Padraig O'Keeffe

Padraig O'Keeffe (Irish: Pádraig Ó Caoimh) (1887 – 1963) was a noted Irish traditional musician. O'Keeffe was born in Glountane Cross (in the townland of Knockdown), Cordal, Castleisland, the eldest of eight children from a musical family. He is known for his talented fiddle playing, self-devised system of notating music, numerous skilled pupils, as well as his notorious quick-wit and humor. He is regarded largely as the greatest fiddler of the Sliabh Luachra style, and one of the greatest fiddlers of all time. His death marked the end of the travelling Fiddlemasters of Munster. There is no great consistency in the spelling of the anglicised version of his name. On returns from the 1901 Census of Ireland, he is listed as Patrick O'Keeffe. He was known locally as Patrick or Padraic Keeffe. On recording labels his surname is recorded as O'Keeffe (and incorrectly) O'Keefe.