50th Anniversary of Leo Rowsome’s Death 

The 20th September 2020 will be the 50th anniversary of the death of Leo Rowsome. A grandson of Samuel Rowsome a well-known piper in the 1820s who lived in Ballintore near Ferns, Leo is credited with keeping alive the tradition of pipe making and playing during the formative years of the Irish state. As a player, an instrument-maker, and a teacher, he was an extraordinary exponent of Uilleann piping.

On Sunday September 20th RTÉ Radio 1 will be marking the anniversary. Leo was a man of many firsts- he was the first piper to play on Raidió Éireann and he was the first musician to be recorded by Claddagh Records in 1959.  John Bowman will be marking Leo Rowsome’s contribution to Raidió Éireann.  The Rolling Wave will feature some very special archive recordings of Leo Rowsome and will also be speaking to a number of Uilleann pipers about his music and his legacy.

RTÉ Radio1 
Bowman: Sunday: 8:30am,
The Rolling Wave Sunday 9pm.

Irish Times article: King of the Pipers – An Irishman’s Diary on Leo Rowsome

Events to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary: Uilleann pipe making mentoring programme
Details here: https://pipers.ie/pipe-making-mentoring-programme-in-honour-of-leo-rowsome/

Read more about Leo Rowsome and his links with Ferns here