Paddy Moloney RIP
Press Release on behalf of Na Píobairí Uilleann
Tuesday October 12, 2021
Na Píobairí Uilleann is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Paddy Moloney.
Achieving international acclaim through his prolific and enduring work with The Chieftains, Paddy was also a founder member and founding Board member of Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU).
A giant of a figure in Irish life, he had a profound influence in bringing Irish traditional music and the uilleann pipes to a global audience.
NPU chief executive Gay McKeon paid tribute to Paddy Moloney today: “Paddy Moloney was a wonderful piper, an incredibly creative musician and a powerful performing artist. He helped popularise Irish music all over the world and in doing so, brought the sound of the uilleann pipes to the attention of so many.
“Along with people like Breandán Breathnach and Séamus Ennis, he played a leading role in the foundation of NPU in 1968 and helped imbue the new organisation with great confidence through his music and his work as a commercial artist. He helped influence a new generation to take up the instrument and play Irish music.
“We have lost one of the country’s foremost artists whose legacy is inestimable at this point. On behalf of NPU and the uilleann piping community I would like to extend our condolences to his wife Rita, sons Aonghus and Pádraig and daughter Aedín, to the musicians who played with him and his many friends worldwide. Leaba i measc na naomh go raibh aige.”
Born in Donnycarney in 1938, Paddy’s musical journey mirrored the growth in interest in Irish music and he was to play a pivotal role in elevating it to a new level.
Learning from the great piping master Leo Rowsome in the 1940s he forged an early reputation as a gifted young player before joining Ceoltóirí Chualann under Seán Ó Riada and founding The Chieftains in 1962.
His pioneering work in arranging and recording music with The Chieftains marked him apart and his work as a producer with Claddagh Records in the late 1960s and 1970s helped heighten the artistic standing of Irish music and musicians not just abroad but at home.
Paddy’s piping, whistle playing and musicianship was central to the sound of The Chieftains and his single-minded dedication as an artist and as a collaborative producer drove the group to stellar heights all over the world and brought enormous pride and self-confidence to Ireland as a result.
Preaseisiúint thar ceann Na Píobairí Uilleann
Dé Máirt 12 Deireadh Fómhair, 2021
Is mórchúis dobróin do Na Píobairí Uilleann scéala bháis Paddy Moloney a fháil inniu.
Bhí Paddy ina bhall bunaitheach de Na Píobairí Uilleann chomh maith le bheith ina bhall bunaitheach de The Chieftains, buíon cheoil a bhain cáil idirnáisiúnta amach.
Bhí Paddy ina laoch i saol na hÉireann. Chuir sé ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann agus ceol na bpíopaí uilleann ar ardán os comhair an tsaoil mhóir.
Thug príomhfheidhmeannach Na bPíobairí Uilleann, Gay McKeon, ómós do Phaddy inniu: “Píobaire eisceachtúil ann féin ab ea Paddy Moloney. Bhí sé ina cheoltóir thar a bheith cruthaitheach agus ina ealaíontóir cumhachtach ar ardán.
Chuidigh sé go mór le ceol na hÉireann a chur ar fáil do dhaoine fud fad an domhain agus, fríd é sin a dhéanamh, tharraing sé aird ar fhuaim leithleach na bpíopaí uilleann. Bhí ról ceannasach ag Paddy i mbunú Bhord na bPíobairí Uilleann sa bhliain 1968 i gcuideacha leithéid Breandán Breathnach agus Séamus Ennis, agus is cinnte gur spreag sé muinín san eagraíocht úrnua fríd a chuid ceoil agus fríd a chuid oibre mar ealaíontóir. Thug sé ar ghlúin úr iomlán eile tabhairt faoi na píobaí uilleann mar uirlis agus ceol na hÉireann a sheinm. Tá duine de na healaíontóirí is tábhachtaí agus is mó clú sa tír i ndiaidh imeacht uainn agus níl léamh, scríobh ná inse béil ar mhéid a oidhreachta agus a d’fhág sé ina dhiaidh.
Thar ceann Na bPíobairí Uilleann agus phobal na píobaireachta maraon ba mhaith liom comhbhrón a dhéanamh lena bhean Rita, a mhic Aonghus agus Pádraig agus a iníon Aedín, leis na ceoltóirí a chaith mórán ama ag seinm leis agus lena chairde iomadúla ar fud an domhain. Leaba i measc na naomh go raibh aige.”
Rugadh Paddy i nDomhnach Cearna sa bhliain 1938. De réir mar a bhí níos mó daoine ag léiriú suime i gceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann chuir Paddy dúil sa cheol céanna. Tharla sé go mbeadh sé ar dhuine de na daoine a chuirfeadh síol an cheoil ag fás i gcré an domhain.
D’fhoghlaim Paddy ón sár-mháistir píobaireachta Leo Rowsome sna 1940í agus bhain sé cáil amach dó féin mar cheoltóir óg cumasach. Ina dhiaidh seo thosaigh sé ag seinm le Ceoltóirí Chualann faoi Sheán Ó Riada agus bhunaigh sé Na Chieftains sa bhliain 1962.
Sheas Paddy chun tosaí i measc cheotóirí ár linne lena chumas cóirithe agus lena thaifeadadh ceoil le The Chieftains. Ag deireadh na 1960í agus na 1970í chuidigh a shaothar mar léiritheoir le Claddagh Records seasamh ealaíonta ar leith a bhaint amach chan amháin in Éirinn ach thar lear fosta.
Bhí Paddy rí-lárnach d’fhuaim The Chieftains lena chuid ceoil ar an phíb uilleann agus ar an fheadóg. Bhí sé ábalta agus cumasach mar ealaíontóir agus, thaire seo, de bharr go raibh sé ina shár-léiritheoir comhoibritheach bhain an grúpa cáil amach ar fud an domhain. Bhí bród orainn uilig go léir astu agus is boichte de thír í Éire inniu.
