Damien Connolly

Damien began learning the accordion when he was 11 years old, taught by his father Martin. He competed in the Fleadhanna (Irish Music Competitions) throughout his teenage years, taking first place both locally and regionally. At age 16, he took up the fiddle, under the tutelage of his step-mother Maureen Glynn of Brooklyn NY. In 1997, Damien took first place in both the Under-18 All Ireland accordion and melodeon competition held in Ballina, Co. Mayo. The following year, he recorded three melodeon tracks on his father’s CD entitled Back to Brooklyn. In 2000, he recorded his first accordion and melodeon CD, Tippin Away, accompanied by guitarist Pete Mancuso of NY. This CD was generously praised by renowned accordion players Joe Burke, Joe Derrane and Bobby Gardiner. In 2003, Damien moved to the US and now resides in Fairfield, CT with his wife Sally and their three sons, Colman, Tiernan and Tristan, and daughter Clara. Being far away from home, Damien enjoys the company and musicianship of his uncle Seamus, director of Irish Music at Boston College, who has long since been living in America. In Connecticut, he gigs periodically at Anna Liffey’s Pub in New Haven as well as at the Playwright Pub in Hamden. Damien also teaches private fiddle and accordion lessons from his home and leads music workshops at various Irish Music festivals. In 2008, Damien released the “Irish Accordion Tutor, Vol I”, intermediate-advanced, which has attracted immediate recognition for being the finest Irish button accordion tutor on the market today.