Ireland

Founding member of The Chieftains Sean Potts dies aged 83

Famed whistle player and original member of Ceoltóirí Chualann

The Chieftains pictured in 1975 with Sean Potts on the far left. Photograph: Dermot O’Shea/The Irish Times
The Chieftains pictured in 1975 with Sean Potts on the far left. Photograph: Dermot O’Shea/The Irish Times
Aine McMahon
Wed Feb 12 2014 - 09:47

The death has occurred of famed whistle player and founding member of The Chieftains, Seán Potts (83)

He was born in Drimnagh, Co Dublin, in 1930 and became friends with fellow whistle player Paddy Moloney in the 1950s.

Potts was a founder member of The Chieftains and honorary life president of Na Piobairí Uilleann, the association of uilleann pipers.

Before The Chieftains, Potts was an original member of Seán Ó Riada’s group Ceoltóirí Chualann.

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The Chieftains were formed in 1962 and Potts briefly left the group in 1968 but rejoined and finally left again in 1979. Although he was primarily a whistle player, he also played the bodhrán.