Seamus O'Kane

Seamus O'Kane from Lower Drum, Dungiven, Co. Derry in the North. He has worked all his life as a technology teacher in the local secondary school.
He combined woodworking, metalworking and design skills to adapt the banjo skin tightening system for use on bodhráns. This was initally frowned on by many but has since become a major development in bodhran making and is now normal.
As well as using the tightening system for skins he also tunes these skins. He has influenced rim dimensions, stick types and the attempts to achieve musicality in drums. Seamus began making in 1969 but was put on the right path by Peadar Mercier of the Chieftains who took time to teach him. He has been playing since 1969 and has made recordings on LP, cassettes, CD's, videos and tv programmes. His heroes Peadar Mercier, Ringo McDonagh and his good friend Gino Lupari. He is a member of Roguery the Irish folkband headed by Joe Diamond and Cliff McKenna. He plays in sessions a lot and has a great love of Irish and Scottish traditional singers. Seamus has been teaching bodhrán for over 30 years, the last 12 of them with Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy.