Remembering Séamus

Méabh Begley, Eoin Begley, Niall Begley

Eoin and Níall Ó Beaglaoich and their sister Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich
are a traditional music family group playing accordion, concertina

and singing. They are deeply rooted within the Irish traditional cul-
ture of music, song and dance of West Kerry. They all began play-
ing music at a young age and have been greatly influenced by their

father Séamus Begley. They each have separate musical careers
and have collaborated with acclaimed Irish music greats over the
years.

Tim Edey

Seán McKeon

One of Ireland’s leading uilleann pipers, Seán grew up listening to music at home in Dublin with his parents Gay McKeon (uilleann pipes) and Mary Corcoran (fiddle and piano) being his earliest influences. He began playing the tin whistle at the age of 6 and within two years Seán progressed to the uilleann pipes receiving lessons from Seán Óg Potts. Seán went on to become a tutor himself at Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy at the age of 14.

In 2005, Seán was awarded TG4 Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana. McKeon and fiddler Liam O’Connor released the duet album “Dublin Made Me” in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim, with it being described in The Irish Times as “a vibrant collection that never once loses sight of its birthright yet still manages to herald a new departure in casting a spotlight on two exceptional musicians who marry technical prowess with a marvelous sense of adventure and history”. It was awarded the Irish Times CD of the week across all genres. June 2013 saw McKeon release a much anticipated solo piping album “To The City” to further acclaim.

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Oisín Mac Diarmada
Founder of the internationally-renowned group Téada, Oisín is also a regular solo performer. Described by The Irish Echo’s Earle Hitchner as “one of the most gifted and creative traditional fiddlers playing today” Oisín toured for 14 years with noted singer/accordion-player Séamus Begley and more recently with his wife Samantha Harvey (piano/dance). Oisín was appointed Director of SCT, the Traditional Irish Music Examination System administered by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, during 2012, and in 2017 co-authored ‘Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook’ along with fellow-Sligo musician, Daithí Gormley. During 2024, Oisín released the album – Lane to the Glen – as part of a new trio project with Daithí Gormley and Samantha Harvey, touring the US extensively during 2025.

Pauline Scanlon

As a founding member of FairPlé, the role of women in the arts is central to her creative path and something she is very vocal about and dedicated to. Her new album, The Unquiet, to be released in March 2022, is a piece of art possessed of an old soul, but thoroughly modern and of its time. It is an
album that will shift expectations and stand undefined by genre. What makes it so relevant is that it dares to reimagine what it is to be an Irish woman in the context of music and song.

Karen Ryan

Karen started playing music at the age of nine, taught by the North Leitrim musician Tommy Maguire at the London Irish Centre, where she herself now teaches. It was here that she met lifelong friends and fellow fiddle players, Elaine Conwell and Teresa Connolly (Ní Heanue), with whom she won the under 12 Trio competition at the All-Ireland Fleadh in 1985.