Oisin McAuley was raised in Carrick, County Donegal an area in rural North Western Ireland renowned as having one of the finest fiddle traditions of the 21st century. Having learned from Ben Lennon, Oisin went on to study music at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland and began performing with a number of bands – Cran, Stockton’s Wing and Hot Club of Dublin. He also lived a short time in Brittany studying the indigenous traditional Celtic music in that peninsular region of North West France.
In 2001 Oisín joined the traditional Irish band Danú with whom he performs to the present day. The band, named after the mother of the ancient Irish gods was formed in 1995 and is composed of musicians who hail from the Irish Counties of Waterford, Dublin, Kerry and Donegal. Oisín went on to record 8 albums and a live Concert documentary with Danú called ‘One Night Stand’. The band has picked up numerous awards along the way.
His debut solo album “Far From The Hills Of Donegal” was recorded at locations in Counties Donegal and Galway, and was released by Nashville based Compass Records in 2007. As well as embracing traditional tunes, McAuley’s debut explored contemporary music with, respectively, hints of jazz, bluegrass, and classical styles permeating some of the tracks. The album featured a number of McAuley’s original compositions. These days, McAuley lives in Holliston, Massachusetts.
Instructor – Fiddle
2012