'Born in 1964 not a lot happened that year, not that I remember anyway
born in the Waterside, where as Fenians we feared for our lives
we peaked at eight in a two bedroom house but we were lucky yeah we were lucky' Sean Kelly, an extract from the song 'I had the time of my life' space
Sean suffered the torture of the annual Feis Cheol with solo and choir vocals, picking up the odd silver to use as a fishing weight when going after flounder in the River Foyle.
In 1985 Sean took the ferry to England, where he very quickly got into an original rock band called Partisan. They enjoyed regular gigs at some of London’s best known small music venues, the Mean Fiddler, the Powerhouse and Covent Garden’s Rock Garden. In 1990, just as Sean was starting to introduce the whistle into some of Partisan’s music, he moved to Auckland, New Zealand where he lives to this day with his two kids Rose and Tom.
Kitty O’Brien’s was Auckland’s first Irish Pub. It opened in 1992 and Sean saw the opportunity to get involved in the burgeoning Irish music scene. Since then he has played and continues to play with some fantastic New Zealand and NZ based musicians such as Ang Kidd, Jo Taylor and Lou Hayes from Brazen, Angel Joseph Gordon, Baz Caitcheon, Julie Grace, Glyn Frewin, Kerryn Worsfold, Paul Crowther, Derek Motley, Dave Hartley, Gerry O'Neill, Ricky Martin, Sean’s debut CD; ‘Sean Kelly & Friends - See the Light’ was reviewed by Tim Page in NZ Musician magazines’ 100th Edition:
“Sean Kelly presents as authentic an offering of Irish music likely to be found in this antipodean setting. Right from the first track, the listener is transported to the rolling mist covered hills of the Emerald Isle.”
‘See the Light’ was also a finalist for the RIANZ New Zealand music award (‘Tui’) in the best folk album category.
Sean leads one of New Zealand’s best known Irish bands, the Celtic Flyers. They have enjoyed great success over the years being the principal St Patrick’s Festival concert band for the last seven years, playing the post-Lions rugby match bash in New Plymouth 2005 to 6000 rugby supporters and generally playing at all the major Irish functions in the Auckland area and beyond.
Recently Sean sang the Irish team anthem in advance of the Ireland vs. All Blacks test at Eden Park on June 17th 2006. Sean considers it a great honour to have been selected to sing another Derry man’s song, Phil Coulter’s ‘Ireland’s Call’. Other highlights for Sean have been playing on stage with The Chieftains and meeting Damien Rice.
Anybody interested in helping Sean put together a few gigs or in buying a CD can e-mail him at kellyboy@orcon.net.nz
Wow!!!! I am really impressed. These are terrific songs, especially the first ones. The melodies are intriguing! Thanks a lot for finding and adding us. It..s a great pleisure. Best wishes from Germany, Volker
