John O’Shea ( Loher)

John o Shea was an accordion player from Loher , Waterville. He played a wide range of music including Polkas, hornpipes, set dances, jigs and reels . He played for local dances and at the many house gatherings that predated the arrival of radio.
He was a native Irish speaker and his family lived in Loher going back many generations. This branch of the Shea family were also known as the ‘Buí’ Sheas. There is a direct family link to Donnachadh O Sé ‘An piobaire Buí’ who lived in a small house at the side of the current Kerry way above Loher, not far from John O’Shea’s family home.

There is an account in here is reference to a family of pipers living in Loher in a Píobairí Uillean publication . This branch of the Shea family were also known as the ‘Buí Sheas’. A number of years ago a chanter belonging to a set of uillean pipes was found in the Shea house . This was dated back to pre famine times and has been suggested as being a very early example of a Harrington chanter . The chanter is made from laburnam wood and horse bone and is still playable.

Breandán Breathnach recounts a couple of stories relating to Donnachadh O Sé and his brother Dónall, who was also a piper, in his publication ‘The Man & his Music’ published by Na Píobaiirí Uilleann.