Terry Tully

Ireland's Piping Supremo
        

           Without doubt, one of the Irish Pipe Band Association's best ambassadors over the past ten to fifteen years has been Terry Tully. Not alone is he responsible for the achievements of our premier pipe band, St. Laurence O'Toole's of Dublin, but he has also brought solo piping standards in the IPBA to new heights. He has also brought Irish music to the attention of bands and soloists throughout the world through his two hugely successful piping books. Indeed, a third piping book is just now coming on to the market.
           Born on 2nd. June 1956, Terry comes from a line of pipers. His parental grandfather, his father and his mother were all pipers. Terry first became interested in piping at the age of nine. He was taught by his father, Tommy Tully, who was then pipe major of the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band and instructor to the St. Joseph's Pipe Band, Clondalkin.
           Terry began his piping career with St. Joseph's in 1966. His solo piping career began in 1971 when he took 3rd. place in the juvenile section of the All Ireland Solos in Howth. Incidentally, the winner that day was Ian Jess (ex Pipe Major of Ballinahinch and now with Fieldmarshall Montgomery Pipe Band) and the runner up was Vivian MacCann, ( Pipe Major of last year's World Champions and All Ireland Champions in Grade 3, Ballinderry Bridge ). In 1974, Terry was part of the O'Toole's band which won the All Ireland Championships in Grade 3.
           It was 1983, however, before Terry began to take solo playing seriously, taking 3rd. prize in the Junior Grade of the All Ireland solos. The re-awakening of interest in solo piping came after a trip to Lorient in Brittany, France and a chance encounter with Richard Parkes. Both men became friends and it was with Richard's encouragement and guidance that Terry took to a solo piping career. The following year he took 1st. prize in the Junior section of the prestigious 'Piper of the Year' invitation contest in Northern Ireland. This saw Terry moving into
the senior ranks. Since then he has won almost every title North and South of the border including the All Ireland Senior Solo Championships in 1990 , 1994 and 1996.
 

 The following is a list of some of Terry's major solo wins:

     1984 - 1987 Oireachtas Senior Champion (Irish Music)
     1986 - 1989 Leinster Senior Champion
     1986 - 3rd. All Ireland Senior Solos
     1986 - All Winners Piper of the Year
     1987 - 3rd. All Ireland Solos
     1987 - Senior Piper of the Year
     1988 - Prizewinner at Cowal Games
     1988 - 2nd. All Ireland Solos
     1989 - 2nd. All Ireland Solos
     1989 - Ulster Senior Solo Champion
     1990 - Scottish Piping Soc. of Ulster Senior Champion
     1990 - 1st. All Ireland Solos
     1993 - Ulster Senior Solo Champion
     1993 - 2nd. All Ireland Solos
     1994 - 1st. All Ireland Solos
     1996 - 1st All Ireland Solos

           As stated above Terry started his band career with the St. Joseph's Pipe Band, Clondalkin, under the stewardship of his father, Tommy. Tommy later rejuvinated the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band and both he and Terry became active members. In the early 1980's Terry became Pipe Sergeant of O'Toole's and generally managed the tuning end of things in the band. The improvement was there for all to see and as each contest passed, as O'Toole's began to attract an increasing circle of admirers. It was obvious to all that the young Terry Tully had a special gift. Unfortunately, just as things were beginning to go really well, both with the band and with Terry's solo career, his father Tommy died in 1984.
           Terry soon took over as Pipe Major proper of the St. Laurence O'Toole's Pipe Band. He and his corps knew that if they were ever to really succeed as a band they would have to compete against the best i.e the bands north of the border . Terry brought the O'Toole's to the North of Ireland five times in 1985 and each time came home empty handed ( Grade 2 ).
This was a real test of character both for Terry and his band. Undeterred, Terry put this year down as a learning experience, and learn he did. In 1986, the band finished 5th. at Cookstown and 6th. at Banbridge. The practice, dedication and inevitable progress continued over the following winter and finally in 1987 , the St. Laurence O'Toole's Pipe Band came of age with a 3rd. at the World's, a 3rd. at Cowal, a 3rd. at the All Ireland’s and a 1st. at the Ulsters. This was just the beginning.

           1988 goes down in the O'Toole's record books as their most successful to date. They won 15 out of 17 contests including the Scottish Championships, 2nd. at the World's and 3rd. at Cowal. The band was promoted to Grade 1, the Irish Pipe Band Association's first Grade 1 band, and they had their first competition success in Grade 1 at Moira in Northern Ireland that year. They have since won Grade 1 titles at Banbridge and at the Ulster Championships in 1991 as well as a 4th. at Cowal and a 1st. at Pitlochry in Scotland. Terry's success with bands has not been confined to O'Toole's.

           As stated above, Terry began his piping career with the St. Joseph's Pipe Band in Clondalkin while his father, Tommy, was instructor there. After, Tommy's death, Terry took over as instructor to that band. The St. Joseph's Pipe Band, Clondalkin was then still an unsuccessful Grade 3 outfit. By 1989, Terry's work was beginning to pay off with a 3rd. prize at the World's. Under Terry's direction and guidance, St. Joseph's left the Grade 3 ranks , won their way to a 1st. and a 2nd. at consecutive World Championships in Grade 2 as well as two All Ireland's and finally themselves achieved Grade 1 status in 1992. In 1995, Terry helped the St. Maur's Pipe Band from Rush to a 1st. prize in Grade 3 at the World Pipe Band Championships. Allied to all of the above, Terry is a piping composer of some distinction. Many of his tunes have become band favourites and his name often appears in the credits on albums covers. He has done more than anyone else to add to the store of both newly composed music and transposed settings of Irish traditional music. He has given pipers in Ireland a new pride and a new sense of self confidence. He has shown the bands in the IPBA that they don't have to settle for second best and that given proper guidance, instruction and sheer hard work, it is within the scope of any band to rise to the top. Terry is currently working with the IPBA's College of Piping and Drumming delivering seminars on Tone and Tuning to all corners of Ireland. Terry has been an inspiration to us all. It is he more than anyone else who has set the standard within the IPBA in recent years. He has not always been given the credit he is due. Long may he continue to inspire us.