Pat Broaders

Pat Broaders grew up in Dublin, the son of parents from Wexford. He began his journey in traditional music at the age of eight. He started out on the whistle, and later moved on to theuilleann pipes under the tutelage of Leon Rowsome. He took up the bouzouki in 1988, inspired by the sounds he grew up hearing from bands like Planxty, and the popularity of the instrument in Dublin’s vibrant traditional music scene. Pat’s singing began naturally enough. His father was a singer, and having grown up around Dublin’s singing tradition, it was a natural step for him. Pat’s repertoire today reflects his interest in the great songs of the Irish tradition as well as songs and ballads from the English and Scottish traditions.

In the early ’90s, Pat moved to Chicago and on top of holding one of the longest running Irish music gigs in the history of Chicago at Kitty O’Shea’s, he has performed and recorded with Dennis Cahill, Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes, John Doyle, Paddy O’Brien, Mick O’Brien, Robbie O’Connell, and Danú. He has a long-standing relationship with the Norwegian new age musical group Secret Garden and Kongshavan Studios.

In another enduring relationship, Pat has toured with Jimmy Keane and Bohola for over 15 years. Pat toured in an incredibly demanding role as the sole backer and singer in the Celtic Legends show, an Irish music and dance show that has toured Europe, Asia and South America. When he is not performing, Pat teaches the pipes and operates Pipedream Studio. He has engineered albums for Liz Knowles, Larry Nugent, and Celtic Legends, and tracks for Bohola and Liz Carroll.