'As long as I can play music I'll be happy' says gifted Edenderry performer

Although he has just turned 20, Ademar O’Connor has a trophy cabinet that would be the envy of someone three times his age – in fact he has a medal for every year of his life, and a lot more besides!

The supremely talented traditional musician from Edenderry has added considerably to his trophy tally this year by winning the prestigious Fiddler of London on his first attempt and by winning both the Senior Fiddle and the Senior Banjo competitions at the recent Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Mullingar.

Despite his huge success, the young man remains incredibly modest, even shy, when it comes to talking about his undeniable talent, and laughs when asked if he would describe himself as a musical genius.

The youngest of Mary O’Connor and Mattie Stones’ five children, Ademar first picked up a tin whistle when he was just four years old, in a bid to emulate two of his older brothers, Arthur and Theodore, both of whom are extremely accomplished musicians in their own right.

“I threw the tin whistle aside after maybe a year and I started on the button accordion and the fiddle,” he says.

His first fiddle teacher was Offaly Comhaltas stalwart and renowned traditional musician Attracta Brady, while another stalwart of the local traditional music scene and Principal of Durrow primary school, James Hogan, was his first accordion teacher, and also taught him how to play piano.

The first year he took up the button accordion, Ademar O’Connor reached the All-Ireland and he can recall how he had to sit on his accordion case because the chairs in the competition venue were “too high.”

Similarly, when he wanted to take up the banjo, he couldn’t get one small enough, so he opted to start on the mandolin instead. “When I did start the banjo proper, I had to get a mini banjo.”

Among his first banjo teachers was banjo player extraordinaire and the driving force behind the bid to bring the Fleadh to Mullingar, Joe Connaire.

Ademar has had many music teachers over the years, and he says he is “very grateful” to each and every one of them.

“I spent every day and every weekend during my school years going to music lessons and my friends used to think I was mad,” he laughs. He also mentions, as an aside, that he played rugby when he was in school.

Along with his two older brothers, Ademar O’Connor joined the Edenderry branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann at a young age, and is hugely complimentary of the role that the organisation plays in fostering musical talent and adds that there is “a great social life” attached to the traditional music scene.

“I would say the Fleadh is the best week of my life every year,” he admits, “the craic is just unbelievable and I get to meet friends from all over Ireland and abroad who I know all my life through being a member of Comhaltas.”

Going to the Fleadh has always been an integral part of life for Ademar’s family. “I was probably going to them when I was a baby,” he jokes, “but yes, it is a huge part of our lives and I don’t think we have ever missed a Fleadh.”

It quickly became apparent that Ademar O’Connor had a unique musical talent and, despite the fact that he studied classical violin right up to Diploma level and learned to read music, he says he was “always more interested in the trad side” and this is where he decided to concentrate his efforts, and with much success.

This year alone, he entered an astonishing six competitions at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann at senior level; fiddle, melodeon, button accordion, banjo, mandolin and miscellaneous (where he played the bazouki).

He admits that winning the senior fiddle came as “a complete shock” as it has traditionally been one of the most hotly-contested competitions at the annual Fleadh. “This was my first time entering the senior fiddle and to win it on the first attempt was even more special,” he says.

Earlier in the year, Ademar had travelled to London to compete in the prestigious ‘Fiddler of London’ competition, which attracts some of the world’s best fiddlers. He was the first non-UK resident to ever win the prestigious award and the first person from Offaly to take the coveted title. As the 2023 ‘Fiddler in residence for the Irish community” in London, the young multi-instrumentalist will get the opportunity to perform at a number of high-profile events across the city over the coming year, including at the Irish Embassy.

The ‘Fiddler of London’ title is just one of a massive number of awards won by Ademar O’Connor since he took up his first musical instrument. He has been variously described over the years as ‘a wonderkid’ and a ‘musical prodigy’ but he just laughs off titles and says he “just loves playing music.”

He has shared the stage over the years with a host of musical luminaries, including Frankie Gavin, Sharon Shannon, Liam Ó Maonlaí and Nathan Carter, and one of the many funny stories he recalls is how Sharon Shannon asked him to join her on stage at the Fleadh Cheoil in Cavan to play the button accordion when he was around 10 years of age.

Ademar had first met Sharon Shannon in Ennis when he was seven years old. “I was playing music with a few local musicians in one of the hotels and she came in with Imelda May and they stood looking at us and then Sharon came over and asked me if I’d like to play a few tunes with her,” he says.

Then three years later, while Sharon Shannon was on the gig rig at the Fleadh in Cavan she asked him to come up on stage to play with her. “I was sitting in the front row of seats and I was just exhausted and I think I was nearly asleep when she called my name but I got up on stage anyway and we had great craic playing a few tunes,” he says.

Aside from traditional music, Ademar O’Connor’s other big passion is cars and he says he also has a lot of friends outside of the music scene. He currently works alongside his Dad, Mattie, and is completing an apprenticeship to become a heavy vehicle mechanic.

He says the smiles on the faces of his parents when he won the senior fiddle competition at the Fleadh made all the hard work and the sacrifices worthwhile – including the years when he used to practice his music for “four to five hours” every day.

“It was the best thing that ever happened to me and to see how happy it made my parents meant the world to me,” he says, adding that it was an especially proud moment for his mother, Mary, who drove him all around the country to his music lessons and competitions.

When asked where he would like to see himself in five years, the humble and honest answer is “I don’t know atall, I like to live every day as it comes, I love playing music and as long as I can do that I’ll be happy.”

He did mention however, that he would “love to start a band eventually.” Watch this space!