Sean Conway : (Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Flute, Whistles)
Born in Ennis, County Clare Ireland and has been playing the Tin Whistle since the age of nine. Sean has since picked up the wooden flute, Tin Whistles of every kind, low whistles, guitar, bass guitar, and an amazing number of Irish country and other songs with a vocal dexterity is always delightful to listen to. Sean move to the united states in the spring of 1986 after touring with several groups in Ireland he played with some of those bands as they toured the U.S. as well as performing with groups based in the U.S. all primarily on the East Coast before joining the Irish brigade. Some of those bands and people include Dysart Giri Band, Hi – Jackers, Tracy & Grassroots, Johnny McEvoy’s Band, Country Fever, The Tulla Ceili Band, The Kilfenor Ceili Band, Martin Hayes, Sean Tyrrell, Shaskeen, Andy O’Droscoll, a virtual who’s who of Irish music. Many of these people and groups have influenced Sean musically over the years but none so much as his father James Conway who bought him his first Clark “C” whistle when he was nine and the encouragement of school teacher Mr. Frank Custy without these two strong influences nurturing his love for music he may never have made it his life’s work.
Sean’s teacher Frank Custy and friend Seamus MacMatuna entered Sean and his Clarke ”C” whistle in the County, Provincial and All Ireland competitions at the age of fourteen. Sean took Fleadh by storm winning his first competition taking solo in Tippeary as well as duet with friend Michael Butler in Castlebar, Kerry, Newcastel west, and Co.Limerick all the while hitchhiking to and from the Fleadhs since they were not old enough to drive.
Sean has recorded with an amazing number of musicians and groups some of those include Grassroots, Shaskeen, Tomm Cussen, The Turfmen, Father David Henmen, Darren Crossey, Lote and Wright, Sean Tyrrell, Spancelhill, Martin Hayes, and of course The Irish Brigade many of the recordings made before leaving the Ireland in the late nineteen eighties are still played on the radio today. Groups like Shaskeen, The Tulla and Kilfenora Ceili bands have seen a revival on Irish airways. One of Sean’s many career highlights was singing the Irish National Anthhem center stage Wembley Hall London during his time with Shaskeen there for a big show and on stage with Shaskeen, The Batchelors a chart topping group in England at the time, Niall Toiin, plus Foster and Allen … a long way both physically and metaphorically from Ennis for that little kid and his Clarke “C” whistle.