I ndilchuimhne Paddy Moloney (1938 - 2021) - The Chieftains | Geantraí na Nollag 2001 | TG4 |

I ndilchuimhne Paddy Moloney (1938 - 2021).
In memory of Paddy Moloney. May he rest in peace.

Tá duine de thaoisigh an cheoil thraidisiúnta imithe ar shlí na fírinne.

Máirín Fahy (fidil) & Seán Keane (fidil) leis an grúpa mór cáiliúil Na Chieftains, i dTigh Matt Molloy, Cathair na Mart, Maigh Eo i 2001 agus iad ag críochnú amach le cúpla steip damhsa uaidh Máirín Fahy.

Paddy Moloney was the founder and leader of The Chieftains. He grew up in Donnycarney, north Co. Dublin. His love of Irish music came from his parents’ native Co. Laois and the music that surrounded him at home. His first instrument was a plastic tin whistle and by the age of eight, he was learning to play the uilleann pipes from the great pipe master, Leo Rowsome. It was when he heard Leon Rowsome, son of Leo, play his pipes in the Scoil Mhuire school band in Marino, that he began to beg his parents to have Leo make him his very first set.

After he left school, Paddy, always aware that he needed a nine to five job to support his musical hobby, took a job with Baxendales, a large building firm, where he worked in accounting. It was here he met his future wife, Rita O’ Reilly.

Paddy always had a vision from his early days playing. A sound he wanted to create, a sound that had never been heard before. He knew it would take much experimentation with different combinations of instruments and so he formed several groups with other musicians in duets and trios. In particular he played with Seán Potts, Michael Tubridy and Seán Keane in various combinations who would all later become Chieftains.

But it was not until he had formed the original line up for The Chieftains in 1962 that he finally achieved the sound that had eluded him, a sound created by Paddy’s inspired choice of instruments, styles and players. It was only at this point did Paddy feel ready to give his group the title The Chieftains (a name which was inspired by the Irish poet John Montague) and confident enough to take his band into studio to record the very first of many, award winning albums. This recording came about at the invitation of his good friend, the Hon. Garech de Brun for his record label Claddagh Records.

The sound that Paddy created some 40 years ago has become the instantly recognisable sound of The Chieftains, which lives on fresh today and has always set them apart from any other traditional line up throughout out the world. It is simply the sound of The Chieftains.

In 1968 and having recorded a number of albums with The Chieftains, Paddy decided to leave Baxendales to work full time in the music industry as the Managing Director of Claddagh Records. He ran the label for seven years until 1975 during which time he helped to develop Claddagh’s catalogue and also a market for it. During this time he also produced, co-produced or supervised 45 albums for the Claddagh label in folk, traditional, classical, poetry and spoken word recordings.

We have lost a giant of Irish music and he will be sorely missed. Go raibh maith agat as an gceol Paddy.

Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann. Paddy Moloney R.I.P.

Tá Geantraí ar fáil ar Sheinnteoir TG4 anois, am ar bith ar fud na cruinne / More episodes of Geantraí are available on the TG4 Player now - watch anytime, anywhere in the world 🎶🌎➡️ https://bit.ly/38464Qy

Subscribe to TG4’s Irish Traditional Music Channel on YouTube ➡️ http://bit.ly/2V8xyBG
Glac síntiús chuig Cainéal Ceoil TG4 ar YouTube➡️ http://bit.ly/2V8xyBG

#Geantraí #TG4 #TradTG4 #CeolTG4