JOHN LENNON’S LOSS IS HITLER’S GAIN

A SET of bagpipes believed to be the oldest surviving ones in the world have been put on display at Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum in Northumberland. They may originally have been owned by King Louis XIV of France, and constructed in the late 17th century.

Housed in a 13th century Grade 1 listed building, the Bagpipe Museum has over 120 sets of pipes from across the world, telling the story of this king of instruments.

If you only visit one bagpipe museum a year, make it this one.

The exact origins of the bagpipes are unknown, but no matter where they came from, one thing is certain — learning the instrument is not an endeavour to be undertaken lightly.

One American website dedicated to teaching the uilleann pipes begins with the advice: ‘You’d be better off getting a saxophone.’

There have been a few spectacular failures on the pipes — Sean O’Casey struggled with the instrument for many years and John Lennon of the Beatles — whose teacher was the great Belfast piper Francie McPeake — gave up after a few months.

Had the pipes been easier to play, perhaps the whole history of rock music might have been different.

But the strangest fan of the uilleann pipes emerged last century. In 1936, the piper Sean Dempsey was part of a cultural tour to Berlin.

During the visit, Dempsey was ordered to play for Hitler but unfortunately no chairs were present.

This is mission critical in playing the pipes; no chair, no play.

But the problem was soon solved. Hitler immediately ordered a Storm Trooper to get on all fours to allow Sean to sit himself down.

At the end of the recital Hitler, well pleased with what he’d heard, presented Dempsey with a gold pen.