Peadar Ó Riada is a man who does not let the grass grow under his feet. When the Covid19 pandemic lockdown began, Peadar started writing new tunes and finished up with 19 a few of which he will be playing for the first time at the Clifden Arts Festival.

During the lockdown, Mass was broadcast from Cúil Aodha each Sunday on Raidió na Gaeltachta with hymns from Cór Chúil Aodha founded by Seán Ó Riada and directed by Peadar since Seán died in 1971. Peadar has written an amount of new music for the choir. He has now embarked on a most ambitious and demanding project, namely to compose music for all 150 Psalms. As far as can be ascertained, no one person ever did this before.

And as if all that were not enough Seán Ó Sé and Peadar have recorded around 70 songs, Seán singing to Peadar’s piano accompaniments. Seán himself keeps busy doing gigs around the country and does a tour of UK Irish Centres annually around St. Patrick’s Day.

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