Profiling our workshop artists / Súil ar aíonna na ceardlainne

Seán Ó Sé.
Amhránaíocht I mBéarla /
English Language singing.

I mí Eanair 1936 saolaíodh Seán Ó Sé I mBéal Átha Lice in Iarthar Chorcaí,mar ar togadh le Geilge é. Oidí bunscoile ab ea a thuistí. Amhranaí brea ab ea a athair, agus bhí cáil ar uncail leis mar amhranaí ar an sean-nós.

Cáilíodh é mar oide bunscoile agus tosnaigh sé ag freastal ar ranganna guth oiliúnaí I Scoil Cheoil Chorcaí I 1956.Le linn an ama seo, mhéadaigh sé réimse a ghutha agus mhúin John T Horne dhó conas a ghuth a úsáid agus a chaomhnú.

I dtús na seacaidí thosaigh sé ag canadh le Cabaret Gael-Linn agus cuireadh in aithne é do Sheán Ó Riada. Thaitin a ghuth leis an Riadach agus dheineadar an céirnín “ An Poc ar Buile”, amhrán a scríobh Dónal O Mulláin,  ó Chúil Aodha.

Céirníní eile  atá déanta leis an Riadach –  “ The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee” “ Bhí Bean Uasal” agus “ Taimse im’ Chodladh.

Bhí sé páirteach le Seán agus Ceoltóirí Chualann san sraith cláracha “Fleadh Cheoil an Radio”. Bhíodar beirt ar an stáitse in Amharclann an Gaiety ar an oíche stairiúil úd as a dtainigh an céirnín “ Ó Riada sa Gaiety”, atá ar fáil ar dhlúthdhiosca anois.

Taréis bháis Sheáin Ui Riada lean Seán air ag canadh. Dhein sé céirníní le daoine mar Donal Lunny, Dermot Ó’Brien, Cathal Dunne agus Peadar Ó Riada. Bhí ceangal aige le Comhaltas mar amhranaí ag coirmeacha  ar fuaid na tíre agus thar lear I Sasana.

Sa bhliain 2005 dhein sé a chéad camchuaird le Macalla na hÉireann go dtí na Stáit Aontaithe agus  thaisteal sé le Comhaltas go Moscó, Shanghai agus Havanna.

Gach Luan tugann sé aghaidh ar Chúil-Aodha ag taifeadadh amhráin le Peadar O Riada. Tá breis agus trí scór amhrán ar théip acu agus tá sé beartaithe acu iad a eisiúínt ar dhlúth dhiosca go luath.

Tá cónaí ar Sheán Ó Sé agus a bhean Eibhlín I gcathair Chorcaí.

Tuilleadh eolas faoin gcuid eile de na ceardlanna agus conas áit a chur in áirithe le fáil anseo.

Séan Ó Sé was born in Ballylickey West Cork in January 1936. Both his parents were Teachers and he was raised through the medium of Irish. His father was a fine singer and his uncle sang sean-nós.

He qualified as a teacher and took singing lessons with John T Horne ,who taught him how to use and conserve his voice. He began to sing with Cabaret Gael Linn in the 60’s and was introduced to Seán Ó Riada. Ó Riada liked his voice and they recorded the record “An Poc ar buile” which was written by Dónal Ó Mulláin from Cúil Aodha. Other recordings made with Ó Riada include “ The Banks of my Own Lovely Lee”, “Bhí Bean Uasal” and “ Táimse Im Chodladh”.

Her also took part in the series of programmes “ Fleadh Cheoil an Riadaigh” with Seán and Ceoltóiri Chualann. They were both on stage at the historic concert in  The Gaiety Theatre from which the “ Ó Riada sa Gaiety” recording originated.

After Seán Ó Riada’s death he continued singing and made recordings with Donal Lunny, Dermot O Brien, Cathal Dunne and Peadar O Riada. He also sang at Comahaltas concerts all around Ireland and in England. In 2005 he toured with Macalla na hÉireann in the United States and travelled with Comhaltas to Moscow, Shanghai and Havanna.

He visits Cúil Aodha every Monday night and records songs with Peadar Ó Riada. They have recorded over 60 songs and hope to release them on CD soon.

He lives in Cork with his wife Eibhlin.

More information about the rest of the workshops and how to book your spot can be found here.