Irish President Leads Tributes to Chieftains Fiddle Player Seán Keane Who Dies at 76

Seán Keane, fiddle player with The Chieftains, has died on 7 May 2023 at the age of 76. The Irish Traditional Music Archive described Mr Keane as "one of the greatest ever exponents of Irish traditional music". Amongst those paying tribute was the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. He said Seán Keane’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".

Seán Keane was born into a musical family in Drimnagh, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. He was a member of Ceoltóirí Cualann in the 1960s and performed with some of the trios and duets formed by Paddy Moloney in the 60s. He joined The Chieftains in 1968 and also recorded a solo album, Seán Keane, along with a duet album with fellow Chieftain Matt Molloy. President Higgins expressed his condolences to Seán Keane’s children, Páraic, Deirdre and Darach and his grandchildren, extended family, friends in The Chieftains and to his "wide circle of friends and musical colleagues".