Sure, we have had debates about who is the greatest living/deceased piper but who is the best teacher?
Just experience of D.Moynihan,L.Barry,P.Keenan.. they were all so great indeed. But must say that Keenan with his “freefalling method” was best one
ever.
Brian McNamara.
This is a great question, but likely to foster some disagreements, too. Just as no two instructors will teach the same way, no two students will experience instruction the same way . . .
In the age of the Internet, video lessons, and great pipers traveling to Tionols and workshops all over the world, we’re all likely to have had instruction from a half-dozen great instructors, or more!
So, my very personal picks:
For the rank beginner, Bill Ochs provids a rock solid foundation for learning to play the pipes; basic technique, understanding Irish dance music, tempo and ryhthm.
David Power does a fantastic job of instruction; for putting feeling into the music, getting the sound you want out of your instrument, and getting sounds out of it you never imagined! Also, an authentic “regional” piping style and heavy influences from Seamus Ennis.
Jerry O’Sullivan is the best instructor in the Eastern U.S. at least, for his patience and skills and unerring guidance in choosing a repertoire, and ability to pass these along to his students.
Responding to the comments made so far, I have to say that I think Paddy Keenan is the greatest piper living, but at least concerning what I need from an instructor, not my favorite.
Please explain what the “freefalling method” is----thanks!!
I’ll second the vote for Brian McNamara, Jimmy O’Brien-Moran as well.
Aren’t both Brian McN and Jimmy O’B-M university lecturers?
I’ll second that.
Yes! maybe its because he was the first teacher I had at a tionol, so there is this “wayback when” element. But, he does know how to to make a difficult subject work for the student.
Helps if I read ALL the posts before I reply. JOBM does teach university as well; but his style of teaching is unique, and ( my opinion, ONLY, cuz I’ve really taken to what he teaches) may intimidate a few people, at first. BUT, I really love the way he can analyse what you need to improve your playing.
Yes to Brian and Jimmy.
As an aside, Michael Eskin, Pat D’Arcy are also very patient teaching. I remember when…
I’ve found Jack Brennan to be a really good instructor. Very methodical, patient, and picks up on every little detail…
I’d say Joe Doyle, extreme patience(hey he was teaching me! 
), great spirit and powers of observation for the little details.
I also enjoyed Patrick Hutchinson as he explained everything in great detail, especially playing the C natural note.
about that" free falling filosophy " shortly as Keenan said… put something from yourself into tune, find some new nyanses and make piece intresting… bend note if u want, , think about when playing back D make it " softer" with your rapid thumb movement..etc…think about your piping,play correct too…everybody can play false, don’t copy too much somebodys piping..it’s not then interesting and comfortable anymore to anybody… u have something to give..play just u want to play,avoid piping fundamentalism.. remember .becouse if is there a shit ,there’ll be flies too
(he said about his own experiment , when he got some raw critisim about his own style from other talented pipers)
That’s fine for Paddy Keenan to think like that but a newbie who takes this advice will have enormous difficulty learning.
My thoughts, for what they’re worth, is that there are two types of people who play the uilleann pipes - musicians and pipers. Musicians will put musicality first. Pipers will put piping tradition and/or technique first. The real gem is to be able to mix the two and have musical piping. Paddy’s advice as stated above would, in my opinion, suit a musician, but not a piper. My view is that you should first learn and master the tradition/technique of piping before going on to make it your own.
Musicians and pipers, huh?
Is that like Violinists and fiddlers?
or
Gentlemen and gentlemen? (or women)
I don’t think splitting pipers into two groups who are somehow diametrically opposed to one another’s a great idea. Everyone has a different focus in their playing and I think if you feel the need to break someone down along a continuum of ‘piper-------musician’ you’re always going to fall short personally because of your thinking.
I do agree with you, however, that mastering the technique is fantastically important before drastic experimentation. It’s always best to have a solid grounding in the rules before you break them.
PJ, I think you’ve really nailed something there with which I agree when it comes to music (and language – my profession). To paraphrase Marshall McLuhan, “whoever discovered water wasn’t a fish.” Quite often people of Paddy Keenan’s level have trouble reaching out of the medium in which they “reside” (I’m not saying anything against Paddy Keenan – I’ve never had him as a teacher, but have had the great pleasure to meet him [a wonderful person] and hear him play; I did have classes with a person once who has world-class credentials whose teaching method was something like, if you want to learn to play uilleann pipes, just pick them up and start fooling around with them…). Sometimes those who have struggled more with an instrument (language, etc.) and are less proficient performers are actually better teachers. There are exceptions to this, however, e.g., Eliot Grasso, Jerry O’Sullivan, etc. who can transcend the gap between Mt. Olympus and us mere mortals. Both Eliot and Jerry are excellent teachers and performers.
As an aside, Michael Eskin, Pat D’Arcy are also very patient teaching. I remember when…
I would like to second this one 
I have not had the pleasure of meeting Brian McNamara what is it about his teaching that you as students responded to?
Leo Rowesome.
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
Uilliam, judging from your latest picture there, I’m beginning to worry about you again… are you sure you’re getting enough sunlight? You look like you may have a vitamin D deficiency. 
The pipes ,it does it to us all in time…
Uilliam
I have been tutored by Jimmy O’Brien-Moran, Paddy Keenan, Martin Nolan, Sean Potts, Brian McNamara, Mick O’Brien, Eoin O’Raibhaigh, and Todd Denam.
My favourite, and all were great, was Eoin. Eoin was the only teacher that I had that actually was more concerned about teaching technique than he was about me learning a new tune.
He asked me to play a tune that I thought I knew well and then proceeded to show me a whole new world of adding technique and nuance to the tune.
I much prefer this to sitting for an hour and trying to learn a new tune that I usually don’t succeed remembering after I leave anyway.
Don’t get me wrong…every teacher I have had has been a great influence, but Eoin added so much to my learing curve than any one else.
I hope to meet 'em all some day!
Cheers! Richard