Biography
Paddy Moloney has been the leader of the popular Irish band The Chieftains since 1963. He has always had a love of traditional music, which he received from his parents who had a strong music tradition from their native County Laois. His grandfather was a flute player and his uncle belonged to the Ballyfin Pipe Band. His first instrument was a plastic tin whistle and by the age of eight, he was learning to play the uilleann pipes from the great pipe master, Leo Rowsome.
After he left school, he took a job with Baxendales, a large building firm, where he worked in accounting. Before The Chieftains came into existence, Paddy played in several groups and worked to develop his own unique sound. He often played with other musicians in duets and trios. Some of the musicians he played with included Seán Potts, Michael Tubridy, Martin Fay. Paddy met Seán Ó Ríada in the late 1950s when he played with several people, who later went on to Ceoltóirí Cualann in various clubs before joining the Ríada's orchestra in the early 60's. Other soon-to-be Chieftains in the Ceoltóirí Cualann were Seán Potts, Martin Fay, Peadar Mercier, and Mick Tubridy. In 1963, Paddy brought the group together along with an old friend of his, Dave Fallon, to do a one time album called - The Chieftains.
In 1968, Paddy left Baxendales to work for Garech a Brún's fledgling record label, Claddagh Records. In seven years he achieved to establish Claddagh's catalog and a market for it. During his time at Claddagh he either produced, co-produced or supervised 45 albums for the Claddagh label in folk, traditional, classical, poetry and spoken word recordings.
The artists he helped bring to the public include Paddy Taylor, Máire Ní Donnachadha, Seán Mac Donncha, Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford, Sarah and Rita Keane, and Tommy Potts. The writers he worked with included the likes of Seámus Heaney, John Montague, Thomas Kinsella, and several others. When Paddy left Claddagh in 1975, the label had a wide and diverse catalog.
For over 35 years, Paddy has continued to lead and develop The Chieftains into Ireland's most famous musical ambassadors. He has lead the group to all corners of the world and worked with artists in different genres. In addition to his work leading The Chieftains, Paddy has also done considerable solo work appearing on many albums in a number of different genres and composing a number of tunes. Over the years, he has played with many greats from the music industry, including Mick Jagger and Sting. In 1982, he appeared as a solo guest with Jackson Browne at the Hammersmith Odeon in London and also played the whistle on "Rain Clowds", the flip side of the Stevie Wonder/Paul McCartney hit single Ebony and Ivory.
Paddy has composed the scores for such films as "Tristan and Isolde" starring Richard Burton, "The Year of The French", "Treasure Island", Agnes Browne (1999) and Ballad of the Irish Horse (1985) - a film in the world renowned series of the National Geographic Society television specials. For his work with The Chieftains and spreading Irish music throughout the world, Paddy Moloney was awarded an honorary doctorate degree of music from Trinity College, Dublin in 1988.
