Ó Riada, Seán (1931-1971)

Irish composer, arranger, and academic. Though he was fluent in many different musical idioms, he is best remembered for the pioneering role he played in the revival of traditional Irish music, particularly with his group Ceoltóirí Cualann (from which the folk group the Chieftains evolved).

Ó Riada was born in Cork and studied at University College, Cork. He was assistant music director at Radio Éireann in Dublin 1954-55. After a short period in Paris, France, he returned to Dublin for perhaps the most prolific period of his life as musical director of the Abbey Theatre until 1962. He was also involved in the other major classical ensembles in Dublin of the time but most famously founded Ceoltóirí Cualann (in which he played the bodhrán and harpsichord) to perform his music to Brian MacMahon's play The Honey Spike in 1962. It was at this time also that he wrote the influential orchestral scores for the films Mise Éire and Saoirse. From 1963 until his death he taught in the Music Department of University College, Cork, under Aloys Fleischmann.

Other important works include his two masses Aifreann 1 and Aifreann 2 and his series of orchestral Nomos pieces 1-6, composed between 1957 and 1966.