Leon Rowsome (1936 - 1994)
Even at a relatively young age Leon Rowsome was a competent and promising uilleann piper. A Secondary School teacher by profession, Leon made two solo records on the uilleann pipes and featured on many other albums as a guest musician. He toured as a solo piper throughout Europe and in the USA/Canada.
Leon was often in demand as an accompanist pianist in Céilí Bands and played piano and piano accordion with the Ballinamere and the Blackthorn Céilí Band respectively.
Leon carried on the tradition of uilleann piping and pipemaking in the Rowsome family after Leo's death in 1970. Like his father, Leon also taught the pipes on a part time basis at the College of Music. Due to ill health he didn't play that much in later life, however he did play occasionally on 
TV / Radio and various concerts.

Photo taken outside Leo's workshop at 9 Belton Park Road 

Leon started playing the pipes at six years of age. 

Tom Nevin & Leon Rowsome (c. 1945)

Leo, Leon & Liam (fiddle) Rowsome (c. 1950)

Ballinamere Céilí Band 1959
(L-R) P.J. Pender, Dan Cleary, Sean Grennan, MickMullins, Peter Kilroe, Des Coghlan, Mick Boland, Leon Rowsome & Joe Weir.
As well as an uilleann piper, Leon was often in demand as an accompanist pianist in Céilí Bands,
Leon played piano and piano accordion with the Ballinamere and the Blackthorn Céilí Band respectively.

Photo / article from the NPU newsletter

 Leon Rowsome and Vincent Broderick
Pipers Club Dinner 1957-1958
Four Courts Hotel Dublin  
(Thanks to Vincent Broderick for the photo)

Leon, pictured in 1970 with Mick Touhy with uilleann piping class

Front – Ciaran McKenna.
Middle -Leon Rowsome, unknown. Lonan Byrne?, Donncha O’Briain, Mick Touhy.
Back -Micheal O’Briain, Gabriel McKeon, Eamonn Lane, Terry Mohan, Peter McKenna, Kevin McKenna. Michael Bryson.
Photo courtesy Micheal  Bryson.

Leon performed as a solo piper throughout Europe and the USA/Canada.

Record Sleeve - made by Comhaltas featuring Leon Rowsome

Leon's album cover - made c.1970 on the Glenside label (Waltons)

In later life, due to ill health Leon didn't perform in public very often.
From time to time he submitted some articles to the NPU newsletter.

Article in Treoir 1994 

Article in the NPU newsletter 1994