Listen to Bonnie Shaljean. She has it to the knot.

I started the pipes at a very late stage in life. If one gets proper tuition, or uses the Na Piobairi Uilleann DVD's, and is willing to work at it a bit, they can become nominally skillful in a bit of time.

Probably the larger problem is learning to deal with changing humiditiy, adjusting reeds, etc.

Le gach dea-mhéin,

Mick