Mickey Dunne

Mickey Dunne is a member of the Dunne Family, one of the great musical families of Ireland with a heritage stretching back many generations. They have entertained hundreds of thousands of Irish people at Fleadh Ceoils, Munster Finals, Galway Races, Fairs, etc., spanning a half century. The Dunnes played a major part in keeping alive Ireland’s musical legacy, and all of them were master players that inspired some of the great exponents of the fiddle who came to prominence in later years

Mickey’s greatest musical influence has been his father Paddy Dunne, who was without question a man ahead of his time in the art of fiddle playing. There are no recordings of Paddy Dunne, but he was a unique musician and master of his art, who encouraged and supported all his family in music. All of Mickey’s brothers were musicians with probably Christy being the most well known as a superb banjo player, and Johnjo who was also a gifted player on banjo/mandolin.

Mickey Dunne is a proud standard bearer of this Irish music dynasty, and together with his two daughters Brid and Niamh, is carrying on a proud tradition. Mickey is life president of the newly formed Thomond Pipers Club in Limerick which has been recently founded after a lapse of 100 years.

Having studied the art of pipe making under the craftsmanship of the legendary Cillian O’Briain, Mickey is now manufacturing top quality chanters, practice sets and reeds in Caherconlish Co Limerick.

Mickey’s first uilleann pipe CD “The Limerick Lassies” has been hailed as a “pipering masterpiece” with copies available from “Na Piopairi Uileann” in Dublin.

Mickey’s style of piping embodies the free flowing travelling style associated with the legendary Johnny Doran, Finbar Furey and Paddy Keenan who have provided Mickey with his inspiration.