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Chief O'Neill's Pub was opened in the fall of 1999 by All-Ireland musicians Brendan and Siobhan McKinney. Their vision was to celebrate Chief O'Neill's life, his achievements and to keep his musical tradition alive and well in the city he loved, Chicago.

So we invite you to enjoy our good food and proper pints, the loveliest airs & reels, and all the other good craic here at Chief O’Neill’s Pub.

An interview with Chicago Musician and All Ireland Piping Champion Brendan McKinney By Lou Carlozo Chicago Tribune Staff Writer

Like long-winded politicians, Scottish bagpipes dominate at funerals and formal parades. But while the Scottish variety might have a higher and much louder profile, another type of bagpipe is demanding to be heard.

Uilleann (pronounced ILL-in, from the Gaelic word for "elbow"), or Irish, pipes have gained popularity thanks in part to The Chieftains, "Riverdance" and "Titanic"; they were also dubbed into the soundtrack for the 1995 film "Braveheart" (the pipes you saw were Scottish; the pipes you heard were Irish). Compared to Scotland’s pipes (which are very loud, thus ideal for parades), uilleann pipes are more lyrical — the perfect instrument for striking up a jig. But behind their honey-sweet tones, uilleann pipes are complex instruments to build, learn and maintain.

Though Scottish pipes will be blaring in Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s Day parades, uilleann pipes will no doubt lead the indoor celebrations at pubs and concert halls. Here we examine the history and the mechanics of the Irish pipes.