A 97 year old tradition of the
uniquely Irish sound
of an Uilleann Pipes Quartet

LINK: RTE Radio “The Rolling Wave” 6th October 2024

Aoife Nic Cormaic is joined in studio by The Rowsome Quartet – Kevin Rowsome, Mick O’Brien, Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh and Mark Redmond. They’ll be playing some music and talking about Leo Rowsome’s vision in setting up the Quartet in the late 1920s

Drogheda 2019

Left to Right:
Mark Redmond, Mick O’Brien, Kevin Rowsome & Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh

Dublin 1928

Left to Right:
Michael Padain, Leo Rowsome, Tom Rowsome & Eddie Potts

Drogheda 2019

Left to Right:
Mark Redmond, Kevin Rowsome, Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh & Mick O’Brien

The Rowsome Quartet was formed by Leo Rowsome and his brother Tom in the late 1920’s.

Their primary objective was to raise the profile of the uilleann pipes, because at the time the instrument was in real danger of dying out.

The Quartet performed at numerous concerts and radio broadcasts up until the 1960’s

After a silence of over thirty years, Kevin revived the Quartet for a concert in Dublin in 1996. On that occasion, two members of the original Quartet, Sean Seery and Mick Tuohy played. The fourth piper was Fergus Finnegan.


Since then, the Rowsome Quartet have performed for many events including Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann, Culture Night, the William Kennedy Piping Festival, the 1916 centenary celebrations, the Ace and Deuce of Piping Concert and numerous charity concerts.

Dublin 2017

Left to Right:
Leo Rickard, Kevin Rowsome, Mick O’Brien & Nollaig Mac Cárthaigh

Dublin 2016

Left to Right:
Cormac O’Brien, Mick O’Brien, Kevin Rowsome, Leo Rickard

Armagh 2011

Left to Right:
Mick O’Brien, Kevin Rowsome, Denis Brooks, Leo Rickard

(photo c. Paul Eliasberg)

Dublin c.2004.

Left to Right:
Sean Seery, Mick Touhy

Dublin 1962

Left to Right:
Sean Seery, Leo Rowsome, Jim Dowling, Eugene O’Reilly

Rowsome Quartet contract 1953