Paddy O’Brien – Curriculum Vitae

Born: September 1945
Castlebarnagh, Daingean, County Offaly, Ireland

Awards

  • 1969 Gaelic League Oireachtas / First Place—Solo Accordion, First Place—Ceili Band (Castle Ceili Band)
  • 1970 Oireachtas Competition / First Place - Solo Accordion
  • 1970 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland) / First Place—Trio with Joe Ryan, Micheál Ó hAlmhain
  • 1973 Gaelic League Oireachtas / First Place—Solo Accordion
  • 1975 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland) / First Place—Senior Accordion Championship
  • 1977 Oireachtas Competition / First Place—Solo Accordion, First Place—Duet with Joe Ryan
  • 1989 to present Minnesota State Arts Board / Selected for Minnesota Folk Artists Directory
  • 1989 Minnesota State Arts Board /Master Artist—Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant
  • 1993 Minnesota State Arts Board / Master Artist—Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant
  • 1994 National Endowment for the Arts / Folk Arts Project Grant for Paddy O'Brien Tune Collection
  • 1996 Minnesota State Arts Board / Master Artist—Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant
  • 1998 Minnesota State Arts Board / Master Artist—Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant
  • 2005 Irish Fair of Minnesota / Legacy Fund Grant for Paddy O'Brien Tune Collection, Volume Two
  • 2006 Bush Artist Fellowship / Folk Arts Fellowship
  • 2008 Minnesota State Arts Board / Artist Initiative Grant
  • 2010 Irish Music & Dance Association Honors / For contributions to Irish music and culture in Minnesota
  • 2012 TG4 Gradam Ceoil / Cumadóir — Irish Traditional Composer of the Year
  • 2013 Minnesota State Arts Board / Folk and Traditional Arts Grant

Publications

  • Chosen to illustrate certain types of dance music for Folk Music and Dances of Ireland by Breandán Breathnach (Mercier Press), a work now on the course for second and third level colleges and schools in Ireland. Over twenty notations of Paddy O’Brien’s music also appear in Breandán Breathnach’s Ceol Rince na hEireann, Nos. 2 and 3, published by the government of Ireland.
  • Published two poems, tributes to legendary musicians Seamus Ennis and Willie Clancy, in the 1993 edition of Dal gCais, The Journal of Clare, and the official program for the Willie Clancy Summer School.
  • Five original compositions published in official program for 2007 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, an international Irish traditional music festival.
  • The Road From Castlebarnagh, a memoir, published by Dublin's Orpen Press in 2012.

Bands

  • 1966-69: Ballinamere Céilí Band - with Peter Kilroe, Dan Cleary, Sean Monaghan, Sean Conlan, and Michael Lynam
  • 1968: Seán Ryan Trio - with Seán and Kathleen Ryan
  • 1969-78: Castle Céilí Band - with Michael O’Connor, John Kelly, Sean Keane, Michael Tubridy, Joe Ryan, John Dwyer, Bridie Lafferty and Benny Carey
  • 1971-78: Ceoltoiri Laighean - with Éamon de Buitléar, John Kelly, James Kelly, Paddy Glackin, Peter Phelan, Mary Bergin, Mícheál Ó hAlmhain, and Aileen McCrann
  • 1978-82: Bowhand - with James Kelly and Dáithí Sproule (also Terry O’Reilly and Bernie McDonald)
  • 1983-84: Hill 16 - with Seán O’Driscoll and Tom Dahill
  • 2003-2010: The Doon Céilí Band - with Danielle Enblom, Nathan Gourley, Laura MacKenzie, Brian Miller, Patrice Pakiz, Norah Rendell, and Shena Tschofen (and previously with Django Amerson, Kate and Jode Dowling, Sean Egan)
  • 2005-2015: O’Rourke's Feast - currently with Kathleen Green, Sherry Ladig, Suzanne Rhees, Rosa Wells (previously with Danielle Enblom, Nathan Gourley, Ingrid Jans, Ann Mossey Sandberg, Amy Shaw)
  • 1995-present: Chulrua - currently with Barry Foy and Paul Wehling (previously with Nathan Gourley and Brian Miller, and formerly with Patrick Ourceau, Eamon O'Leary, Pat Egan, Tim Britton, Michael Cooney)

Workshops and Teaching (selected)

  • Blue Ridge Irish Music School, Harpers Ferry, WV
  • Castle LLI, New Ulm, MN
  • Catskills Irish Arts Week, East Durham, NY
  • Center for Irish Music, Saint Paul, MN
  • Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
  • Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA
  • Creighton University, Omaha, NE
  • Eugene Irish Cultural Festival, Eugene OR
  • Goderich Celtic College, Goderich, Ontario, CANADA
  • ICONS Festival, Boston, MA
  • Irish Fair of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
  • Irish Music School of Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • Irish Studies Program, University of Saint Thomas, Saint Paul, MN
  • Irish Week by the Sea, Queen’s County, Nova Scotia, CANADA
  • Libertyville School of Music, Libertyville, IL
  • Loras College, Dubuque, IA
  • Milwaukee Irish Fest Summer School, University of WI, Milwaukee WI
  • National University of Ireland-Limerick, Co. Limerick, IRELAND
  • North House Folk School, Grand Marais, MN
  • Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
  • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Minneapolis, MN
  • Saint Olaf College, Northfield, MN
  • The Swannanoa Gathering, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC
  • Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, IRELAND
  • World Human Dimension Foundation, Moscow, RUSSIA
  • Yachats Celtic Festival, Yachats OR
  • Irish-American Crossroads Festival, San Francisco, CA

Recordings

Compositions

  1. The March of the Jacobites
  2. The Blackman’s Reel
  3. The Wooden City Polkas
  4. The Monk’s Wedding — reel
  5. The Gosling — three-part reel
  6. The Girls of Knocknagow — single jig
  7. The Wee Folks’ Revenge — walking march
  8. The Wooden City Hornpipe
  9. Mike Coogan’s Polka
  10. The Prairie Lassie — slip jig
  11. The Pauper’s Polka
  12. Making the Hay — reel
  13. The Foxhunters’ Chorus — reel
  14. Niall Gannon’s Mother — slow jig
  15. The Policeman’s Request — reel
  16. The Pig That Couldn’t Sneeze — hop jig
  17. The March of the Gaelic Order — clan march
  18. Tiny the Trooper — slip jig
  19. The Turf Footer — slip jig
  20. The Small Hills of Offaly — reel
  21. The Night Visitor — reel
  22. The Bard of Ballinaleck — 4-part reel
  23. The Sligo Damsel — reel
  24. The Man from Miltown — reel
  25. The Bee in the Meadow — slip jig
  26. The Journeyman’s Reel
  27. The Leaves in Autumn — jig
  28. The Lost Horizon — air
  29. Sarah’s Delight — reel
  30. The Poor Man’s Fortune — reel
  31. The Hurling Final — reel
  32. The Stony River — reel
  33. Barney Beatson’s Slide
  34. Kilclonfert Church — air
  35. The Mountain Pass — reel
  36. The Girls of Castlebarnagh — reel
  37. The Go-Between — jig
  38. The Lonesome Star — reel
  39. The Wayfarer — hornpipe
  40. The Pagan’s Polka
  41. The Shores of Iona — air
  42. The Troublesome Lady — hornpipe
  43. The Defeated Cause — air
  44. Mixing the Brandy — reel
  45. The Road of Return — reel
  46. O’Brien’s Tower — reel
  47. The Antrim Rose — reel
  48. The Road of Return (repeat) — reel
  49. O’Brien’s March — clan march
  50. Frank Maher’s Reel

Radio & Television Appearances (selected)

Ireland

  • 1964 Beirt Eile – RTÉ
  • 1967 Bring Down the Lamp – RTÉ
  • 1969-71 Glen to Glen – UTV
  • 1973-75 Ceoltoiri Laighean TV specials – RTÉ
  • Comhaltas radio programs – RTÉ
  • Bring Down the Lamp – RTÉ
  • Raidió na Gaeltachta
  • 1975 Ceili House – RTÉ
  • 1977 Irish language radio play – RTÉ
  • 1992 The Pure Drop – RTÉ
  • 2004 The Late Session – RTÉ, Irish National Radio
  • 2007 Lán a' Mhála – RTÉ / Raidió na Gaeltachta
  • 2008 Special Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann programme – RTÉ
  • 2010 Arena Arts Programme – RTÉ 1
  • 2012 Gradam Ceoil Awards Concert—TG4, Irish TV

Europe

  • 1973-75 Ceoltoiri Laighean - French National Television
  • Ceoltoiri Laighean in concert - German National Television

U.S.A.

  • 1978 A Prairie Home Companion - Minnesota Public Radio
  • 1979 A Prairie Home Companion - National Public Radio
  • 1981 The Lark in the Morning - Missouri Public Radio
  • 1982 A Prairie Home Companion - National Public Radio
  • 1985 Banish Misfortune - Berkeley, California
  • 1985 A Prairie Home Companion - National Public Radio
  • 1986 Last Night's Fun - Fresh Air Radio, Minneapolis
  • 1988 The Mountain Stage - National Public Radio
  • 1989 SD Centennial Folk Festival - South Dakota Public Radio
  • 1992 On the Pig's Back - KUBN/Portland, Oregon
  • 1992 The Irish Hour - Saint Louis Community Radio
  • 1993 River City Folk - National Public Radio
  • 1994 Midmorning - Minnesota Public Radio
  • 1995 Midmorning - Minnesota Public Radio
  • 1995 All Things Considered - Minnesota Public Radio
  • 2004 The Front Row - KUHF, Houston (TX) Public Radio
  • 2004 Celtic Heartland – KZUM, Lincoln NE
  • 2005 Century Song – KFAI, Minneapolis MN
  • 2006 Mist Covered Mountain – Roseburg OR
  • 2006 The Celtic Hour – KBOO Radio, Portland OR
  • 2011 Century Song – KFAI, Minneapolis MN
  • 2011 Radio Heartland, Minnesota Public Radio
  • 2011 Celtic Nation – KBEM, Minneapolis MN
  • 2011 Radio Heartland/Minnesota Public Radio
  • 2014-15 Malarkey: Radio with an Irish Accent, KFAI-FM, Minneapolis MN

Selected Concert Appearances

  • Trinity College, Dublin
  • Focus Theatre, Dublin
  • Peacock Theatre, Dublin
  • Abbey Theatre, Dublin
  • Damer Theatre, Dublin
  • University College, Cork
  • University College, Dublin
  • University of Limerick, Limerick
  • Masters of Tradition Festival, Bantry, Cork
  • Cork Folk Festival, Cork City
  • Sean O’Riada Memorial Concert, Coolea, Cork
  • Cork City Folk Festival, Cork
  • Slattery’s Tradition Club, Dublin
  • Green Linnet Folk Club, Dublin
  • The Gaelic League Club, Dublin
  • The Cobblestone, Dublin
  • Glór Traditional Music Centre, Ennis, Co Clare
  • L’Orient Folk Festival, L’Orient, France
  • International Folk Festival, Cologne, Germany
  • International Festival of Traditional Arts, Quebec, CANADA
  • International Accordion Festival, Houston, TX
  • U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
  • The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
  • Snug Harbor Irish Festival, Staten Island, NY
  • Philadelphia Ceili Festival, Philadelphia, PA
  • Wolf Trap Irish Festival, Washington, DC
  • Milwaukee Irish Fest, Milwaukee, WI
  • Irish Fair of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
  • South Dakota Centennial Folk Festival, Sioux Falls, SD
  • San Antonio Irish Feis, San Antonio, TX
  • North Texas Irish Festival, Austin, TX
  • Smoky Hill River Festival, Salina, KS
  • Minnesota Ethnic Days, Chisholm, MN
  • Cincinnati Celtic Festival, Cincinnati, OH
  • Gaelic Roots Festival, Boston, MA
  • Saint Mary’s Basilica IrishFest, Minneapolis, MN
  • Kentuck Festival of the Arts, Tuscaloosa, AL
  • Bill Healy Foundation Celtic Music Fest, Portland, OR
  • Mill City Music Festival, Minneapolis, MN
  • Minnesota Folk, Saint Paul, MN
  • Powderhorn Festival of the Arts, Minneapolis, MN
  • Chautauqua on the River, Saint Paul, MN
  • Sebastopol Celtic Folk Festival, Sebastopol, CA
  • Houston International Fetsival, Houston, TX
  • Southern Illinois Festival of Irish Music & Dance, Carbondale, IL
  • Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare
  • Irish Week by the Sea, Queen's County, Nova Scotia
  • The Swannanoa Gathering, Asheville, NC
  • Center for Popular Music, Murfreesboro, TN
  • Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
  • Saint Olaf College, Northfield, MN
  • Creighton University, Omaha, NE
  • Libertyville School of Music, Libertyville, IL
  • Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA
  • Loras College, Dubuque, IA
  • University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
  • Goderich Celtic College, Goderich Ontario
  • Blue Ridge Irish Music School, Harpers Ferry, WV
  • Center for Irish Music, Saint Paul, MN
  • Ancient Order of Hibernians, Grand Rapids, MI
  • Ancient Order of Hibernians, Dayton, OH
  • Rose and Thistle Folk Club, Greensboro, NC
  • Gaelic League Club, Detroit
  • Elkins Country Dance Society, Elkins, WV
  • Tri-State Folk Music Assn, Fort Wayne, IN
  • Second Fret Folk Club, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Irish Heritage Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
  • Cityfolk, Dayton, OH
  • The Main Point, Philadelphia, PA
  • The Focal Point, Saint Louis, MO
  • The Foolkiller, Kansas City, MO
  • The Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN
  • The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Charlotte’s Web, Rockford, IL
  • Wild Hog in the Woods Coffeehouse, Madison, WI
  • Bunky’s, Madison, WI
  • Club de Wash, Madison, WI
  • United Irish Cultural Institute, San Francisco, CA
  • University of Iowa Friends of Old Time Music, Iowa City, IA
  • Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Boston
  • Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Glasgow
  • Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, London
  • John D. McGurk’s, Saint Louis, MO
  • The Eagle Tavern, New York, NY
  • Holstein’s, Chicago, IL
  • The Plough and the Stars, San Francisco, CA
  • Tommy Makem’s Irish Pavilion, New York, NY
  • Kelly’s Irish Times, Washington, D.C.
  • The Dubliner, Washington, D.C.
  • Keneally’s Irish Bar, Houston, TX
  • Harling’s, Kansas City, MO
  • The Kells, Portland, OR
  • Kells Irish Bar, Seattle, WA
  • Hap’s Bar, Cincinnati, OH
  • Old Irish Alehouse, Boston, MA
  • MacCafferty’s Irish Bar, Saint Paul, MN
  • Kilkenny Castle, Chicago, IL
  • Dublin Pub, Portland, OR
  • East Avenue Tavern, Portland, OR
  • The Mill, Iowa City, IA
  • The Sanctuary, Iowa City, IA
  • The Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH
  • Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, PA
  • The Irish Lion, Bloomington, IN
  • Brittingham’s, Philadelphia, PA
  • Murphy’s Pub, Seattle, WA
  • Ireland’s Four Provinces, Washington, D.C.
  • The Blarney Stone, Saint Louis, MO
  • Arnold’s Bar, Cincinnati, OH
  • The Parting Glass, Saratoga Springs, NY
  • County Cork Pub, Atlanta, GA