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TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to renowned fiddle player Seán Keane, who was a longtime member of The Chieftains, has died at 76.
His younger brother James announced the death on Facebook yesterday evening, saying that the family have been devastated by the loss.
“The sadness is very real,” James wrote, “My wonderful, kind and brilliant fiddle playing big brother Seán passed unexpectedly at his home in Rathcoole, Co Dublin this morning.
Born in Drimnagh in 1946, Keane was a member of traditional group Ceoltóirí Chualann in the 1960s. The band was led by Seán Ó Riada and included many of the founding members of The Chieftains.
Keane joined The Chieftains in 1968 with who he would play for decades, most recently in Ballina for US president Joe Biden during his visit.
He popped up alongside various performers down the decades; 1982 saw him play fiddle with singer Kate Bush on her single Night of the Swallow.
President Michael D Higgins said that Keane’s passing would be mourned by “lovers of Irish music and traditional arts across the world”.
A statement from the president read:
“Seán’s incredible talent as a fiddle player brought so much joy to so many and was enjoyed and admired by audiences all over the world.”
“His virtuosity and skill was unique and has influenced so many musicians across the traditional arts. Indeed, Seán has been described as the ‘musician’s musician’. His generous legacy to traditional music and the arts will be remembered for generations to come.”
“May I express my deepest condolences to his children, Páraic, Deirdre and Darach and his grandchildren, to his extended family, to his friends in The Chieftains and to his wide circle of friends and musical colleagues.”
Claddagh Records chairman James Morrissey said Keane played with a “unique ease”.
“At the age of five, he learned the fiddle and later studied classical music at the Dublin College of Music.
“Seán’s musical career began when was in his teens, playing with the Castle Ceilí Band, which he had formed with his brother, James.
“His life changed when he entered the fiddle competition for Fleadh Ceoil and Sean O’Riada invited him to join Ceoltóirí Chualann. He joined The Chieftains in 1968. Seán recorded a 16 track solo album for Claddagh Records which was released in 1975, titled Gusty’s Frolicks.”
Morrissey remarked: “Seán was a wonderful musician. He was so talented and yet he played with a unique ease.”
The Irish Traditional Music Archive said Keane was able to combine powerful fiddle playing married to “technical virtuosity with an incredibly insightful and sensitive understanding” of Irish traditional music.
“He was a beacon for our traditional art,” it said in a statement.
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Will this affect the cannabis laws? Going there in December…
they changed the law during the summer only dutch citizens can legally buy hash in the cafe’s no more tourists
Oh yea, I’d say its for the weed yer goin. Oh yea.
That law is not currently being widely enforced, unfortunately.
Max – tourists who are visiting Amsterdam in December will still be able to smoke pot in the coffeeshops. The ban is in place in southern cities such as Maastricht and the plan is for it to be introduced nationwide in January. Whether this govt plans any change to the proposed legislation is unclear, but will become clear in the next day or so.
Thank you Neil!
It’s actually doesn’t come into effect until November after cannabis cup, a major tourist attraction.
I’m only back yesterday from amsterdam its jan 1st the weed pass comes in
When it comes in, it means Dutch *residents* can buy it, not just Dutch citizens. If you’re Irish and you live there, happy days for you. If you’re Dutch and you live in Belgium, tough.
Ur welcome Max. Who knows I might c u there
now’s the chance to legalise and smoke our way out of the recession,cafes with PlayStations,lots of burger bites and sweets,400000 jobs in tourism and service industry,enda Kenny statue on o Connell street,money to burn,criminals moving into legitimate business!!!it’s win win
I bet the new Dutch government will achieve their goals too, not like our crowd of amateurs.
They will if their citizenship continue to pay their water rates and property tax.
Banning the weed tourism, raising the drinking age , next theyll be banning prostitution and turning the netherlands into a tourist wasteland
Interesting reading comments here .the vast majority ignored the main thrust of the report which was based on their economic platform ,we are mor interested in how it will effect Drugs and Booze and we wonder why we elect duff governments.
Never thought I would hear a liberal party looking at raising the age at which you are allowed to consume alcohol.
Brian – Rutte’s party are liberal in name only. They are definitively right of centre and austerity is the agenda that defines them. Much like Cameron’s Tory party in UK.
Gavin apologies.
the sales on the streets will be booming again. they just announced you will need an identification and proof of residence. so club membership for dutch citizens only has been scrapped.
http://www.dutchnews.nl has an interesting summary of what this means. Reading between the lines it looks like local/city councils will have discretion as to how the law is enforced but the ‘Weedpass’ is dead.
have your say