Brendan Ring

I am an Irish traditional musician playing uilleann pipes, low whistle and wire strung harp. My roots are in County Cork where my grand-father Tim Ring, a box player, first awoke my interest in Irish music.
I obtained a master's degree in traditional music, under the supervision of Michael O'Suilleabhain,with whom I also collaborated in Hiberno- Jazz and Lumen( Eurovision song contest interval piece).
I have featured as a soloist in the acclaimed RTE television series " A River of Sound, the changing course of Irish traditional music" and have appeared on various other programs such as the Late Late Show.
My recording credits include "Across the Waters, Irish traditonal music from England" ( solo and with my long time friend and flute player extraordinaire, Niall Keegan), John Spillane "The Wells of the World", New Celest "Celtic Connections" " It's a New Day" and "The best of", "The Cork Folk Festival: Celebration".
I enjoy composing and have had the pleasure and honour of hearing some of my tunes recorded and performed by such notable artitsts as Flook, Sharon Shannon, Nomos, Laoise Kelly, Tabache, Sualtam and many others. I recently played at Saint-Chartier and The William Kennedy piping festival. " Troublesome Things" my solo CD was released in 2001.
I have had the honour of featuring in John Spillane's song " Magic Nights in the Lobby Bar". Recently recorded by Christy Moore, the song contains the lines " They were magic nights in the Lobby Bar when Brendan Ring played Madame Bonaparte and every note that the piper would play, would send me away.." (listen to Madame Bonaparte on Myspace!) I live in Occitanie, in a most magical place where I make musical instruments. I am currently working on a new CD.
SOME REVIEWS
Troublesome they may be, but the uilleann pipes don’t seem to present much audible difficulty for this superb musician, playing a set of pipes of his own making. With plenty of recording and television credits behind him, as well as original tunes covered by everyone from Nomos to Sharon Shannon, it’s surprising that Brendan Ring has taken this long to get round to making his debut solo album. His low whistle playing on tracks like the exotic-sounding ‘Kushka’s/Maverick Angels’ and ‘The Robbery of Chester Jail/Rí Ring’s’ (written in honour of two of Ring’s wilder ancestors) is beautifully fluid, with sympathetic guitar and percussion backing from John Neville and Mel Mercier, respectively. As for his piping, it’s impeccable: clean and solid throughout, particularly on the gorgeous slow air ‘An Leanbh Sídhe’.
Nine/Ten
Hotpress. Sarah McQuaid
Troublesome Things has been hailed as both an eloquent celebration of tradition and a creative masterpiece of new music...
-The Echo-Paul Dromey
Few instruments are as troublesome as the uilleann pipes which makes Brendan Ring s mastery of them all the more impressive....Brendan has developed an outstanding talent on the low-whistle...All in all this is wonderful stuff.
Irish Music Magazine- Alex Monaghan.
Not fodder for the heifer-and- wellies brigade or for those who like their trad washed ironed and starched. But a must for those who hanker after wrinkles and creases in their wardrobe.
The Irish Times. Siobhan Long

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