Biography
Caoimhín Ó Fearghail was born in 1989 and comes from An Rinn in the Waterford Gaeltacht. He started to learn the tin-whistle at the age of eight, taking lessons from Bobby Gardiner. He quickly progressed to the uilleann pipes, under the tutelage of David Power. He is self-taught on flute and guitar inspired by such diverse flute players as Matt Molloy, Mike Rafferty and Tom Doorley. Some of his strongest piping influences include the old greats such as Séamus Ennis, Willie Clancy, Leo Rowsome, Tommy Reck and Patsy Touhey. He cannot deny the big influence that Liam O’Flynn, Mick O’Brien and Waterford pipers Tommy Kearney, Jimmy O’Brien-Moran, Tommy Keane and Donnchadh Gough have had on him, and is very much influenced by the many other great musicians and singers of his home area in Co. Waterford.
In 2006, as part of his school transition year project, he released an album entitled ‘Giorraíonn Beirt Bóthar’, with a group of friends, local musicians and singers. It featured guest appearances from well-known local artists including Liam Clancy, Áine Uí Cheallaigh, Donnchadh Gough and Ciarán Ó Gealbháin.
Since then, he has featured on a number of albums, as accompanist quite often, including on Caitlín Nic Gabhann’s album ‘Caitlín’, and Edel Fox and Neill Byrne’s ‘The Sunny Banks’. In 2013, he also recorded an album ‘Lá ag Ól Uisce’ with his brother Seán and Tomás Ó Gealbháin, and is featured playing pipes solo on ‘The Rolling Wave’, a compilation album issued by NPU.
Caoimhín was the 2012 recipient of the TG4 Young Musician of the Year award (Gradam Ceoil TG4).
In September 2013, he featured on a Music Network tour with Noel Hill and Liam O’Connor called ‘Bellows, Bridge & Bow’. In 2014, he joined the group Caladh Nua as guitar player with additional flute and has toured extensively with them, and has performed on various instruments with other well-known groups as well, such as Danú, Piper’s Union, and Skipper’s Alley. In 2018, Caoimhín recorded an album of flute and fiddle music with fiddler Paddy Tutty from nearby Dungarvan, and in 2020, NPU (Na Píobairí Uilleann) released a solo piping album of his music as part of their ‘Ace & Deuce of Piping’ series.
A frequent teacher and performer, he has taught pipes and performed at many piping Tionóil agus other piping events in Ireland such as Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, the William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh, and also at the Northeast Tionól in the US. He has also toured abroad playing with groups such as Caladh Nua and Danú all over the US, the UK, Europe, Newfoundland and New Zealand.
Caoimhín is a graduate of UCC with an MA in Irish and has a keen interest in the songs of the Déise and their airs. He plays a concert pitch set of pipes made by Alain Froment for him.
He was recently chosen as Best Folk Instrumentalist at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards for 2021.
“Supported by Music Network’s Music Capital Scheme, funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Music Network is funded by The Arts Council.”
Discography
‘Giorraíonn Beirt Bóthar’ – Various Artists, 2006
‘Going To and Coming From’ - Kevin Evans, 2007
'All in a Day's Play' - Conor Moriarty, 2012
‘Caitlín’ – Caitlín Nic Gabhann, 2012 www.caitlin.ie
‘The Sunny Banks’ – Edel Fox & Neill Byrne, 2013 www.edelfox.com
‘Lá ag Ól Uisce’ – Tomás Ó Gealbháin, Seán Ó Fearghail & Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, 2013
‘The Rolling Wave: A New Generation of Uilleann Pipers’ – Various Artists, 2012 http://pipers.ie/store/products/the-rolling-wave
‘Caitlín & Ciarán’ – Caitlín Nic Gabhann & Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, 2015
‘Honest to Goodness’ – Caladh Nua, 2014
‘Déan Gairdeachas’ - Cór Fear na nDéise, 2015
‘Free and Easy’ – Caladh Nua, 2016
‘Departure’ – Anders Lillebo, 2017 www.anderslillebomusic.com
‘Ceolta Néata’ - Cór Fear na nDéise, 2018
‘Tosta Banda’ - Tosta Banda, 2018 www.tostabanda.com
‘Banjo’ista’ - Theresa O’Grady, 2018 https://theresaogrady.bandcamp.com/releases
'Flute and Fiddle' - Caoimhín Ó Fearghail & Paddy Tutty, 2018
‘An Tobar Séimh’ - Cárthach Mac Craith, 2018
‘When the Aster Blooms’ - Christine Delphine Hedden, 2019 www.christinedelphinemusic.com
‘Uilleann Piping from County Waterford: Ace & Deuce of Piping, Vol.4’ - Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, 2020
‘The Local: Déise Sessions’ - Various Artists, 2020
‘The Kelleher’s Sessions’ - Liam Flanagan & Claire O’Loughlin, 2020
DVD - Piper’s Choice, Vol. 8 www.pipers.ie
Experience
Caoimhín has performed and taught at festivals in Ireland and abroad such as:
The Ballincollig Winter Music Festival
Tionól Nioclás Tóibín
The Gathering
Corofin Trad Fest
Kilkenny Trad Fest
Cruinniú na bhFliúit
Féile Neidín: Kenmare Irish Music Fest
Fleadh by the Feale, Abbeyfeale
Baltimore Fiddle Fair
Skerries Traditional Music Festival
Dungarvan Trad Fest
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Miltown Malbay
Catskills Irish Arts Week, East Durham, NY, USA
Seachtain Ceoil Chois Fharraige, An Spidéal
Féile Séamus Creagh, St. John’s, Newfoundland
Mountshannon Traditional Music Festival
Northeast Tionól, East Durham, NY, USA
Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival
Return to Camden Town, UK
Ennis Trad Fest
William Kennedy Piping Festival, Armagh
Éigse Dhiarmuidín, Baile Mhúirne
Frankie Kennedy Winter School, Gaoth Dobhair
Numerous piping Tionóls in the country and abroad.
Instruments
D Alain Froment Concert Pitch set of uilleann pipes
C Joe Kennedy set of uilleann pipes
D 6-Key Olwell flute
D Fentum flute with a Patrick Olwell Head
Eb Glenn Watson flute
C Hammy Hamilton flute
Furch and Lowden guitars
Joe Foley bouzouki
Collaborations
Caoimhín Ó Fearghail & Paddy Tutty
Caoimhín Ó Fearghail & Christine Delphine Hedden
Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, Tomás Ó Gealbháin & Seán Ó Fearghail