One of the early members of The Chieftains, master fiddler Seán Keane joined the ensemble in 1968, making his band debut at the open-air Edinburgh Festival. His first recording experience with the band was The Chieftains 2 (1969).
Keane was born in Dublin in 1946 into a musical family. Both of his parents were fiddlers, but he chose to start out on the pipes. Keane began exploring the fiddle when he was five years old and was sent to a violin teacher a year later. He entered the Dublin College of Music to study classical music. However, by the time he was in the seventh grade, he abandoned his classical studies and began playing Irish traditional music in pubs and at house parties.
At the age of 14, he was in several performing bands, and by 16, he had quit school. A year later Keane entered a fiddle competition and came to the attention of Seán Ó Riada, who invited him to join the Irish band Ceoltóirí Cualann. This not only got him accepted into the Dublin music scene, but also got him acquainted with Paddy Moloney who was a member of the band at the time.
In May 1981, Seán Keane was featured on the Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) Hand Me Down series. This particular series sought to examine the transmission of traditional music across generations, highlighting the role of the familial in this process. In the segment, Keane played solo before joining members of the Castle Céilí Band to accompany the Mullagh set dancers at the Willie Clancy Summer School. This special performance was notably captured for posterity in the archives of RTÉ Libraries and Archives.
More recently, in March 2019, Keane was prominently featured in the Season 8 premiere episode of TG4’s documentary series ‘Sé Mo Laoch, which showcased some of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional musicians. This 25-minute documentary provided a comprehensive overview of Keane’s life and career, from his formative years to his most recent work, and it has been preserved in the archives of the TG4 Player.
Throughout his career, Seán Keane was involved in a number of notable recording projects. In addition to his collaborations with The Chieftains, Keane produced three solo albums, including Gusty’s Frolics (1975), Seán Keane (1982), and Jig it in Style (1990). Keane was also involved in various collaborations, such as Reel Away the Real World (with James Keane and Mick Moloney) in 1980, Contentment is Wealth (with Matt Molloy) in 1985, The Fire Aflame (with Matt Molloy and Liam O’Flynn) in 1993, and Fire in the Kitchen (with Paddy Moloney) in 1998.
In his personal life, Keane was married and had three children: Deirdre, Páraic, and Darach. Notably, both Páraic and Darach followed in their father’s footsteps to become accomplished musicians. Many of Keane’s grandchildren have also shown a keen interest in traditional Irish music, with Molly, Alex, and Ella all playing the fiddle; Loulou and Clara playing the concertina; Ruby playing the cello; and Jack playing the uilleann pipes and tin whistle. Additionally, Keane had three other grandchildren, namely Doireann, Páidí, and Seán Óg.
Seán Keane passed away on May 7, 2023, at the age of 76.
Discography
The Chieftains 2 (Claddagh Records CC 07, 1969)
The Chieftains 3 (Claddagh Records CC 10, 1971)
The Chieftains 4 (Claddagh Records CC 14, 1973)
The Chieftains 5 (Claddagh Records CC 16, 1975)
The Chieftains 6: Bonaparte’s Retreat (Claddagh Records, 1976)
The Chieftains 7 (Claddagh Records CC 24, 1977)
The Chieftains Live! (Claddagh Records CC 21, 1977)
The Chieftains 8 (CBS 35726, 1978)
The Chieftains 9: Boil the Breakfast Early (Claddagh Records CC 30, 1979)
The Chieftains 10: Cotton-Eyed Joe (Claddagh Records CC 33, 1981)
The Year of the French (Claddagh Records CC36, 1982)
The Grey Fox (1982) (soundtrack to The Grey Fox)
Concert Orchestra (1982)
The Chieftains in China (Claddagh Records CC 42, 1985)
Ballad of the Irish Horse (Claddagh Records CCF, 1986)
Celtic Wedding (RCA 6358, 1987)
In Ireland, with James Galway (1987)
Irish Heartbeat, with Van Morrison (Polydor 834496, 1988)
The Tailor Of Gloucester (WD-0710, 1988)
A Chieftains Celebration (RCA 7858, 1989)
Over the Sea To Skye: The Celtic Connection (1990) (with James Galway)
The Bells of Dublin (RCA 60824, 1991)
Another Country (RCA 60939, 1992)
An Irish Evening (RCA 60916, 1992)
The Celtic Harp: A Tribute To Edward Bunting, with The Belfast Harp Orchestra (RCA 61490, 1993)
The Long Black Veil (RCA Victor 09026-62702-2, 1995)
Film Cuts (RCA Victor 09026-68438-2, 1996)
Santiago (RCA Victor 09026-68602-2, 1996)
Long Journey Home (1998)
Fire in the Kitchen (1998)
Silent Night: A Christmas in Rome (1998)
Tears of Stone (1999)
Water From the Well (2000)
The Wide World Over (2002)
Down the Old Plank Road: The Nashville Sessions (2002)
Further Down the Old Plank Road (Arista/BMG, 2003)
Live From Dublin: A Tribute To Derek Bell (2005)
The Essential Chieftains (2006)
San Patricio, with Ry Cooder (2010)
Voice of Ages (2012)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.