Peadar Ó Riada, Dr John O’Keeffe and Archbishop Eamon Martin at the launch of ‘The Masses of Seán and Peadar Ó Riada: Explorations in Vernacular Chant’ by Dr John O’Keeffe
A new book exploring the Masses of Irish composers Seán and his son Peadar Ó Riada has been written by Dr John O’Keeffe, Director of Sacred Music at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
The Masses of Seán and Peadar Ó Riada: Explorations in Vernacular Chant, was launched at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, on 7 November, by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, who was joined on the night by Reverend Professor Michael Mullaney, President of Saint Patrick’s College, as well as by Peader Ó Riada and Dr John O’Keeffe.
Following the launch, a special concert in memory of Reverend Professor Pádraig Ó Fiannachta was held in the College chapel, with music provided by Peadar Ó Riada and the Cór Chúil Aodha, the renowned parish male voice choir from the Cork Gaeltacht in Coolea.
Seán Ó Riada’s Ceol an Aifrinn was the first Mass setting composed in the Irish Language and contains the iconic settings of Ar nAthair, Is Naofa and Ag Críost an síol. This new book, published on the 50th anniversary of the Vatican II instruction Musicam Sacram, examines the three Mass settings written by Seán Ó Riada and his son Peadar Ó Riada.
Click here for the full text of Archbishop Eamon Martin’s address at the launch of The Masses of Seán and Peadar Ó Riada: Explorations in Vernacular Chant.
