Paddy Moloney

Paddy Moloney was an Irish musician, composer, and record producer. He co-founded and led the Irish musical group the Chieftains, playing on all of their 44 albums. He was particularly associated with the revival of the uilleann pipes, a type of Irish bagpipe. He also played the tin whistle, the button accordion, and the bodhrán. He composed and arranged music for films, such as Treasure Island, The Grey Fox, Braveheart, and Gangs of New York. He collaborated with many artists from different genres, such as Paul McCartney, Sting, Dolly Parton, and Luciano Pavarotti. He was a founder of Claddagh Records, a label that promoted Irish music and culture. He received many awards and honors, including six Grammy Awards, an honorary doctorate from Trinity College Dublin, and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship. He was a fluent speaker of Irish and a passionate advocate for Irish heritage. He died suddenly at a hospital in Dublin on 12 October 2021, at the age of 83. He was widely mourned and praised as a towering figure in Irish music and a global ambassador for Ireland.