Cillian Vallely

Uilleann piper Cillian’s parents Brian and Eithne Vallely founded the Armagh Pipers Club, a leading force in the revival and transmission of traditional music in the north. He got his initial instruction on the pipes from his father and studied with the late Mark Donnelly. Cillian lived for a few years in Boston before moving the New York City in the 1990s. In 1999, he joined the group Lúnasa and has toured and recorded seven albums with the group. He has also played with orchestras, on film scores, with Riverdance, and as a sideman on recordings by Natalie Merchant and Bruce Springsteen. Cillian has recorded duet CDs with his concertina-playing brother Niall and with Lúnasa flute player Kevin Crawford. He and his wife Katie and their three daughters live in Sunnyside, Queens. When not on tour, he can be heard on Sundays at the Dead Rabbit on Water Street.