Seamus Tansey: Michael Flatley, Matt Molloy and more pay tribute to the renowned Irish musician

Tributes continue to pour in for Seamus Tansey, following news of the influential Irish musician's death on Friday, July 8.

The iconic flute player was born in Gurteen, Co. Sligo in 1943, and was raised in a musical family. By the age of 14, he was the Junior All Ireland Tin Whistle Champion, and went on to win several other competitions, including the All Ireland Senior Flute Championship. He released a string of renowned recordings, and was featured on several influential compilations – including Topic Records' 1969 album The Breeze From Erin: Irish Folk Music on Wind Instruments. He was also known as a singer, writer and storyteller.

Michael Flatley is among those who have paid tribute to Tansey in recent days – describing him as his "great friend and mentor", and "one of the greatest Irish flute players that ever lived."

"His music will live forever in our hearts," Flatley continued.

 

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A post shared by Michael Flatley (@michaelflatleyofficial)

Renowned flute player Matt Molloy – famed for his work with The Chieftains, Planxty, Dónal Lunny, Paul Brady, and more – has stated that he is "so sad to hear of the passing of Seamus Tansey."

In a post shared on the Facebook page of his Westport pub, Molloy went on to call Tansey his "friend and one of the finest flute players of this or any generation."

Irish multi-instrumentalist, producer and presenter Donal O'Connor has also shared his memories of Tansey, who he first got to know in the late '90s.

"I subsequently would meet him and play tunes in Tubercurry and at other traditional music festivals," O'Connor resumes. "It was always interesting, informative and never without incident. He invited me to accompany him on TG4 Geantraí - McManus’s Bar, Dundalk in 2000. An experience which I’ll never forget. More recently, I was delighted to invite Seamus, Brian Mc Grath and Michael Flatley to Spell’s Bar in Ballaghaderreen to take part in a programme I was producing for Aniar TV/TG4 ‘Sé mo Laoch Matt Molloy. Seamus was in fine form and it was a privilege to be in the company of four musical giants, as they regaled each other with tunes and tales of yore. The evening was such a success that we subsequently produced a standalone thirty minute Christmas special programme for TG4 which they might rebroadcast at some point.

"Meeting Seamus was always a colourful event," he continues. "He was vivacious, bold, unafraid to express his opinions and deeply passionate about traditional music, its preservation and its history and he was always willing to pass on what he knew to the next generation.

"The expression ‘larger than life’ was invented for him and when they made Seamus Tansey ‘they broke the mould’. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann."

In a statement shared on their official Facebook account, the Irish Traditional Music Archive described Tansey as "one of the most outstanding flute players of his generation."

"Seamus visited the archive last September where he gave a wonderful interview to his former pupil and friend, Barry Kerr, about his life in music while also playing beautifully," they stated. "His musical legacy will live on for generations. Slán a Shéamuis. Ár gcomhbhrón lena chlann agus lena gcairde."

See more tributes to Seamus Tansey below:

I ndilchuimhne Séamus Tansey (RIP)

Tá Séamus Tansey (1943-2022) imtihe ar shlí na fírinne. Bhí tionchar ollmhór ag a chuid ceoil ar an stíl ina seinneann neart ceoltóirí an fheadóg mhór.

Seo Séamus le Brian McGrath ag seinnt seit ríleanna.

Laoch ar lár 💔 pic.twitter.com/fWvvJAcQB3

— Trad TG4 (@TradTG4) July 9, 2022

Tá an ceoltóir Séamus Tansey imithe ar shlí na fírinne. Thaifead muid leis i 2017 don clár #SéMoLaoch Matt Molloy do #TG4 le Michael Flatley & Brian McGrath. Ár gcomhbhrón lena chairde agus a chlann, cuid acu a bhí i láthair ar an lá. Ní bheidh a leithéidí arís ann. pic.twitter.com/UqhJDFxgPf

— Aniar (@AniarTV) July 9, 2022

Hoy la música irlandesa está de luto por el fallecimiento de Séamus Tansey, flautista nacido en Gorteen (Co. Sligo) en 1943. Nuestro más sincero pésame a su familia y amigos 😔😔 pic.twitter.com/GEYjxp3oCD

— CELTA.TRAD? (@CeltaTRAD) July 9, 2022

Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Seamus Tansey. A flute player is an exceptional talent. Seamus performed with us in Clifden several times and will be sadly missed.

— clifdenartsfestival (@clifdenarts) July 11, 2022