Jon Turton’s Blog

“My family is originally from the County of Roscommon, it was inevitable that Irish Traditional music would be a big part of my life. I started playing the whistle when I was probably 10 years old. I eventually settled on the Uilleann Pipes as my preferred instrument. Other than the pipes, you might often see me with a banjo or bouzouki. Whilst growing up, I was lucky that there was a practice set in the house as my dad played a bit. They say it takes 21 years to learn to play the pipes, well I’ve been playing twice that time. Even today, I’m still learning something new every time I play, that’s what I love about music, you’re always listening and learning. 

I first became aware of Comhaltas when I was 16. Living in the North East of Wales meant there were infrequent long journeys to the Liverpool Irish Centre on Mount Pleasant, a building that was the beating heart of the Irish Community at the time. I remember going to the Echoes of Erin concerts and being envious of the players, who would have been not much older than myself then. 

I became more involved with the Liverpool branch when I was an adult. The love and knowledge of Irish Traditional music was passed down to me through my family. I wanted others, who didn’t have this, to be able to learn to play and enjoy the friendships that I’ve made over the years. I believe that Comhaltas and the branches provide the first step to a lifelong love of traditional music and bonds with other members in their community.

In 2024, I decided to run for the Northern region elections as the Chair. It was the perfect time, I had recently taken early retirement and I wanted to give back to my community. I had plenty of time on my hands, but now I’ve never been busier! My hope for the future is to improve the lines of communications between the region and the branches. I want to see more co-operation and inter-branch visits to foster a sense of connection between us. All the hard work behind the scenes, I wouldn’t be able to do without my fantastic and enthusiastic committee and the equally dedicated branches. 

Another area that I’m personally interested in, is promoting more active numbers of pipers in Comhaltas in Britain. One of the aims of Comhaltas is the promotion of national instruments like the harp and the pipes. Uilleann pipes are on the Unesco list of Intangible heritage, to see an instrument so dear to me being protected is amazing. We can only preserve unique instruments through participation and continue evolving its use in our lives. 

I can’t wait to see what 2025 has to offer for the Northern region and for my own branch. I’ll continue playing and improving my piping skills in-between sessions. If anybody wants to reach out to me or the committee to support promotion of the pipes or plan an inter-branch visit. You can talk to me in person or email me at northernregion@comhaltas.co.uk