Brendan Begley

Brendan Begley stands alongside his older sibling, the influential accordionist Seamus Begley, as an equally commanding force on the traditional Irish button accordion. His command of the instrument appears on the 1987 release Seana Choirce and again on the 1997 album We Won't Go Home 'Til Morning, where he delivers solo and accompanied sets of classic Irish dance music alongside piper Liam O'Flynn, pianist Brid Cranitch, and guitarists Stephen Cooney and Frankie Lane. Additional credits include guest appearances on recordings by the Chieftains and the Boys of the Lough, while Begley also presents a traditional-music series for Irish-language television. Since 1996 he has belonged to the Irish superband Beginish alongside flute player Paul McGrattan, fiddler Paul O'Shaughnessy, and bouzouki player Noel O'Grady. Reviewing one Beginish performance, the Belfast Telegram observed, "The peerless singing of Brendan Begley literally breathed new life into that well-worn Donegal standard, "The Rose of Arranmore." Irish music doesn't get much better than this."