‘Daideo a Chroí’, is a two-part jig I wrote for my grandad during what happened to be some of his final weeks on this earth. Séamus Mac Mathúna was a well-known Clare flute player, composer, collector and singer. The beloved box player, Tony MacMahon, once said about my daideo -“Séamus, you have a heart as big as Co Clare”. The truth of these words was always as clear as day to me. This exceptional heart not only penetrated his melodic flute playing or lively singing voice, but the lives of every young musician he encouraged and everyone he inspired.

I encountered the truth of Tony’s words my entire life. In all my endeavours and ambitions, my daideo would never fail to encourage. I was taught to play the music, but my daideoshowed me how to love the music. Throughout my childhood, he instilled in me the motivation for its revival. He was a man of unique passion, the kind that makes you wonder whether it’s even of this world. You saw this in how he would do absolutely anything to promote our music.

Since his passing, I’ve come to feel that a heart like his is not only larger than Co Clare, but greater than death. A spirit so passionate as his can only live forever, and now his unceasing heart is the very cause of his life.

Suaimhneas síoraí, daideo a chroí.