Pádraic Keane - Musician-uilleann pipes

Artists Profile

Uilleann piper Pádraic Keane hails from Maree, Co. Galway and was born into a

great musical family in 1991. His father Tommy is a well known piper, originally

from Waterford who was taught by the legendary piper Tommy Kearney. His mother

Jacqueline McCarthy is a very respected concertina player and is the daughter of the

late Tommy McCarthy from West Clare who was a multi-instrumentalist playing pipes,

whistle and concertina. Jacqueline’s sister Marion also plays pipes. It is little wonder

therefore, considering the love and prevalence of piping on both sides of the family, that

Pádraic began learning the pipes at the age of eight under the guidance of his father. He

also received tuition from many leading pipers at various summer schools including

Robbie Hannan, Mick O’Brien, Emmett Gill, Jimmy O’Brien Moran, Seán McKeon,

Brian McNamara and Ronan Browne.

Bay FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4 and RTÉ Radio & Television.


Pádraic's piping comes from the style of Willie Clancy but other influences such as

Seán McKiernan and Séamus Ennis are also discernable in his music. He in turn is now

passing on his love for piping and has a number of fledgling pipers coming to him for

tuition. He is also one of the piping tutors at Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy held in

Miltown Malbay each year. In 2011 he was awarded Gradam Ceoil TG4 – Ceoltóir Óg

na Bliana (TG4 Music Award - Young Musician of the Year). He has toured America

(as soloist with The Irish Chamber Orchestra) performing Termōn - a piece for uilleann

pipes and strings by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin - which was commissioned for the tenth

anniversary of 9/11. He has also toured with Ragús and worked with Galway's Irish

language theatre group - An Taibhdhearc. He is featured on "The Rolling Wave" - a

CD of young pipers issued by Na Píobairí Uilleann in 2012. In 2014 he collaborated

with the RTE Concert Orchestra by performing at a number of occasions.