Irish Piper
Sláinte! My name is Patrick D'Arcy. I play the Irish Uilleann Pipes made popular by movies Braveheart & Titanic; shows such as Riverdance, Celtic Woman & Celtic Thunder; as well as bands like The Chieftains, Lunasa, Planxty & The Bothy Band. I can play solo for you or arrange for a band to play at your event. Irish dancers are also an option if you so desire.
More about me....
Patrick D'Arcy hails from Dublin, Ireland and has spent most of his musical life plying his craft in California but now transplanted to beautiful Tennessee! The Nashville area to be more precise.
These past two years gave him the opportunity to host an online uilleann pipe specific talk show called PIPER SUNDAY for the So Cal Pipers Club. Each Sunday, via Zoom, he would interview a guest piper, get to know them a little better, and ask them to play a few tunes. It was the absolute highlight of these past couple of years for some but especially Patrick himself.
His latest release, Rattle The Knee - Paving & Crigging, as well as his self titled debut solo album Wallop The Spot have received critical acclaim and radio play both in the US and in Ireland.
Patrick has appeared on numerous recordings in all genres of music, even a GEICO commercial!
He has written music for TV. He has played for some familiar figures including Vice President of the USA Mike Pence, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Sting, Pierce Brosnan, Alison Krauss, Bono (U2), Quincy Jones, Daniel Lanois, Oprah Winfrey, Frank Gehry, Robbie Robertson, Josh Groban, Neil Diamond, David Foster, Don Was, The Kennedy and Shriver Families, Jacknife Lee, Rend Collective & Disney.
Patrick tours regularly both in the US and internationally. He is excited to be reunited with The Nashville Celts this year. Watch their schedule for Christmas with The Celts show dates.
From September 2010 to September 2021 he had the privilege to record and tour extensively from The Royal Albert Hall to The Grand Ole Opry to Carnegie Hall with modern hymn writers Keith & Kristyn Getty.
During his time in Los Angeles Patrick played with some exciting projects, namely - Rattle The Knee, The Rambling House Band, The Ne'er Duwels, Celtic Pink Floyd, Anita & The Yanks, and Flogging Molly. He regularly hosted traditional Irish music session's at Timmy Nolan's in Toluca Lake and The Auld Dubliner in Long Beach and hopes to do the same in the Nashville area. Keep an eye on the Shows section for upcoming and recurring events.
As well as recording and performing with bands and producers in Los Angeles, he also participates in online recording sessions with artists all around the world. He enjoys teaching the Uilleann pipes & whistle at home as well as at tionóil (gatherings) around the country and also online to a world wide student body.
In his early days of playing the Uilleann pipes he would venture to the County Clare where he found a firm footing by attending the legendary Willie Clancy Summer School in Milltown Malbay, named after one of Irelands most influential pipers.
Before that, guitar was his main instrument, with ventures into the mandolin which brought him to play for three years with L.A. / Irish punk band "Flogging Molly".
He is a founding member of the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club and creator of
Patrick plays two main instruments, one in concert pitch by Koehler & Quinn and the other a "flat set" in B by Geoff Wooff. Not to mention the whistles, flutes, bodhrán, harmonica, bansuri, duduk, bawu, vargan and other yokes!