He left Galway for Dublin in the early 1950s, where he became an enthusiastic member of the Pipers Club. In 1953 he won the All-Ireland flute competition performing one of his own compositions, and playing a copper-pipe flute that he had made himself. He was an exponent of the East Galway flute style.[1]
In 1992 The Turoe Stone, a book containing 32 of his compositions, was published. A second volume was issued some years later. Many of his compositions became part of the repertoire of musicians playing Irish music worldwide and were recorded by dozens of artists and bands.[2]
In 2003 he was awarded the TG4 Composer of the Year Award.
He died in Dublin in 2008.
Select compositions
"The Tinker's Daughter", also known as "Broderick's" (reel) (recorded by the James Last Orchestra on In Ireland (1986) and by many others)
"The Milky Way" (reel) (recorded by Dervish on The Thrush in the Storm)
"The Crock of Gold" (reel) (recorded by Eileen Ivers on Eileen Ivers and by many others)
"The Mountain Stream" (barndance) (recorded by Kathryn Tickell on Instrumental) (2007)
