Born: June 28th, 1952
Died: May 6th, 2022
A deep sadness recently lay over Cathair Saidhbhín, the town that “climbs the mountain, and looks upon the sea”, when news spread of the sudden and unexpected death of Seán Garvey, whose definitive singing of Sigerson Clifford’s The Boys of Barr na Sráide had over many years become woven into the cultural life of that town and the rugged Uíbh Ráthach landscape in which it nestles. Indeed Seán’s deep, resonant and sensitive voice, a voice that was reflective of a personality which gave and received affection to an extraordinary degree, was known and loved all over Ireland and abroad, a reputation that was recognised when he was awarded the TG4 Gradam Ceoil, Amhránaí na Bliana in 2006. Now that resonance will be heard only in the recordings we are lucky enough to have, but it will also echo long in the memories of those who were privileged to hear it in person.
Rugadh Seán i gCathair Saidhbhín in Uíbh Ráthach sa bhliain 1952, an té ba óige de cheathrar a rugadh do Maurice agus Kit Garvey ón bhFaill Mhór. Fuair sé amhráin óna athair agus spreag a mháthair ghrámhar shéimh é chun canadh agus é ag fás aníos. Agus é ar scoil músclaíodh a shuim sa cheol agus san amhránaíocht. Bhí sé inniúil ar an mbosca ceoil, an fhidil, an fheadóg, an organ béil, an bainseo agus ar an ngiotár lena mbíodh sé á thionlacan féin agus é ag amhránaíocht.
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He loved the sea and spent many hours on the waters of Cuan Bhéil Inse, Valentia Harbour. One of his great joys in recent years was rediscovering those same waters in the kayak he bought with his beloved partner Laoise. He was a fanatical snooker fan, and, serendipitously, the week before his death, he fulfilled a long-held ambition to attend the World Snooker Championships in The Crucible in Sheffield. That he was accompanied by Seán Óg and Laoise enhanced the trip. The high good humour with which this filled his last days was a consolation to those who were shocked and saddened by the suddenness and untimeliness of his passing.
Seán came to prominence as a singer and musician in Dublin in the early 1970s. He was a founding member of the Islandbridge Singers’ Club and later a member of the famous Góilín Singers’ Club. An outstandingly engaging performer on stage he was also a central figure in the city’s burgeoning traditional music and folk club community situated at the time in places like O’Donoghues of Merrion Row, Slatterys of Capel Street and later The Cobblestone in Smithfield.
Chaith sé tamall ina chónaí le muintir Keenan i mBaile Formaid ag cur eolais ar thraidisiún an lucht siúil, agus chuir sé eolas ar an nGaeltacht agus amhráin na Gaeltachta i dteannta le daoine mar Nioclás Tóibín, Josie Sheáin Jeaic Mac Donnchadha agus Liam Mac Con Iomaire.
An Irish and folklore graduate from UCD, Seán cherished his time as a teacher before later completing an MA in Ethnomusicology in 2002, where his thesis focused on how the Gaelic love-song An Beinsín Luachra evolved, by way of an Iveragh diversion, to become the Napoleonic-era The Bonny Bunch of Roses. The exploration also gave a title to the CD The Bonny Bunch of Roses, which includes a wonderful version of that song. An earlier CD bore the evocative title Ón dTalamh Amach, an inspired choice that accurately described Seán’s singing voice, which could, when he was in full flight, seem like the reverberation of the earth itself.
Bhíodh sé ar cuairt go rialta go dtí scoileanna in Uíbh Ráthach, áit ar roinn sé a ghrá don gceol agus don amhránaíocht le múinteoirí agus le páistí.
Ba é nuair a thug sé cuairt ar Scoil Mhichíl Naofa i mBaile ‘n Sceilg a casadh Laoise, atá ina príomhoide ansin, agus é féin ar a chéile, cuairt chinniúnach dóibh beirt. Is ceoltóirí oilte iad a bheirt mhac, Eoghan and Seán Óg, agus crothnóidh a gharpháistí, Fia agus Aaron, a chuid fidléireachta, a chuid amhrán, a chuid seanchaíochta agus a ghrá clainne.
It is a mark of the personal and artistic esteem in which he was held that so many from the world of traditional music came to pay their respects, and to play and sing, at his wake in Cahersiveen and in the crematorium in Ringaskiddy. Other friends and mourners travelled from Estonia to pay their respects, which was a touching tribute to Seán’s own trips playing music in Estonia.
Predeceased by his sister Cáití and brother-in-law Tony, Seán is survived by his sons Eoghan and Seán Óg, daughter-in-law Vanessa, grandchildren Fia and Aaron, partner Laoise together with her daughter Muireann, brother Donie, sister Noranne and sister-in-law Kay. Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam uasal ceolmhar.