Paddy Moloney, leader of the Irish historical band The Chieftains, has died

The causes of death are still unknown.

“Few people can claim the level of influence that Paddy Moloney has had on the vitality of traditional music around the world. What a wonderful musical legacy he has left to us,” wrote ITMA.

Along with Sean Potts and Michael Tubride, Moloney played Irish instruments such as the “uilleann pipe” (Irish harmonica) and the “bodhrán” (percussion instrument).

Formed in 1962, The Chieftains helped popularize the traditional music of the Republic of Ireland, collaborating with many famous artists such as Mick Jagger, Luciano Pavarotti, Van Morrison or Elvis Costello, having won six Grammy Awards in 18 nominations.

In a short note posted on the social network Facebook, The Chieftains lamented the “loss” of Paddy Moloney.

“Badi had so many songs to share and stories to tell. We were fortunate to have him with us for such a long time,” confirms the band.

Paddy Moloney has remained the only original member of The Chieftains for nearly 60 years, creating soundtracks for films like Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York.

Also on Facebook, Elvis Costello and his wife, Diana Krall, left their testimonial about their past adventures with Paddy Moloney, addressing “love and deepest condolences” to his family and all of his colleagues and friends, whom they consider “great men”.

Paddy was like a man with a map that traced all the ancient undersea telegraph lines that joined the continents. […] It traced the relationship between traditional Irish music and the human affinity between the two hemispheres. The Irish came everywhere and had the musical guide,” reads Elvis Costello’s page.

Costello referred to the collaboration that led to the TV series’ official song “The Irish In America: The Long Journey Home,” a tune that Buddy Moloney referred to as “The Anthem” because it described “immigration and eventual return” to Ireland.

Born and raised in Dublin, Moloney began playing music at the age of six, starting with a plastic tin whistle given to him by his mother.

Buddy Moloney is married to artist Rita O’Reilly, with whom he has three children: Onghus, Padrej and Aiden.