I’m surprised no-one else has noted this yet. NPU’s Piperlink show that toured Ireland is coming to the US for a six-city tour. More info here.
djm
I noticed - it’s just that they are appearing no where near me… 
Yes, we are very pleased to be having the tour stop here in Minneapolis: gateway to the greater Collegeville area.
We have been waiting for the official NPU media machine to launch their stuff. But the secret’s out!
im going to the milwaukee stop!
Ugh. It looks like they are saving the New York area for another time, perhaps . . . I wonder if they are suffering from that common European misperception that playing in Boston and Chicago should make the tour accessible to everyone in the country!
I can safely say that no geographical misperceptions are at play here! The itinerary was based upon the calculus that considerations of funding and logistics inevitably imply.
The Piperlink show is a fantastic outreach effort on the part of Na Píobairí Uilleann, in exact line with the organization’s mission to promote Irish traditional music, and specifically uilleann piping. While it is to be hoped that future performances might make it to more locations around North America, it will be a great concert wherever it’s performed, and well worthy of support.
Best regards,
Kieran O’Hare
Are they afraid that the west is still full of cowboys and indians? Seriously. A friend of mine from the west coast went to an Ivy League school in the East and people would ask her (almost daily) how the ‘indian troubles’ (and they didn’t mean the continued concerted genocide and marginalization) were going. Perhaps this ignorance has carried over to Ireland? Why else is there no performance west of the Mississippi.
OK, I didn’t mean to stir up a bees nest! I should have included a smiley emoticon, or a crying one or something. My original reaction was part sour grapes at not being able to attend the PiperLink concerts, and part failed attempt at humor 
We actually did host an international student once, who wondered if we could make a trip to see the Grand Canyon . . . from northern New Jersey. Unfortunately, this degree of geographical ignorance is common among the youth of every nation. I would not accuse our own Mr. O’Hare of any sort of similar ignorance, and I thought his response was a perfectly satisfactory explanation of the limits of this tour! So there.
JVF
NPU wanted to do an extended North American tour (including the West Coast) for Piperlink, but their funding didn’t come through. I believe that they are hoping to do a Piperlink tour again next year that will cover more territory. It’s definitely a funding issue rather than any lack of vision on NPU’s part.
No E
Maybe they could sell tickets ahead of time to raise the money for air-fare? And/or arrange guest-stays in the cities they’re going to? There’s nothing quite like staying with good people in a foreign city over a sterile hotel room.
One assumes, with hope, that the post about ‘Indian troubles’ and ‘ignorance’ in Ireland being the cause of no venues west of the Mississippi being visited by this Piperlink tour was meant to be humorous. If the intent was not humorous, the comment was fatuous at best, and imbecile or offensive at worst.
Mounting a tour like Piperlink takes an incredible amount of time and energy from an organizational standpoint–an incredible amount. This effort–superhuman on the part of NPU–is supplemented by the work of volunteers in all of the cities lucky enough to host Piperlink on the upcoming tour. Between this reality, and an ever-decreasing amount of funding available for arts everywhere, it is absolutely amazing that NPU are able to put this tour on anywhere. And I will point out that Piperlink is partially funded by Irish government and government-originated support–not really a hallmark of an ‘ignorant’ place, supporting traditional arts in this fashion.
So if this tour of Piperlink isn’t making it to your city, you’ll have to wait for the next one, and in the meantime content yourself to attend the various local tionóil (many supported by NPU), read An Píobaire from NPU or the IPC’s fine publication, avail yourself of the amazing resources on NPU’s website, or benefit from many of the excellent CDs, DVDs, and books NPU make available to pipers around the world.
Kieran O’Hare
Well said Mr O’Hare.
It is a huge undertaking on behalf of NPU and the local organisers. Unfortunately the practical cost of these events are increasing more and more and Arts Council funding ( in Ireland and the US) is decreasing.
As a touring musician myself I have a good knowledge of the costs of these things and I could estimate that the initial outlay before they leave Ireland is in the region of $10,000 (international flights, visas, prebooked internal transport,etc)
Two of the artists are not even accepting a fee for the tour in the interest of making it happen.
That said, this is not a money making venture. It’s a generous attempt on behalf on NPU to get closer the it’s members (and anyone at all interested in Uilleann pipes) in the US.
As others have said, if this goes well and I hope it does, there will be more.
So support your local touring piper!
Tommy
I’m sure there will be more 
This program is proving to be very successful and in high demand. We look forward one day to have this in Toronto! Until then we indulge in other local (and distant) festivities. Well said Keiran & Tom, and congratulations and thanks to NPU for the effort!
Forgot to add humorous nonsense.
One assumes, with hope, that the post about ‘Indian troubles’ and ‘ignorance’ in Ireland being the cause of no venues west of the Mississippi being visited by this Piperlink tour was meant to be humorous.
Cow skin laden pipes did cause a short rift between St. Louis’ Hindu, Seihk and Irish community here on the western banks of the river. They’re fine now though. Stories of lamb skin bags and gortex put matters at east.
Tommy
See. That’s the trouble with the internet. There should be some kind of HTML code for JOKING. Yes, it was meant to be humorous. Yes I’ve traveled widely for long periods of time in Ireland and found the people wonderful and wonderfully informed. No more ignorance than anywhere else in the world and a great deal less than you tend to find in small-town America. Sorry if I accidentally pushed your buttons, but I thought this was the Uilleann Piper’s board, not the squeezebox board.
For those within striking distance of
St.Louis - Oct 3
Milwaukee
Chicago
Minneapolis
St.Cloud
Boston
More details on NPU’s web site as to venues, dates and times.
Its a great show if you can make it.
Mike Mullins