The Clé Club has lost two dear friends in recent weeks – Manus O’Riordan and Tony MacMahon. Manus died suddenly from a heart attack aged 72 on September 26, while Tony passed away on October 8 after a prolonged illness at the age of 82.

In both cases, they were individuals of intellectual rigour and high principle with a commitment to strive for excellence in their chosen fields.

Manus O’Riordan

A man of infinite curiosity and boundless energy, Manus enjoyed a prestigious career as an economist and researcher with the ITGWU and SIPTU, where his comprehensive analysis served Irish workers well in difficult times. He was also a remarkable political activist, a respected labour historian and an all-round man of culture – especially in song, poetry, music and sport (especially Bohemians FC).

A founder member and regular performer at the Clé Club, Manus could always be relied upon to make a thoughtful contribution to proceedings either in song or in verse in English, Irish, Spanish, Yiddish and occasionally French.

Throughout his retirement he continued to inspire many through his work to commemorate the legacy of the International Brigades who fought to defend the Spanish Republic against fascism.

We extend our deepest condolences to Manus’s family – including his sister Brenda who has also been a frequent contributor at Clé Club sessions and his partner Nancy. No pasaran!

Tony MacMahon

The Man from Clare, Tony MacMahon, was widely acclaimed as a virtuoso performer on the accordion – achieving particular praise for his highly expressive playing of slow airs. During a lifetime in music, Tony was a member of the Castle Céilí Band over fifty years ago – but established a burgeoning reputation as a solo performer as well as for his various collaborations with Noel Hill, Iarla Ó Lionáird, and Steve Cooney.

But beyond being the foremost player of the instrument of his – or any other – generation, Tony made an indelible mark on the growth of traditional music in the modern era through his influential role as a presenter and producer of traditional music programmes in RTE. Groundbreaking series like The Pure Drop, The Green Linnet (with the late Barney McKenna), The Long Note and Come West Along the Road all bore the unmistakable imprint of Tony MacMahon – offering a guarantee of respect, integrity and professionalism to both performers and audience alike. He was also the subject of the award-winning documentary Slán leis an gCeol/Farewell to Music in 2019.

Tony was a welcome presence at Clé Club sessions – though less frequently in recent years due to health concerns. However, one of the most memorable nights in the history of the Club took place in April 2019 when Tony was the guest of honour at a special night to mark his eightieth birthday as a stellar line-up of traditional musicians from across the generations paid tribute to the maestro under the guidance of fear an tí, Mick O’Connor, before a packed house.

May he rest in peace.