Background
He was born in Carrowmore, Bullaun, near Loughrea in County Galway.
player teacher composer of Irish
He was born in Carrowmore, Bullaun, near Loughrea in County Galway.
He was an exponent of the East Galway flute style. In 1992 The Turoe Stone, a book containing 32 of his compositions, was published. A second volume was issued some years later.
Many of his compositions became part of the repertoire of musicians playing Irish music worldwide and were recorded by dozens of artists and bands. He died in Dublin in 2008. "The Milky Way" (reel) (recorded by Dervish on The Thrush in the Storm)"The Crock of Gold" (reel) (recorded by Eileen Ivers on Eileen Ivers and by many others)"The Mountain Stream" (barndance) (recorded by Kathryn Tickell on Instrumental) (2007)"The New Broom" (recorded by Cherish the Ladies on New Day Dawning) (1996)).
"Around the Fairy Fort" (barndance) (recorded by Shaskeen on Walking Up Town and by many others)"Down the Rushy Glen" (polka) (recorded by Callanish on An Dara)"The Ring Around the Moon" (reel) (recorded by MacDara Ó Raghallaigh on Ego Trip)"The Turoe Stone" (jig) (recorded by Brian Holleran And Brian Bigley)"Whistler at the Wake" (jig) (recorded by Marcas Ó Murchú on Turas Ceoil and by many others).
He left Galway for Dublin in the early 1950s, where he became an enthusiastic member of the Pipers Club.