Paudie O Connor is an accordion player from Sliabh Luachra Kerry. His playing follows in the traditions of Sliabh Luachra with his influences ranging form the bowing of Padraig O Keeffe and Denis Murphy to the to time spent in his youth playing with local box players Johnny O Leary, Jimmy Doyle and John Brosnan. In 2005 he launched a landmark recording of Sliabh Lauchra music entitled Different State which featured in the best of 2005 lists of both The Irish Times and The Irish Echo. Paudie’s music also featured on the album The County Bounds, a 1999 Ossian records production featuring a compilation of music from the Cork Kerry Border including contributions from Johnny O Leary, Jackie Daly and Peadar O Riada.

On Different State, Paudie is joined by his wife Aoife, a fiddle player from Tralee, Co. Kerry. Aoife learned her music from local teachers Anne and Nicky McAulliffe. She plays a style very much in synch with the Sliabh Luachra tradition and contributes much to the unique settings and rhythm that typifies their duet playing. Paudie and Aoife’s music features regularly at music festivals both in Ireland and abroad and has featured on many RTE and TG4 programmes over the past number of years including the “The Late Session Live from Liberty Hall” series of concerts in 2003.

In 2008 Paudie released the album Wind and Reeds with ex Riverdance Uileann Piper John O Brien and Jim Murray on guitar. Paudie is a regular contributor to traditional music festivals, workshops and lectures at home and abroad. In 2011 Paudie presented an episode of Geantraí featuring many of the musicians currently playing in Sliabh Luachra. More info at www.paudieoconnor.com