Paddy Moloney, musician, composer and producer who is the founder and leader of the Irish musical group The Chieftains, is born at Donnycarney, Dublin on August 1, 1938. He has played on every one of The Chieftains albums.
Moloney’s mother purchases him a tin whistle when he is six years old, and he starts to learn the Uilleann pipes at the age of eight. In addition to the tin whistle and the Uilleann pipes, he also plays button accordion and bodhrán.
In the late 1950s Moloney meets Seán Ó Riada and joins his group, Ceoltóirí Chualann, in the early 1960s. Along with Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy, he forms the traditional Irish band The Chieftains in Dublin in November 1962. As the band leader, he is the primary composer and arranger of much of The Chieftains’ music, and has composed for films including Treasure Island, The Grey Fox, Braveheart, and Gangs of New York.
Moloney has done session work for Mike Oldfield, The Muppets, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Sting and Stevie Wonder.
Together with Garech de Brun (anglicised to Garech Browne) of Luggala, Moloney founds Claddagh Records in 1959. In 1968 he becomes a producer for the label and supervises the recording of 45 albums.
Moloney is married to artist Rita O’Reilly and has three children, Aonghus Moloney, Padraig Moloney and actress producer Aedin Moloney. He is a fluent speaker of the Irish language.
On September 13, 2012, Moloney receives Mexico‘s Ohtli Award, the country’s highest cultural award.
seamus dubhghaill 
October 16, 2021 at 3:11 PM
Thank you for this treasure trove! When i tuned in early this morning to an old favorite program, “Music of the Isles”, hosted by Bill Dudley most of his 40 yrs w Tampa Community Radio Wmnf 88.5, Bill relayed sad news that Paddy died 2 days ago. He paid tribute to him & The Chieftains for reviving popularity of true Irish music. Of the recordings Bill next played on air, after a lively traditional, he introduced next as part of a movie score that brought Chieftains to world notice. Altho didn’t name the film (Barry Lyndon) or melody “Women of Ireland” i believe that music was credited to Sean O Riada (whose name i’d mixed up with Sean o Riordan). In any case, they have all shared the beauty of ancient Celtic tunes along with the poetic sound of Gaelic (or, “the Irish”) with the world. Since i’ve had a bad migraine which is worsening, tho use dark glasses to look at the screen to even write this, I hope from your vast scholarship and love of these subjects and our spirited cultural heritage, you clarify some confusion on this. I know Paddy composed his own music as well as arranging ancient themes. I think he was inspired by Riada’s goal to restore them to respect of broader audiences; but, after a life of illness died too soon and so it seems to me, Paddy and Chieftains carried on his mission. I look forward to learning more from you.
p.s. our family so loved the tenderly haunting beautifully arranged “Women of Ireland”, that my sister asked a dear friend to play it at her wedding, and I still recall it echoing through the church
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