Mick O'Brien (musician)

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Mick O'Brien (born 26 March 1961) is an Irish musician from Dublin who plays the uilleann pipes, flute and tin whistle. He began his musical journey at the Thomas Street Pipers Club in Dublin, inspired by his father Dinny O'Brien, a traditional box player. He recorded his first family LP at age 13 and later joined Na Píobairí Uilleann to study and broaden his repertoire. He has performed with The Dubliners, Frankie Gavin and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and has toured Europe and North America. His solo CD May Morning Dew was released in 1996.

In 2003 he released Kitty Lie Over with fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, which was acclaimed as a top traditional album of the year. A later collaboration with Ó Raghallaigh, Deadly Buzz Aoibhinn Crónán, appeared in 2011. Mick has taught at St Davids C.B.S in Artane, Dublin, teaching Geography and Irish and supporting the school's hurlers. He has worked with Irish composers Michael Holohan, Linda Buckley and Dave Flynn, who wrote Études for Uilleann Pipes for him; he premiered them in 2011 at the Masters of Tradition Festival in Bantry. He also teaches the first two-year uilleann pipes making course in Ireland.

In 2023, Mick was named Musician of the Year at the Gradam Ceoil TG4 Awards. His concert pitch uilleann pipes were built by William Rowsome in 1921, with a new chanter and extra A/G drone by Alain Froment, who also made Mick's Bb, B and C sets. His whistles are by Mike Burke in the USA. Selected recordings include 2018 The Road to Lough Swilly and 2021 Irish Minimalism; he also appears on Hal Roach & Friends (on one track).