drones/2 regs chanter by Kevin Thompson.
Cheers
Ferg
Isn’t that because Keegan/Bourke chanters are slightly longer, slightly thicker walled and tone holes slightly further up, thereby eliminating some of the inherant tuning problems of ‘typical’ concert chanters?
DavidG
Anybody knows his address etc .. 
Let me know
Isn’t that because Keegan/Bourke chanters are slightly longer, slightly thicker walled and tone holes slightly further up, thereby eliminating some of the inherant tuning problems of ‘typical’ concert chanters?
David, your exactly right. The chanters were slightly longer but the ‘chimney’ lenght of each hole are longer because of the thicker chanter design.
Anybody knows his address
That I don’t know but I’m sure someone at Na Piobairi Uilleann would help you out there. Bear in mind that Donnacha has a full time job outside of pipemaking so his wait times are kinda long and he can be hesitant to take orders in the first place. He has a bunch of small kids too so family and the job take precedent. But, if you want a great chanter and have patients, you won’t regret a thing.
t
Only a observation. I have a Spillane chanter, which also match the describtion of the Keegan chanter. As I have been told Spillane uses the same design as Bourke did ( and maybe Keegan does). I got the Spillane chanter about 1990 with a very good reed. I played it the first 12 years. It has a very mellow and rich tone ( I haven’t a good working reed for it at this time. When I got the time!!! I may make a better reed for it).
But at this time I am in the world of flat-pipes ( b-set) and the world of d-concert have to wait a little.
Ole
Adrian Jefferies makes his chanters like that too.
DavidG
You could contact him through the NPU. He was on pipes maintenance duty at Willie Clancy week.
Loveley soundclips Jörgen. I’ve looked for Keegan’s contact details on the NPU website but I cann’t find them. Does anyone have his contact details? I’m seriously impressed by the sounds of Jörgen’ and Robbie’s pipes (see Uilleannobsession for a radio recording of Robbie Hannan).
Cheers L42B
Yes, Jörgen is a brilliant piper and the sound of his chanter is wicked. I use to live in the same city as him and Pär Kristoffersson (ojvoj) and have heard and seen him play on a number of occations. The sound clips on the web page dont even come close to make him justice. I know that there are quite a few more very good video and sound clips of him playing, but i dont know if he would like to have them displayed on the net. Ojvoj knows Jörgen very well so if you dont get any contact with Jörgen directly you can always check him.
/MarcusR
Just got messages from D, Keegan, fullset from boxwood without chanter and bellows 5500euros, deliverytime 2.5 years, 10% deposit.
if a chanter and bellows are not included, then it wouldn’t really be a full set then right? Just drones and regs.
Donnacha Keegan was in Chicago a few years back and reeded the Kenna chanter from the Kenna set that is still available here.