Sarah Ann O'Neill

Sarah Ann O'Neill (19 August 1919 –13 April 2012), was a well known and significant Irish traditional singer.[1]

Sarah Ann O'Neill
Born
Sarah Ann Hanna

19 August 1919
Derrytresk, Co Tyrone
Died13 April 2012

Biography

Sarah Ann O'Neill, sometimes given as Sarah Anne O'Neill, lived in Derrytresk, Co Tyrone where she was born Sarah Ann Hanna on 19 August 1919. She was the eldest child of labourer Joe Hanna and his wife, Elizabeth (née Hughes). There were five boys and four girls who were her full sisters. But her mother had been married before, her first husband Mr Campbell died young, and left her with three sons.[2][3]

She attended Kingsisland primary school and left school at 14 to begin working. Her first job was in a cafe in Belfast before she went into service as a domestic servant to a wealthy family in her home district. She married local farmer John O’Neill when she was in her 20s.[2][3]

O'Neill was discovered when song collectors Seán Ó Baoill and Gerry Hicks were sent tapes of an evening of singing in one of the family homes in the 1950s. She was a living repository of traditional ulster songs and the way in which they had been sung. It bore resemblance to sean-nos. O'Neill attended fleadhs and festivals and taught her music to a wide number of singers as well as learning from them. Her first recording was with her brother Geordie in 1974. This made her internationally renowned among traditional musicians. She was given a lifetime achievement award in 2009 from Gradam Ceoil TG4.[4][2][5][6][7][8][3][9]

O'Neill died on 13 April 2012 and was buried from Clonoe church.[10]

  • "Bodenstown Churchyard, song / Sarah Ann O'Neill, singing in English". ITMA. 30 April 2020.

References and sources
  1. "The next generation of local trad talent takes centre stage". independent. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  2. "Hugely influential traditional singer from Ulster family steeped in music". The Irish Times. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. Graham, Len (2013). "Obituaries: Sarah Ann O'Neill (1919-2012)". Folk Music Journal. 10 (3): 422. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. "Singer of the Year". TG4. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  5. "Sarah Anne O'Neill". www.itma.ie.
  6. Radio, NTS (22 September 2018). "Sarah Anne O'Neill - Discover music on NTS". NTS Radio. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  7. ireann. "Comhaltas: The Ulster Way". Comhaltas Globally Promotes Traditional Irish Music Dance Culture for Students, Educators, Visitors, Musicians & Journalists. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  8. "Celtic Voices". irishmusicreview.com. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  9. "Veteran Artistes". Veteran Mail Order. 25 February 1938. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  10. "Online Death Notices and Obituaries". Passed away. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
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