Patsy Touhey

Patrick J. Touhey (26 February 1865 – 10 January 1923) was a celebrated player of the uilleann pipes. His innovative technique and phrasing, his travels back and forth across America to play on the variety and vaudeville stage, and his recordings made his style influential among Irish-American pipers. He can be seen as the greatest contributor to a distinctive American piping style.

"Patsy" Touhey was born 26 February 1865, near Loughrea, County Galway, Ireland. According to Captain Francis O'Neill in his seminal work "Irish Minstrels and Musicians" Touhey was the third generation of accomplished pipers stemming from his grandfather, Michael Twohill (the original spelling, b. ca. 1800), his father James (b. 1839) and his uncle Martin, who were considered accomplished players. The family arrived in Boston around 1868, and his father arranged for Touhey's instruction from Bartley Murphy of County Mayo. However at the age of ten Patsy lost his father and awhile later laid the pipes aside.

In his late teens he strayed into a Bowery music hall where John Eagan, the “White Piper” of Galway, was engaged. Enthralled by Eagan’s virtuosity he took up the instrument again, and under the instruction of Eagan and Billy Taylor of Philadelphia soon became a master.

Touhey and Eagan toured the northeastern United States with "Harrigan's Double Hibernian Co., Irish and American Tourists" in 1885 and 1886. This was Touhey's apparent introduction to theatrical life. Harrigan's company starred Jerry Cohan, the father of George M. Cohan, later a famous songwriter and showman. Despite a persistent legend, there is no evidence that Touhey played publicly for the step-dancing of George M. Cohan, who would have been seven or eight years old at the time. Between 1886 and 1895 Touhey appeared in several theatre productions including "Inshavogue" and "The Ivy Leaf." At the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago he played at the Irish Village, one of two rival Irish pavilions, and was later engaged for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis (Louisiana Purchase Exposition). From about 1896 until 1921 he played in vaudeville skits, trading jokes with his wife Mary and their on and off partner Charles Henry Burke. The shows included slapstick, low-brow gags, Irish nostalgia, and a piping finale to which Mary Touhey danced.

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