No other group has done more to bring Irish traditional music to an international audience than The Chieftains. Over a career spanning nearly sixty years, they played for presidents and popes, collaborated with rock stars and classical orchestras, won six Grammy Awards, and made the sound of uilleann pipes and tin whistles recognisable to millions of people who had never set foot in Ireland.
And they did it without compromising the music. That’s the remarkable thing. Paddy Moloney never dumbed down, never chased pop trends, never abandoned the jigs and reels. He simply took the tradition and presented it with such artistry and conviction that the world paid attention.
Origins: Ceoltóirí Chualann and the Birth of The Chieftains
The story begins with Séan Ó Riada, the classically trained composer who founded Ceoltóirí Chualann in 1961. Ó Riada had a radical idea: that Irish traditional music deserved to be arranged and presented with the same care and sophistication as classical chamber music. He assembled an ensemble of outstanding musicians and created arrangements that featured individual instruments in turn, rather than everyone playing in unison.
Paddy Moloney was one of those musicians — a young uilleann piper and tin whistle player from Donnycarney in Dublin. When Ceoltóirí Chualann began to wind down, Moloney formed The Chieftains in 1962 with Seán Potts (tin whistle) and Michael Tubridy (flute and concertina). Over the following years, the lineup expanded to include Martin Fay (fiddle), Seán Keane (fiddle), Kevin Conneff (bodhrán and vocals), Derek Bell (harp), and Matt Molloy (flute), among others.
The Early Albums: Defining a Sound
The Chieftains’ first seven albums, released between 1963 and 1977, are the foundation of their legacy. These are pure traditional music — jigs, reels, slow airs, O’Carolan compositions — arranged with Moloney’s characteristic ear for dynamics, texture and drama.
What set these recordings apart was the quality of the arrangements. Moloney treated each tune like a miniature composition, bringing instruments in and out, varying the texture, building and releasing tension. The result was trad that felt cinematic without losing its authenticity. The Chieftains 4 (1973) and The Chieftains 5 (1975) are often cited as the high points of this early period.
The albums sold modestly at first. The Chieftains were a part-time project — the members all had day jobs. It wasn’t until the mid-1970s that their reputation began to build internationally.
Going Global
The breakthrough came from an unexpected direction. In 1975, Stanley Kubrick used Chieftains music in the soundtrack to his film Barry Lyndon. The exposure introduced the group to a global audience. They began touring internationally, and Moloney — a tireless networker and organiser — started building the relationships that would define the band’s later career.
By the 1980s, The Chieftains were playing to large audiences in North America, Europe and Asia. In 1983, they played a historic concert on the Great Wall of China — one of the first Western musical groups to perform there. They played for Pope John Paul II during his 1979 visit to Ireland. They performed at the inaugurations of US Presidents. The Irish government named them Ireland’s Musical Ambassadors in 1989.
Moloney’s genius was in understanding that trad didn’t need to change to reach new audiences; it just needed the right platform. A jig played brilliantly in a grand concert hall was just as compelling as a jig played in a pub — arguably more so, because the contrast between the formal setting and the raw energy of the music was electric.
The Collaborations
From the 1980s onward, The Chieftains became famous for their collaborations with artists from every genre imaginable. They recorded with Van Morrison (Irish Heartbeat, 1988 — one of the great crossover albums), The Rolling Stones, Sting, Sinead O’Connor, Ry Cooder, Luciano Pavarotti, Galician pipers, Nashville country musicians, and Breton artists.
The Long Black Veil (1995) was the commercial peak — a collaboration album featuring Mick Jagger, Sting, Sinead O’Connor, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler and Tom Jones, among others. It sold millions and won a Grammy. Later collaboration albums explored connections between Irish music and the traditions of Galicia, Brittany, Nashville, China and elsewhere.
The collaborations were not universally loved by trad purists, who felt the group had strayed from its roots. But Moloney’s achievement was real: he demonstrated that Irish trad could hold its own alongside any musical tradition in the world, and he introduced the music to audiences who would never have found it otherwise.
The Musicians
The Chieftains were never a one-man show, despite Moloney’s dominant role. The group featured some of the finest traditional musicians in Ireland.
Paddy Moloney (1938–2021): Uilleann pipes, tin whistle, arrangements. The founder, leader, arranger and driving force for nearly sixty years.
Matt Molloy: Widely regarded as the finest Irish flute player alive. Joined in 1979 after stints with Planxty and The Bothy Band. His playing gave the group a new dimension.
Seán Keane: Fiddler of extraordinary precision and expressiveness. A member for over forty years, his playing was central to the group’s sound.
Kevin Conneff: Bodhrán player and singer whose rhythmic sensitivity and vocal warmth added an essential dimension.
Martin Fay (1936–2012): The original fiddler, a classically trained musician whose pizzicato accompaniment on early albums was a distinctive touch.
Derek Bell (1935–2002): Harpist and multi-instrumentalist who joined in 1974 and brought the Irish harp sound into the group.
Seán Potts (1930–2015): Tin whistle player and a founding member. His duets with Moloney on the early albums are some of the finest whistle recordings in the tradition.
Legacy
Paddy Moloney died in October 2021, and The Chieftains effectively ended with him. But their legacy is immense. They proved that Irish traditional music could fill concert halls, win Grammys, and stand alongside any musical tradition in the world. They introduced millions of people to the sound of uilleann pipes, tin whistles and bodhráns. And their early albums remain some of the finest recordings of Irish instrumental music ever made.
For listeners new to trad, The Chieftains are an ideal starting point. Their music is accessible without being simplified, beautiful without being sentimental, and rooted in the tradition without being museum-piece. Start with the early albums for pure trad, or The Long Black Veil for the crossover magic.
You’ll hear The Chieftains on Radio Siamsa every day. They’re part of the fabric of the tradition, and the tradition is richer for them.
Read our guide to the great Irish traditional musicians
Read our complete guide to Irish traditional music
Essential Listening
- The Chieftains 4 (1973) — The early masterpiece. Pure trad, beautifully arranged.
- The Chieftains 5 (1975) — Equally brilliant. Features The Timpan Reel and other classics.
- Bonaparte’s Retreat (1976) — The first album on a major label, and the one that broke them in America.
- Irish Heartbeat (1988, with Van Morrison) — The great crossover album. Morrison’s voice meets Moloney’s pipes.
- The Long Black Veil (1995) — The collaboration album that went platinum. Jagger, Sting, Van Morrison and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded The Chieftains?
Paddy Moloney founded The Chieftains in 1962, initially as an offshoot of Séan Ó Riada’s ensemble Ceoltóirí Chualann. The original members were Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy.
How many Grammy Awards did The Chieftains win?
Six Grammy Awards, across categories including Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Pop Collaboration. They were also nominated many more times over their career.
Are The Chieftains still performing?
The Chieftains effectively ended with the death of their founder Paddy Moloney in October 2021. Some former members continue to perform in various contexts, but the group itself is no longer active.
What is the best Chieftains album to start with?
For pure traditional music, start with The Chieftains 4 (1973). For the collaborative magic, start with The Long Black Veil (1995) or Irish Heartbeat (1988, with Van Morrison).
Did The Chieftains play traditional music or something else?
At their core, The Chieftains played traditional Irish instrumental music — jigs, reels, slow airs, O’Carolan compositions. Their collaborations with rock, country and world music artists expanded their palette, but the foundation was always trad.
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