Vinnie Kilduff


Vinnie Kilduff is a Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, primarily known for his work with U2, The Waterboys, Clannad and Sinéad O'Connor. He plays tin whistle, uilleann pipes, guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, bodhrán and flute. He is described as one of Ireland's best known contemporary tin whistle players.

Early life

Kilduff was born in Knock, County Mayo, Ireland to parents Sheila and Jim. His father was a talented fiddle-player and whistle-player. Having mastered the tin whistle by the age of six, Kilduff competed in numerous Fleadh Cheoil traditional Irish music competitions throughout his youth. In 1978 he began to study music in the Chatham Row College of Music in Dublin.

Musical career – guest artist

U2

In 1981 Kilduff was asked by U2 to play uilleann pipes and bodhrán on their album October and to guest with them at their concert in Slane Castle that year. In 1983 Kilduff rejoined U2 for their promotional tour of the album War. In 2009 the U2 song "Tomorrow" with Kilduff playing the uilleann pipes was featured in It Might Get Loud, the Davis Guggenheim documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White.

The Waterboys

In 1988 Kilduff was invited by Mike Scott to join the Waterboys for the recording of their Fisherman's Blues album. Kilduff played guitar and uilleann pipes as well as co-producing several tracks on the album. Kilduff continued to tour with the Waterboys between 1988 and 1990.

Clannad

In 1990 Kilduff joined the Irish folk band Clannad for the recording of their album Anam. He continued to record and tour with the band throughout the 1990s. He featured on their 1996 album Lore, the 1998 Landmarks which received the 1999 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album and their 2005 release .

Sinéad O'Connor

Kilduff played mandolin and low whistle on singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor's DVD and CD set Theology – Live at the Sugar Club, a recording of a live concert performance in The Sugar Club, Dublin on 8 November 2006.

In Tua Nua

In 1982 along with Steve Wickham and others, Kilduff was a founder member of Irish rock band In Tua Nua. The band have been credited with discovering the then fifteen-year-old singer Sinead O'Connor at this time, who temporarily joined them as lead vocalist and co-wrote the song "Take My Hand". They were the first band to sign with U2's Mother record label on which they released their first single "Coming Thru". In 1984 they were signed by Island Records and supported Bob Dylan at his Slane Castle concert in July the same year. They released two further singles before Kilduff left the band in 1986.

The Rocking Chairs

In 1989 Kilduff formed his own rock band The Rocking Chairs, along with Conor Brady, Gerry O'Connor, Derek Kennedy and Peter McKinney. They released one single, "Stuck in the Driving Rain". In 1997 they collaborated with actor Patrick Bergin on two songs at the Gathering, a concert to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine in Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland. In 2010 Bergin released one of the songs "My Angel" as a single, with Kilduff playing tin whistle and as producer.

Patrick Cassidy's Famine Remembrance

In 1996 Kilduff played uilleann pipes as a soloist on composer Patrick Cassidy's Famine Remembrance, a piece commissioned to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine. It was premiered in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral and a CD was released the following year.

Solo career

In 1990 Kilduff released his first solo traditional album The Boys From The Blue Hill. It was nominated by Rolling Stone Magazine for 'Folk Album of the Year'.

Film, TV and documentary

Kilduff has worked on various film and TV productions in both a production and music-writing role.
In 1985 he composed music for the film James Joyce's Women starring Fionnula Flanagan. In 2009 he had a guest role in the Irish-American film This is My Father, starring James Caan and Aidan Quinn. He also appears on the soundtrack of the movie.

Selected filmography

Kilduff has worked with many of the leading names in the Irish music scene including Steve Cooney, Charlie Lennon, Ciaran Brennan, Arty McGlynn and with Newry rock band The 4 of Us.

Selected discography