Pat Ahern is an Irish Roman Catholic priest, traditional musician,
composer, and the founder, artistic director and producer
(1974â€"1997) of Siamsa TÃre, the Irish National Folk Theatre which
appeared throughout Ireland and on three continents.He was born in
1932 in Leitrim Middle, Moyvane (formerly Newtownsandes), north Kerry
into a family immersed in Irish traditional music. His mother played
traditional fiddle, as did his cousin Barney Enright of Moyvane. Pat's
brother Seán is a singer and plays the uilleann pipes. Pat learnt the
fiddle from his mother, and Irish step-dancing from the famous Kerry
dance master Jeremiah Molyneaux.[1] Pat attended primary school in
Moyvane (1938â€"1944), subsequently enrolling at St Michael's College,
Listowel (1944â€"1948). He studied for the Catholic priesthood at St.
Patrick's College, Maynooth National Seminary (1950â€"1957); while
there he studied piano and organ under Charles O'Callaghan. He was
ordained in 1957, and that year appointed curate in St. John's Parish
Tralee, County Kerry, with special responsibility for liturgical
music. There he founded St. John's Gregorian Choir.In 1959 he studied
for the B.Mus. degree at University College, Cork under Aloys
Fleischmann, with Tilly Fleischmann as his piano teacher. He graduated
in 1962.[2] In 1967 he was sent to the Catholic Communications Centre,
Booterstown, Dublin, to study Radio and Television production and to
set up and direct a Radio Production and Training Unit for clergy and
religious. He produced a weekly religious radio programme for RTÉ
radio, entitled ‘Network’. Recalled to Kerry in 1973, he was
released from parish work by his bishop to devote himself to his work
on folk theatre. In 1965 he had founded the group Siamsóirà na
RÃochta [Entertainers of the Kingdom] out of which in 1972 developed
Siamsa TÃre [Entertainment of the Land], the Folk Theatre of Ireland.
Ahern was artistic director until he retired in 1997. He brought the
company all over Ireland and travelled the world with it, enchanting
audiences wherever they went.[3] He retired in 1997, but continues to
organise concerts and stage productions.[4]In 1958, a year after
taking up his duties as curate in the parish of Tralee, Pat Ahern
devised and produced a pageant based on the story of Lourdes entitled
Massabielle, involving the parish choir, parish societies and theatre
groups, in a celebration to mark the centenary of the Lourdes
apparitions. It was presented in the Catholic Young Men's Hall,
Tralee. In 1959 he produced a second parish pageant: Bethlehem, the
story of Christmas. Then 1963 saw the production of a third parish
pageant: Golgotha, the story of the Passion of Christ, involving a
cast of 120, in the style of the celebrated Passion Play at
Oberammergau in Bavaria. In 1964 Massabielle was reproduced in Tralee.
composer, and the founder, artistic director and producer
(1974â€"1997) of Siamsa TÃre, the Irish National Folk Theatre which
appeared throughout Ireland and on three continents.He was born in
1932 in Leitrim Middle, Moyvane (formerly Newtownsandes), north Kerry
into a family immersed in Irish traditional music. His mother played
traditional fiddle, as did his cousin Barney Enright of Moyvane. Pat's
brother Seán is a singer and plays the uilleann pipes. Pat learnt the
fiddle from his mother, and Irish step-dancing from the famous Kerry
dance master Jeremiah Molyneaux.[1] Pat attended primary school in
Moyvane (1938â€"1944), subsequently enrolling at St Michael's College,
Listowel (1944â€"1948). He studied for the Catholic priesthood at St.
Patrick's College, Maynooth National Seminary (1950â€"1957); while
there he studied piano and organ under Charles O'Callaghan. He was
ordained in 1957, and that year appointed curate in St. John's Parish
Tralee, County Kerry, with special responsibility for liturgical
music. There he founded St. John's Gregorian Choir.In 1959 he studied
for the B.Mus. degree at University College, Cork under Aloys
Fleischmann, with Tilly Fleischmann as his piano teacher. He graduated
in 1962.[2] In 1967 he was sent to the Catholic Communications Centre,
Booterstown, Dublin, to study Radio and Television production and to
set up and direct a Radio Production and Training Unit for clergy and
religious. He produced a weekly religious radio programme for RTÉ
radio, entitled ‘Network’. Recalled to Kerry in 1973, he was
released from parish work by his bishop to devote himself to his work
on folk theatre. In 1965 he had founded the group Siamsóirà na
RÃochta [Entertainers of the Kingdom] out of which in 1972 developed
Siamsa TÃre [Entertainment of the Land], the Folk Theatre of Ireland.
Ahern was artistic director until he retired in 1997. He brought the
company all over Ireland and travelled the world with it, enchanting
audiences wherever they went.[3] He retired in 1997, but continues to
organise concerts and stage productions.[4]In 1958, a year after
taking up his duties as curate in the parish of Tralee, Pat Ahern
devised and produced a pageant based on the story of Lourdes entitled
Massabielle, involving the parish choir, parish societies and theatre
groups, in a celebration to mark the centenary of the Lourdes
apparitions. It was presented in the Catholic Young Men's Hall,
Tralee. In 1959 he produced a second parish pageant: Bethlehem, the
story of Christmas. Then 1963 saw the production of a third parish
pageant: Golgotha, the story of the Passion of Christ, involving a
cast of 120, in the style of the celebrated Passion Play at
Oberammergau in Bavaria. In 1964 Massabielle was reproduced in Tralee.
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