Dick Mealy posthumously honoured during Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar

The prestigious Gradam na nÉigse award was posthumously made to Richard ‘Dick’ Mealy before the concert by the Kilfenora Céilí Band in St Paul’s Church, Mullingar, during this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

Labhrás Ó Murchú, Árd Stiúrthóir Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, made the presentation to Victor Melia, Margaret Farrell (née Mealy) and John Mealy. They are grandnephews and grandniece of the late Dick Melia, a Westmeath native, who contributed enormously to the growth of traditional music in the early part of the 20th century.

The Melia family were delighted with the award and travelled to Mullingar for the presentation.

Willie Penrose, vice-chairman of the Fleadh Executive Committee, said the award recognises Dick Melia’s skills as a uilleann piper, and the contribution of the Mealy family to traditional music. He noted how extremely talented they were and their contribution to the growth of violin and concertina in the early 1900s.

“Dick Mealy was supremely talented and the Mealy family have made such an outstanding contribution to traditional music. It is very appropriate that this award is presented as very often we forget people when they have passed on,” said Mr Penrose.

“Templecross, the home of the Mealy family, was an oasis of music for many years and I’m delighted they have been recognised in this manner.”

Dick Mealy from Templecross, Tristernagh, County Westmeath was one of the leading traditional musicians in early 20th century Ireland – and was referred to as ‘The Prince of Irish Pipers’. A player and maker of uilleann pipes, he was one of the first traditional musicians to broadcast on radio. As a music teacher, he helped train up new generations of pipers and to ensure the survival of the uilleann piping tradition.

He was born in Templecross on October 22, 1873 – the youngest of 11 children in a farming and musical family.

The Mealy family had been involved in traditional music for four generations going back to the early 18th century, and there was a 16th century music manuscript in the Mealy house.

Richard’s father, Larry, was a well regarded piper.

One set of pipes owned by Larry Mealy had been made by James Kenna, who, along with his son Timothy, was among the most renowned pipe makers and players of the 18th century.

The Mealy and Kenna families were neighbours in Templecross. Larry Mealy’s father and grandfather were also pipers.

Tristernagh

The Mealy home was the centre for traditional music in the Templecross, Tristernagh, Ballynacargy area for more than two centuries. Richard’s brother John was regarded as being one of the best fiddle players in Westmeath and was also admired for his dancing skills. Richard’s sister Katie was a good concertina player and his brother Ned was also a piper.

Richard’s interest in music was obvious from an early age. There is a story that his father found him hiding in a barn one day with a set of pipes and told Richard, “leave them on you. Never take them off”.

Richard was educated at national school in Ballynacargy and at Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham. On leaving school, he worked at a drapery shop in Ballymahon, County Longford, before moving to Boyle and then Cork and Dublin, before finally settling in Belfast, where he spent the rest of his life.

While in Cork, he attended the inaugural meeting of the Cork Pipers Club in 1899. At the first Feis Ceoil in Dublin in 1897, he won third prize in the ‘Unpublished Airs’ competition. At the 1902 and 1903 Feis Ceoil he won first prize for pipe making.

By the early 1900s he was well known as a musician and was playing at feiseanna all over the country.

His piping was described as being crisp, entertaining and inventive. He was at the inaugural meeting of the Dublin Pipers Club in 1899 and was invited to play at a party in Dublin Castle hosted by the Viceroy and Vicereine of Ireland, Lord and Lady Aberdeen.

The Aberdeens were enthusiastic supporters of Irish culture and Gaelic speakers; Lady Aberdeen helped secure a job for Richard in Arnotts store in Belfast.

Richard was a friend of Douglas Hyde, Francis Joseph Biggar and Roger Casement. Casement gave him a walking cane.

Richard played at events all over Ulster and was a judge at the inaugural Glens of Antrim Feis in 1904, and adjudicated at the Feis Uladh. His pipes were displayed at an exhibition in Belfast in 1903.

Richard was criticised by Eamonn Ceannt for wearing garish costumes when he was performing. He was good at self publicity, but generous with his time and willing to share his talents. He taught a whole generation or two of pipers in Ulster and elsewhere and was known as Professor Melia. (The spelling of his name varied between Mealey, O Mealy and Melia). His teaching, playing and making of pipers were crucial to the continuance of piping in the north of Ireland in the 20th century.

Richard married Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Williams in 1899 in Cork. She assisted him in the making of pipes. Eleanor died in 1920 and Richard later re-married his second wife, Letita, who would outlive him.

Richard returned to Westmeath to play at feiseanna and was a frequent visitor to the Tristernagh Feis – ‘the Aeriocht of the Midlands’ from 1927.

Hundreds of people would gather in Templecross to meet him. He would sometimes play all night. The great Westmeath musician Willie Reynolds recalled Mealy as ‘the king of staccato playing’ and said that “his interpretation of the Cork Hornpipe was his masterpiece, something to be heard.”

Among the pipers to play with Richard Mealy at Tristernagh was Leo Rowsome.

Richard was one of the first musicians to play on radio. He broadcast on 2RN in Dublin in 1924 and began broadcasting on BBC radio in Belfast from 1926. He regularly played on programmes celebrating St Patrick’s Day and Willie Reynolds recalled how he always looked forward to the day because he knew that he could tune in to the BBC and hear Richard Mealy play and “it was wonderful”.

Richard continued to play the pipes into his 70s but spent more time making pipes than playing them in his later years. He also continued to serve as a judge at competitions, and adjudicated at the 1924 Tailteann Games, for example.

In his later life Richard sometimes expressed a wish to return to live in Westmeath, following his retirement from Arnotts, but he never did. He died at his home in Rugby Avenue, Belfast on March 14, 1947, aged 73.

His funeral took place on St Patrick’s Day. The Prince of Irish pipers is buried in Knockbreda Cemetery, Belfast.