Bag Pipes

Factual Questions
1

Can someone tell me why at Civil Servant funerals (police, fire department, sometimes military, etc) there’s always bagpipes?

I can’t seem to find anything on the net outside of a bunch of “mourning widdow” sites.

2

I once asked a piper this very same question. He looked at me funny and said “because they sound 'purdy.”

Evidentially this is a common question, this site claims the answer is about the same as my piper friend stated.

3

mellonhead writes:

I have heard (i.e., it’s a factoid that I haven’t researched, so the reliability quotient should be reckoned to be pretty low) that it’s because of the disproportionate number of Irish[sup]1[/sup] policemen at the turn of the (almost-passed) century. From police funerals, it spread to other protective services (not civil servants in general; the principal sound you’ll hear at an IRS agent’s funeral is the unzipping of flies as people get ready to urinate on his grave).

Besides, the pipes do have a nicely mournful sound that, muted by distance, is appropriate to a funeral atmosphere,

[sup]1[/sup][sub]Yes, Irish. The Irish originated the use of the pipes, and passed it on to the Scots (who were Irish colonists in origin). The Scots just haven’t gotten the joke yet…:slight_smile: [/sub]

4

Cecil’s been here:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/980911.html

The Irish didn’t exactly originate the playing of bagpipes either. Bagpipes are actually a very ancient instrument that originated in the Middle East. The earliest evidence of their existence is around 1000 BC. Nero is believed to have played bagpipes, and is depicted playing them on Roman coins. Aristophanes made crude jokes about them having to do with dog’s anuses.

And Uillean pipes sound incredible. As Cecil suggests, they use the Scottish pipes at funerals because they’re louder - the quieter, more expressive versions wouldn’t carry as well.

5

The Irish also have an outdoors bagpipe, similar to the Scottish pipes, which would be suitable for funerals. Howver, they’re not very common in North America - at least, I’ve never seen them played. The main difference is that the Irish outdoors pipes only have two drones, not the three of the Scottish pipes.

The Uillean pipes are designed for indoors use, at dances. The wind comes from a small bellows that the piper works with one arm, leaving him able to sing the dance tunes.