Seán Tyrrell. Biography.

A native of the slower moving West of Ireland, Seán took his time before committing himself to record his first solo album. Seán emigrated to New York in 1968 put together a band “Apples In Winter” and recorded an album in 1974. This did not last too long due to internal differences within the band. He later moved to San Francisco and began a solo career where he rubbed shoulders with some of the greats of the folk scene. Eventually he tired of the road now having a young son and returning to Ireland in the late seventies he continued to work at his music, but seldom played professionally. In 1978 he began working for University College Galway, based in the heart of the Burren in county Clare. He was invited to ‘guest’ on two albums with renowned uilleann piper Davy Spillane and having toured with Davy soon got a taste for the road again..

All of his time off the road had led to a huge catalogue of new material that he was now anxious to record.It was during this time in his hide away in Clare that he first encountered since his school days the amazing, forward thinking 18th century poem for all ages “Cúirt An Mheán Oíche”, “The Midnight Court” by Brian Merriman, translated by David Marcus. It fascinated him (All 1,206 lines of it). He set it to music and approached the renowned Druid theatre Galway with the idea of putting it on as traditional opera with a cast of ten musicians and singers. Regarded by the critics as the hit of the Galway Arts Festival when Druid staged his traditional opera in 1992. It went on to tour Ireland with more than 100 performances and in 2008 Seán took a two-man version to the Edinburgh Fringe to critical acclaim. In 2012 it was staged for the first time in San Francisco as a solo piece.

Cry of A Dreamer” his first solo project recorded on his own label Longwalk Music, later released by Hannibal records/ Rykodisc worldwide in April 1994 shared a spotlight review ith Bobby Mc Ferran on Billboard, voted Best Folk Album of the Year by both Folk Roots and Hotpress. He has performed at major festivals and concert halls, TV and radio in Ireland, England, Europe, Australia and the USA,

In 1999 he released his much anticipated second solo effort, “The Orchard”. Again met with great critical acclaim. Voted Best Overall Folk Act by the readers of Irish Music Magazine voted it Best Folk Album.

It was Michael Hartnett’s poem “Belladonna in the Bar” that gave him the title for his third CD “Belladonna”. On the back of this album he provided the music for a documentary on the life and work of Michael Hartnett  “A Necklace Of Wrens”.

He was invited by the curator of the Ypres museum Pete Chielans to set to music the poetry of Francis Ledwidge killed in the First World War. He collaborated with international musicians on “Songs of Peace” Recorded and performed them at concerts over two nights at Passendale cathedral. This was later released as a CD “Songs Of Peace”.

A decade or so later and three solo CDs Seán launched in Ireland ‘Rising Tide’- The Collection’, comprising 16 tracks including a blend of familiar favourites, plus seven new tracks. Arc Music as “Best Of- Man for Galway” released this worldwide

“Message Of Peace” A double CD on the life of one of Ireland’s unsung heroes John Boyle O’Reilly. Part spoken word, launched at The Galway Arts Festival 2009 and has toured extensively since around Ireland. It has toured the USA on two occasions with grant assistance from the Irish Arts Council and Culture Ireland.

Albums were now coming fast and furious with his release in 2011 of “And So The story Goes” TyrrellGlackinBrowne on the Cló Iar Chonnacht label with Kevin Glackin renowned fiddler and Ronan Browne Piper of Riverdance and Afro Celts fame.

Seán has toured in the past with: Liam Lewis, Steve Hanks, Tommy Peoples, Jack Geary, Fergus Feely, Kevin Glackin, Ronan Brown, Seán Potts, Paul Mc Grattan, Davy Spillane, Paddy Keenan, ‘The Visit’ with Little John Nee and poet Mary O’Malley. Shaskeen and Kilfenora Ceili bands.

More recently he has concentrated on touring a solo version of “The Midnight Court” and solo concerts

‘The Walker Of The Snow’ album released in May of 2012 and a release in the USA with an American record company ‘The Vital Record’ in August 2013.

‘Moonlight On Galway Bay’ Launched in the USA at The Burren in Boston April 2014 On Longwalk Music Records.

“Now comes this masterpiece ‘Moonlight On Galway Bay’ . I suspect strongly we are looking at Male Vocal Album of the Year here”. Bill Margeson Live Ireland.