Galway musician honoured for lifetime contribution to traditional music.

With a career spanning decades it is no wonder that Máirtín O’Connor has been recognised for his lifetime contribution to Irish music at NUI Galway today.

Máirtín O’Connor is one of the most respected and best loved musicians ever to emerge from Ireland.

One of the main musical forces behind the now legendary Riverdance phenomenon, through his work with De Dannan, Midnight Well, Boys of The Lough and Skylark and also as a solo artist he has quite simply gone where no Irish accordion player has gone before.

Throughout the years many fine musicians have played in Máirtín’s bands; for the past nine years the group has included multi-all Ireland winner Cathal Hayden and former Dervish member Séamie O’Dowd with percussionist Jim Higgins joining them occasionally.

In 2009 the trio released the much anticipated album ‘Crossroads’.
Máirtín’s previous albums ‘Road West’ and ‘Rain of Light’ are considered ground-breaking and original and his music today continues to captivate both musician and audience alike.

A prolific writer of new material, Máirtín’s tunes can be heard on the recordings of many artists and at sessions throughout the world. A book of Máirtín’s compositions will be released in spring 2011.