Sean ac Dhonncha

Seán 'ac Dhonncha was born in 1919 in Aird Thoir, Carna, Conamara, Co. Galway, the son of a fisherman. He had nine siblings and was a schoolfriend of Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, another famous traditional singer. He won a scholarship to Coláiste Éinde and qualified as a primary teacher in 1940. He taught in County Cavan from 1947, and later spent twenty five years as principal of Ahascragh national school. He was the first traditional singer to record with Gael Linn, a label dedicated to promoting Irish language and culture. He won a gold medal at the 1953 Oireachtas, a festival of Irish arts and culture. He was awarded the Gradam Shean-Nós Cois Life in 1995, a prize for excellence in sean-nós singing. He recorded two albums of songs in Irish and English, An Aill Báin (The White Rock) in 1971 and Seán 'ac Dhonncha: An Spailpín Fánach (Seán 'ac Dhonncha: The Wandering Labourer) in 1994. He married Bríd Ní Eidhn in 1956 and they had five children. He died in 1996 and was buried in Carna Cemetery. He is remembered as one of the finest exponents of the Connemara style of singing and a great ambassador for Irish culture.