Our school was named in honour of Seán Ó Riada as he was to the fore in promoting Irish culture and music.
Seán Ó Riada was born in Cork in 1931. He was the eldest child in the family and he had one sister, Louise. Seáns family was very musical- his mother particularly could play traditional Irish music on a number of instruments. As a boy, Seán took piano, organ and violin lessons.
O Riada attended Farranferris College in 1943 and there he met Aloys Fleischmann, who taught piano. In 1948 he attended University College, Cork. He completed a B. Mus degree in 1951. After college he became interested in the music of South America- the rumba, samba, cha-cha and such rhythms.
Seán Ó Riada believed that there was a strong similarity between Irish music and the music of India. Both were close to the spirit of the individual. However, he was influenced by many different genres of music and there is a mixture of comedy and tragedy in his own compositions
In 1953 he was offered the post of assistant director of music in Radio Éireann - a job he did not really enjoy! He had no interest in an office job - instead preferring to concentrate on being a composer. He left his job and set about life as a composer. He is best remembered for his compositions based on traditional Irish airs and music. He also organised a group of traditional musicians called Ceoltóirí Chualann, which included Éamonn de Buitléir and Seán Ó Sé. With the support of Gael Linn, this group produced records and played concerts which Ó Riada conducted almost until his death in 1971. He also composed film scores including - "Mise Éire"(1959); "Saoirse" (1961) and "An Tine Bheo" (1966). He also composed " Aifreann Uí Riada" / Ó Riada's Mass" His work rekindled an interest in Irish culture and language and above all, he gave the Irish people a new insight into the worth and beauty of our traditional music. Taking into account that he was only forty years old, it is amazing that he managed to do all that.
Seán Ó Riada died in London in 1971. His body was flown back to Cork for burial. Among the musicians to play at his funeral in Cúil Aodha were Willie Clancy, Tony McMahon, Ceoltóirí Chualann and of course Cór Chúil Aodha - with his son Peadar playing the organ.
