Biog

Kieran is a musician who grew up in Birmingham and has spent most of his life in Newcastle upon Tyne. Generally he is known for his bombastic and lively playing style on flute and octave mandolin.

Kieran was brought up just outside Birmingham by two very enthusiastic, folk music loving parents. He started playing flute around the age of 12 learning folk tunes for the family ceilidh band and classical grade repertoire. His music teacher at the time prevented him from paying sax which he would pick up later in life. Like many kids of his age he loved metal and during college he played bass with funk and metal bands , sang with the college choral group (notably performing in London), and played flute at Proms nights with the college wind band.

Whilst at Nuneaton Tech he fell in love with the flute playing of Altan’s Frankie Kennedy subsequently finding albums “Venus in Tweeds” and “A whiskey Kiss” by Scottish band Shooglenifty and A Road North by Alistair Fraiser. Luckily he was able to follow these interests at Newcastle University which had started a degree in folk  and traditional music the year previously.

During his four years there he learned under Niall Keegan, Brian Finnegan, Sarah Allen, Desi Wilkinson, and Martin Dunn. He won a new roots competition with friends guitarist Aidan Curran and Will Lang. This lead to performances at Sidmouth and Towersey Festivals. In his last year couple of years he decided to start a few of his own bands – Monster Ceilidh Band and 100ManOrchestra a trio with Banojoist Dan Walsh and Bassist Jon Proud. you can see them below playing at National Forest Folk Festival and on a Russian tour with MCB

After University he began a career in music by getting a bar job and working his socks off! Monster Ceilidh Band turned into a national sensation outgrowing their ceilidh roots and bringing a new electronic set to festivals all over the world.

Over the last 10+ years Kieran’s been involved in many exciting music projects, please refer to his band page for more info and untill very recently played Octave Mandolin for Kathryn Tickell & the darkening, their Song “O-U-T spells out” which he co-wrote with Amy Thatcher and Kathryn Tickell getting a nomination in best song category at the BBC Radio 2 folk awards.

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