John McDonough

Who is John McDonough?

John "Mac an Asal" McDonough was an Irish piper.

McDonough was a native of Annaghdown, County Galway but had travelled widely throughout Ireland, spending a great deal of time in Dublin.

According to O'Neill, "old people speak of this remarkable piper,s facility in giving to the music an appeal and expression peculiarly his own. An all-around player, capable of meeting all demands, he had a preference for piece or descriptive music." While in the capital,

"McDonough’s name was placarded conspicuously in Dublin as the celebrated Irish piper from Annaghdown, County Galway, especially on the bridges crossing the Liffey. While playing on the streets one evening, to the keen delight of an appreciative audience, some well-to-do gentry who came along were so captivated by his inimitable execution that they took him into a clubhouse or hotel in the vicinity. No doubt he was treated with much liberality, but when he reappeared on the street some time afterwards, it was noticed that he was under the influence of intoxicants. This so angered the waiting audience that they stoned the building, and didn’t leave a whole pane of glass in the windows within reach of their missiles.