News
August 20, 2015

Stephen Power (1935-2015)

IrishPiobSoc-logoStephen Power, formerly of the Scots Guards, passed away in Waterford, Ireland, after a brief illness. He was a well-known and highly respected piper, instructor and adjudicator in Irish pipe band circles for many years.

After a sojourn in the Scots Guards, he returned to Ireland in the 1960s, having garnered much experience while playing with them. He was a noted teacher and exponent of piobaireachd and many in Ireland sought him out for his ability to teach, develop and perfect the skills required to play piobaireachd well. A significant number of Ireland’s best players owe much to his willingness to pass on the skills he had acquired and honed over many years. He was a generous and patient tutor and he remained active until just before his final illness. He also knew the instrument itself very well and was a talented artisan who worked on, restored and repaired pipes.

Cumann Pìobaireachd na hÉireann, (the Irish Pìobaireachd Society), which he co-founded in 1997 to promote and advance the art of piobaireachd playing in Ireland, dedicated its main prize for the best overall former winner category, the Bratach de Paor, in his honour. (The name de Paor is the Gaelic form of Power and the Bratach will be well known to piping enthusiasts familiar with the Bratach Gorm and other such competitive events.) The Bratach de Paor was first awarded in 2003 and the winner that year was Andrew Carlisle. Margaret Dunn won the prize this year.

He was predeceased by his wife, Kathleen, and we extend our sympathy to his daughter Cathy, son Stephen, son-in-law Shay, grandson Lee and all his many relatives, colleagues and friends across the Irish piping scene.

Requiem Mass for Stephen Power was celebrated on Thursday, August 20th, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

– contributed by Ciarán Mac Murchaidh

 

NO COMMENTS YET

Subscribers

Registration

Forgotten Password?