Name Marcas Murchu | Role Musical Artist | |
Similar People Josie McDermott, Harry Bradley, Teada, Willie Clancy, Matt Molloy | ||
Marcas O Murchu Fintan McManus 1991
Marcas Ó Murchú (born 1961) is an Irish woodwind flute player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 1997 his album Ó Bhéal go Béal (CICD 126) was released and in 2013, he became the "Chief Bard of Irish Music".
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Marcas murch maurice bradley seamus o kane ciaran kelly
Musical background
He became Music Laureate Ard-Ollamh, the "Chief Bard of Irish Music" at the All-Ireland fleadh cheoil in 2013. This was to recognise his success in teaching, promotion of Irish language through his musical programmes on BBC and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and his research into Irish music. Some of his historical research on seventeenth-century chieftains of Irish royal descent in Europe was published in a large volume of essays by Ulster University.
He has represented Ireland at the Edinburgh festival as guest of Iomairt Cholmcille organisation to promote links with Gaelic Scotland, which was the very first occasion the event was held. He also represented Ireland at the An Chruinnaght festival in the Isle of Man and the Pan Celtic festival in Scotland. He lectured in Spanish in BIFHE Belfast Institute and in Music at Ulster University and Limerick University. He also lectured in Irish language and literature in Magee College, Derry.
Ó Murchú has also been on several of BBC's traditional programmes including Musical Traditions and 'Seinn liom'' where he talks about his musical journey through life. He talks about meeting some of his relatives from Roscommon especially the blind composer, Josie McDermott and how he inspired him in his flute playing.
Ó Murchú has performed on TG4 on numerous occasions and has presented a number of programmes, most notably, Geantraí. He is known for broadcasting a weekly summer radio show, Turas Ceoil, on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta relating to Irish music for many years.
He was solo flute player for the specially arranged third movement of Shaun Davey's Relief of Derry, originally composed for Planxty piper Liam Ó Flynn. He played solo flute with a 500-piece flute orchestra for charity in 2014.He has taught at the main traditional music workshops throughout Ireland and Europe. He is a senior flute teacher at the Willie Clancy Summer School and has taught several All-Ireland champions from beginners.
He donated more than 700 hours of his own field recordings to the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin.
Personal life
He has lived in Derry with his family since 1993. He teaches Spanish and Irish at St Columb's College in Derry.