Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971), was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s. Ó Riada's career began as a music director at Radio Éireann from 1954, after which he worked at the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the p ...

from 1955 to 1962. He lectured in music at

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one o ...

from 1963 until his death in 1971. He became a household name in Ireland through his participation in

Ceoltóirí Chualann Ceoltóirí Chualann (pronounced ) was an Irish traditional band, led by Seán Ó Riada, which included many of the founding members of The Chieftains. Ceoltóirí is the Irish word for musicians, and Cualann is the name of an area just outsid ...

, compositions, writings and broadcasts. His best-known pieces in the classical tradition include ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' (1957), but he became particularly famous for his film scores ''Mise Éire'' (1959) and '' Saoirse?'' (1960). He left a lasting influence as founder and director of the ensemble Ceoltóirí Chualann (from 1961). His music still endures: his mass in Irish is still sung to this day in many churches in the Irish-speaking regions of Ireland. Ó Riada died in 1971, two months after his fortieth birthday.

Early life

Ó Riada was born John Reidy in

Cork City Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

. He spent his early years in Adare,

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Republic of Ireland, Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Provinces of Ireland, Province , subd ...

, where his father, a Garda sergeant, was stationed. After beginning school in Adare, he later attended

St Finbarr's College, Farranferris Farranferris was a secondary school in Cork City, Ireland. It opened in 1887, closed in 2006, and was an important institution in the twentieth century history of the city. History Saint Finbarr’s Seminary At the time of the Penal Laws Irish ...

and whilst he was there he received musical education from Aloys Fleischmann (Senior). He moved to St Munchin's College in Limerick where he completed his Leaving Certificate in 1948. He played violin, piano and organ, and studied Greek and Latin classics at University College Cork, with Aloys Fleischmann (Junior) and graduated in 1952. While at college, Ó Riada was the auditor of the

UCC Philosophical Society The UCC Philosophical Society, commonly known as ''the Philosoph'', is the largest debating society at University College Cork, Ireland. The Philosoph was founded in 1850, making it the oldest society at UCC. The society carries out a number of ...

. That year he became assistant director for Radio Éireann. He married Ruth Coughlan in 1953. During the evening he played piano with dance bands. In 1955 Ó Riada spent several months in France and consolidated his interest in techniques of musical modernism. On his return in July he became music director of the

Abbey Theatre, Dublin The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the p ...

(until 1962), where he wrote, arranged and directed music for the small pit orchestra, also continuing his work in radio. Most of his original, modern orchestral compositions were also written in this time, which included his ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' for string orchestra (1957), ''Nomos No. 4'' for piano and orchestra (1958) and the ''Triptyche pour orchestre'' (1960) as well as an early version of his ambitious ''Nomos No. 2'' for baritone solo, mixed choir and orchestra (1965). As his work with Ceoltóirí Chualann developed, his engagement with the modern musical avantgarde decreased, but was never abandoned.

Mise Éire

Ó Riada composed and directed orchestral music for theatre and film, combining traditional Irish tunes and " sean-nós" (old style) songs in the classical tradition, similar to nationalist composers such as Dvořák (Czech), Bartók (Hungarian) and

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

(English). In 1959 he scored a documentary film by George Morrison called '' Mise Éire'' ("I am Ireland"), about the founding of the

Irish Republic The Irish Republic ( ga, Poblacht na hÉireann or ) was an unrecognised revolutionary state that declared its independence from the United Kingdom in January 1919. The Republic claimed jurisdiction over the whole island of Ireland, but by ...

. The recording is conducted by Ó Riada himself. ''Mise Éire'' brought him national acclaim and allowed him to start a series of programmes on Irish radio called ''Our Musical Heritage''. Ó Riada told people that one should listen to

sean-nós singing Sean-nós singing ( , ; Irish for "old style") is unaccompanied traditional Irish vocal music usually performed in the Irish language. Sean-nós singing usually involves very long melodic phrases with highly ornamented and melismatic melodic ...

either as a child would listen or as if they were songs from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

Ceoltóirí Chualann

Between 1961 and 1969 Ó Riada led the

group. They played in concert halls dressed in black suits with white shirts and black

bow tie The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that t ...

s, but relied on traditional songs and tunes. An ordinary céili band or show-band would have musicians who competed with each other to grab the audience's attention. Ceoltóirí Chualann played sparse lucid arrangements. Ó Riada sat in the middle at front playing a harpsichord and a

bodhrán The bodhrán (, ; plural ''bodhráin'' or ''bodhráns'') is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from in diameter, with most drums measuring . The sides of the drum are deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads or oth ...

, a hand-held frame-drum. This was an instrument that had almost died out, being played only by small boys in street parades. Ceilí bands generally had jazz-band drum-kits. Ó Riada also wanted to use the clarsach or wire-strung

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orc ...

in the band, but as these were as yet unavailable, he played the

harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...

instead – in his opinion the nearest sound to a clarsach. The harpsichord he used on a regular basis was made by Cathal Gannon. Unknown to Ó Riada, Irish folk music was being played ensemble-style in London pubs, but for most people of Ireland this was the first time they heard these tunes played by a band. For some, the membership of Ceoltóirí Chualann overlapped with that of

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

. They recorded the soundtrack of the film '' Playboy of the Western World'' (original play by

John Millington Synge Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play '' The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly ...

) in 1962. Their last public performance was in 1969, the album was then called "Ó Riada Sa Gaiety".

Final years

In 1963 Ó Riada was appointed lecturer in music at

University College, Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...

. He moved to Baile Bhúirne, and not Cúil Aodha (a common misconception) in West Cork, an Irish-speaking area, where he established Cór Chúil Aodha, a male voice choir. He turned toward choral church music, composing two settings of the

Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different ele ...

. ''Ceol an Aifrinn'' ("Music of the Mass") was the first Mass written in the

Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

. This featured the hymn " Ag Críost an Síol", which has become popular in its own right, and with such good phrasing, that it is (wrongly) thought by many today to be an ancient medieval tune. ''Aifreann 2'' ("Mass 2") premiered posthumously in 1979. Further works in the "classical" tradition include ''Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology'' (1958) and ''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann'' (1964) to words by Hölderlin. Ó Riada also set the poetry of Thomas Kinsella (''Three Poems'', 1954), who returned the favour by praising Ó Riada in verse. He became involved in

Irish politics Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the second ...

and was a friend of several influential leaders. Ó Riada and his wife Ruth drank regularly at a local pub which still advertises itself as being his local.

Death

He suffered cirrhosis of the liver. He was flown to

King's College Hospital King's College Hospital is a major teaching hospital and major trauma centre in Denmark Hill, Camberwell in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH". It is managed b ...

, London, for treatment and died there. He is buried in St

Gobnait Saint Gobnait (?), also known as Gobnat or Mo Gobnat or Abigail or Deborah, is the name of a medieval, female Irish saint whose church was Móin Mór, later Bairnech, in the village of Ballyvourney ( ga, Baile Bhuirne), County Cork in Ireland.Jo ...

's graveyard,

Baile Bhuirne Ballyvourney ( ga, Baile Bhuirne , meaning 'Town of the Beloved', also spelled ) is a Gaeltacht village in southwest County Cork, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the barony of Muskerry West, and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman C ...

, County Cork. Willie Clancy played at his funeral.

Legacy

Seán Ó Riada and Ceoltóirí Chualann set to music the Peadar Ó Doirnín lyric ''

Mná na hÉireann "''Mná na hÉireann''" ( en, Women of Ireland) is a poem written by Ulster poet Peadar Ó Doirnín (1704–1796), most famous as a song, and especially set to an air composed by Seán Ó Riada (1931–1971). As a modern song, ''Mná na hÉir ...

'', which has been recorded or re-used by many artists. As performed by

the Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...

, it is used as a romantic overture throughout the

Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

movie ''

Barry Lyndon ''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 period drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Starring Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Le ...

'' and is the basis of The Christians' 1989 single ''

Words A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no conse ...

''. Ó Riada's daughter

Liadh Ní Riada Liadh Ní Riada (; born 28 November 1966) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who formerly served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the South constituency from 2014 to 2019. She was the Sinn Féin candidate in the 2018 presidential ...

was elected as

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gr ...

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

. She was the Sinn Féin candidate in the 2018 presidential election. The Irish poet Séamus Heaney included the poem "In Memoriam Seán Ó Riada" in his 1979 collection ''Field Work''. In 2008, a life-sized statue was erected in the grounds of Sépéil Naomh Gobnait, Cúil Aodha. Seán Ó Riada Sculpture

On 23 April 2010 Ceoltóirí Chualann reformed under the leadership of Peadar Ó Riada to play a tribute concert to Seán Ó Riada in Dublin's

Liberty Hall Liberty Hall ( ga, Halla na Saoirse), in Dublin, Ireland, is the headquarters of the Services, Industrial, Professional, and Technical Union (SIPTU). Designed by Desmond Rea O'Kelly, it was completed in 1965. It was for a time the tallest ...

In 2011, A festival, Féile na Laoch, was organised in his honour by his son, Peadar, between 30 September and 3 October in the honour of heroes (laochra) from the seven 'Muses': Storytelling, Sport, Singing, Poetry, Music, Dancing and Acting centring on Ó Riada. Two schools are named 'Scoil Uí Riada' after him: a Gaelscoil in

Kilcock Kilcock () is a town and townland in the north of County Kildare, Ireland, on the border with County Meath. Its population of 6,093 makes it the ninth largest town in Kildare and 76th largest in Ireland. The town is located 35 km (22 ...

County Kildare County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the count ...

, and another, in

Bishopstown Bishopstown () is located in the civil parish of St. Finbar's, Barony of Cork, County Cork, Ireland. It is a southwestern suburb of Cork and is made-up of the townlands of Ballineaspigbeg and Ballineaspigmore (sometimes spelled Ballinaspigmor ...

Works

Opera *''Spailpín a Rúin''. Opera in 3 acts (1960). First performance: Dublin, Damer Theatre (St Stephen's Green), 15 September 1960.See photos of the rehearsals and premiere at th
Irish Photo Archive
. Orchestral *''Overture Olynthiac'' (1955) *''The Banks of Sulán''. A Pastoral Elegy (1956) *''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' for string orchestra (1957) *''Nomos No. 4'' for piano and orchestra (1958) *''Aspects of Irish Traditional Music'' (1959) *''Seoladh na nGamhan''. Festival Overture (1959) *''Triptyche pour orchestre symphonique'' (1960) *''Nomos No. 6'' (1966) Voice with orchestra *''The Lords and the Bards'' (Robert Farren) for narrator, soloists, chorus, orch. (1959) *''Nomos No. 2'' (Sophocles) for baritone, chorus, orch. (1963) Choral music (without orchestra) *Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology'' (anon.) for flute, guitar and mixed chorus (1958) *''Ceathramhhaintí Éagsamhla'' (author?) for satb choir a capella (1962) *''Requiem for a Soldier'' (author?) for soloists, chorus and organ (1968) Songs for voice and piano *''Four Songs'' (1954). Contains: ''Autumn''; ''Winter''; ''Spring''; ''Summer''. *''Lustra'' (anon. Chinese in transl.) (1954) *''Three Poems by Thomas Kinsella'' (1954). Contains: ''Classical''; ''Night Song 1''; ''Night Song 2''. *''Serenade'' (author?) (1955) *''Four Nursery Rhymes'' (trad.) (1956). Contains: ''Humpty Dumpty''; ''Tom, Tom''; ''Rockabye, Baby''; ''Seothín Seó''. *''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann'' (Johann Christian Hölderlin) (1956). Contains: ''Die Heimath''; ''Fragment''; ''Hälfte des Lebens''; ''An Zimmern''. *''Hill Field'' ( John Montague) (1965) *''Sekundenzeiger'' (

Hans Arp Hans Peter Wilhelm Arp (16 September 1886 – 7 June 1966), better known as Jean Arp in English, was a German-French sculptor, painter, and poet. He was known as a Dadaist and an abstract artist. Early life Arp was born in Straßburg (now Str ...

) (1966) *''Lovers on Aran'' ( Seámus Heaney) (1968) *''Mná na hÉireann'' ( Peadar Ó Doirnín) (1968) Piano *''Eight Short Preludes'' (1953) *''Five Epigrams'' (1954) *''Piano Piece'' (1957) *''Aon lá sa Mhuileann'' for harpsichord (1968) *''Ceol'' (n.d.) Film scores for orchestra *''Mise Éire'' (1959) *''Saoirse?'' (1960) *''Kennedy's Ireland'' (1960) *''The Death of a Lord Mayor'' (1960) *''Young Cassidy'' (1965) *''An Tine Bheo'' (1966) *''Ceol na Laoi'' (c.1966) Others *''Suite of Greek Folksongs'' for flute, oboe, viola, cello, piano (1958) *''Ceol Máirseála i gcóir Socraide'' for military band (1968) Religious music *''Ceol an Aifrinn / Ó Riada Mass'' (1968) *''Aifreann nua'' / ''Aifreann 2'' (1970) *''Requiem Mass'' (1970) Incidental music to several plays at the Abbey Theatre including ''An Crúiscín Lán'' (1956), ''The Playboy of the Western World'' (1956), ''Súgán Sneachta'' (1959), ''Mac Uí Rudaí'' (1961), ''Ulysses agus Penelope'' (1965).

Recordings

*''Ceolta Éireann'' / ''Music of Ireland'': Gael-Linn CEF 001 (LP, 1958), re-issued as Gael-Linn CEFCD 001 (CD, 2009). Contains eight traditional Irish songs arranged for baritone and piano. *''Mise Éire'': Gael-Linn CEF 002 (EP, 1960); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979). *''Saoirse?'': Gael-Linn GL 1 (EP, 1960); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979). *''Irische Volkslieder'': Harmonia Mundi HMS 30691 (LP, 1965). Contains five traditional Irish songs arranged for chamber choir. *''An Tine Bheo'': Gael-Linn GL 2 (EP, 1966); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979). *''Ceol na Laoi'': Gael-Linn GL 14 (EP, 1966). *''Vertical Man'': Claddagh Records CSM 1 (LP & MC, 1969). Contains: ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'', ''Three Poems by Thomas Kinsella'', ''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann'', ''Hill Field'', ''Sekundenzeiger'', ''Lovers on Aran''. *''Ceol na hÉireann – Music of Ireland'': Gael-Linn CEF 019 (LP, 1969). Contains: ''Slán le máigh'', ''Feirmeoir an ghallbhaile'' (trad. arr. for orch.). *''Ceol an Aifrinn / Ó Riada Mass'': Gael-Linn CB 3 (LP & MC, 1971). *''Aifreann nua'' / ''Aifreann 2'': Gael-Linn CEF 081 (LP & MC, 1979). *''Mise Éire'': Gael-Linn CEF CD 134 (CD & LP, 1987). Contains: ''Mise Éire'', ''Saoirse?'', ''An Tine Bheo''. *''Romantic Ireland'': Marco Polo 8.223804 (CD, 1995). Contains: ''The Banks of Sulán''. *''Seán Ó Riada: Orchestral Works'': RTÉ Lyric fm CD 136 (CD, 2011). Contains: ''Overture Olynthiac'', ''The Banks of Sulán'', ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'', ''Seoladh na nGamhan'', ''Nomos No. 4'', ''Mise Éire''. *''Ó Riada's Farewell'': Claddagh Records CC 12 (LP, 1972). Traditional Irish music played on harpsichord Recordings by Ceoltóirí Chualann *''Reacaireacht an Riadaigh'': Gael-Linn CEF 010 (LP, 1961). *''The Playboy of the Western World'': Gael-Linn CEF 012 (LP, 1962). *''Ceol na nUasal'': Gael-Linn CEF 015 (LP, 1967). *''ding dong'': Gael-Linn CEF 016 (LP, 1967). *''Ó Riada sa Gaiety'': (LP, 1971); currently available a
Gael-Linn ORIADACD01
*''Port na bPúcaí'' (Ó Riada solo, but with trad. material, previously unreleased recordings)
Gael-Linn ORIADACD07
(CD, 2014)

Bibliography

* Charles Acton: "Seán Ó Riada: The Next Phase", in: ''Éire-Ireland'' 2 (1967) 4, pp. 113–22. *Charles Acton: "Interview with Seán Ó Riada", in: ''Éire-Ireland'' 6 (1970) 4, pp. 106–15. *Bernard Harris & Grattan Freyer: ''Integrating Tradition: The Achievement of Seán O Riada'' (Ballina: Irish Humanities Centre & Keohanes, and Chester Springs, Penn.: Dufour Editions, 1981); . * Thomas Kinsella & Tomas Ó Cannain: ''Our Musical Heritage'' (Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1982); . *Tomás Ó Canainn / Gearóid Mac an Bhua

Gerard Victory Thomas Joseph Gerard Victory (24 December 1921 – 14 March 1995) was a prolific Irish composer. He wrote over two hundred works across many genres and styles, including tonal, serial, aleatoric and electroacoustic music. Biography Victory w ...

: ''Seán Ó Riada: A Shaol agus a Shaothar'' (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Gartan, 1993); . * Harry White: ''The Keeper's Recital: Music and Cultural History in Ireland 1770–1970'' (Cork: Cork University Press, 1998); . *Tomás Ó Canainn: ''Seán Ó Riada: His Life and Work'' (Cork: Collins Press, 2003); . *Harry White: "Ó Riada, Seán", in: ''The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland'', ed. H. White & B.Boydell (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013), vol. 2, p. 803–6; .

References

External links

Ó Riada's Vision
at The Journal of Music {{DEFAULTSORT:Oriada, Sean 1931 births 1971 deaths 20th-century Irish people 20th-century classical composers 20th-century male musicians 20th-century musicologists Alumni of University College Cork Bodhrán players Ceoltóirí Chualann members Claddagh Records artists Classical composers of church music Deaths from cirrhosis Irish classical composers Irish film score composers Irish male classical composers Irish music arrangers Irish musicologists Male film score composers Musicians from Cork (city) People educated at St Munchin's College