Fond memories of Maurice O’Keeffe
Easter weekend saw the 16th annual Maurice O’ Keeffe traditional Sliabh Luachra festival attract a wealth of musicians and traditional music lovers to the villages of Kiskeam and Ballydesmond.
Sadly, for the first time the Festival took place without the Master himself who passed away peacefully on March 22nd at the age of 97, just three weeks prior to the event.
Maurice was born at Glounreagh, Kiskeam on September 5th, 1919. Musicians and dancers were always welcome in the O’ Keeffe home, and as a young lad growing up,
Maurice was steeped in the traditional tunes indigenous to the Sliabh Luachra area. At the age of 10, he went for music lessons to renowned local musician John Lenihan who taught him how to read and write music, and gave him the foundation stones for the wonderful gift of music he nurtured and ultimately shared with the world.
As Maurice reached his 20s, he was playing in Keelnahulla Hall with other local musicians where the pay was usually two shillings a night. However, Maurice proved he had more strings to his bow when he took up the Accordion and later the Trumpet as a member of the Kiskeam Brass Band.
While chatting to the late Peter Daly one day, Maurice mentioned that he had been at the Con Curtin Festival in Brosna - there and then Peter decided that it would be a fantastic idea to have a similar event in Kiskeam and the Maurice O’ Keeffe Festival was born.
Fast forward 16 years, and this popular annual event continues to see musicians and lovers of traditional music from all over the world converge on Kiskeam during the Easter weekend every year.
Over the years, Maurice generously shared his music with countless people who were enchanted by his evocative Sliabh Luachra style of playing. He recorded up to 500 tapes in his kitchen at home, and posted them to distant destinations such as Tokyo, Sydney, and New York.
Maurice was always eager to share his expertise with young musicians and gave of his time generously throughout his life to ensure the music would live on in future generations.
The world has lost a gifted musician. He leaves behind a family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who are forever proud to be part of his legacy.
Those who continue to play his tunes in the Sliabh Luachra style provide a lasting tribute to Maurice who will be remembered as much for his warm heart and engaging personality as for his truly unique musical talent.