Strabane Uillean pipe maker in for his 16th business award

by Gráinne Connolly

43 year old Martin Gallen is at the top of his game in the Uillean pipe making business, now contending for his 16th business award. 

He's been designing and making the instruments since 2011, for some of the biggest names in Irish music. 

Martin who is also the current President of Strabane Chamber of Commerce, was a Building Engineer and Safety Consultant before he started making the instruments.

However, when work dried up in the construction industry seven years ago, Martin said he was left out of a job: 

“The recession finished me with the building industry. When I started in that game everything was prosperous and there was plenty of work for everyone. 

“Almost overnight I came from working on a £35M contract to having nothing, businesses left right and centre were going bust by the handful so I had no choice but to go self-employed but that gradually dried up as the construction industry floundered. 

“Eventually I was left with nothing and had to apply for numerous jobs in the most random fields, even for McDonalds, but these too proved fruitless. 

“After about 100 rejections, I decided I had to take control of my own life. Around about this time I had started playing Uilleann Pipes and my interest in them was growing so I decided to try my hand at this. 

“I started by teaching myself reed making and a few of our club members started buying them and recommending my work to others who bought more.

“Word of mouth spread like wildfire and I taught myself different aspects of pipe making and developed the business bit by bit and I've never looked back."

Martin's since become well known for his craftmanship in building, repairing and retuning instruments quickly and has been working with musical heroes including Paddy Keenan, Liam O Maonlai and Finbar Furey. 

So far Martin's had 15 awards for his work and now he's been shortlisted for the Craft Industry of the Year accolade at the North West Business Awards, taking place on June 1st.