Ray O’Donoghue (born 1944)

Ray O’Donoghue, born in 1944 in Larakea, Kilfenora, is a respected figure in the world of Irish traditional music and culture. Raised in a deeply musical household, Ray credits his father, Paddy O’Donoghue, with teaching him how to play music and how to read musical notation, laying the foundations for his lifelong involvement in traditional music.

From an early age, Ray showed a strong commitment to both music and Irish culture. The Irish language has always been very important to Ray and his family, shaping much of his personal and professional life.

Ray is best known as the founding leader of the Golden Star Band, a céilí band that became widely recognised across Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s. Rooted firmly in his home parish of Kilfenora, the band maintained strong links with North Clare, and was made up of key regional musicians, including his siblings Pappy, Charlotte, Angela, Eileen, and Maureen O’Donoghue, along with John and Jimmy Clancy, and Michael Davoran. Their father, Paddy O’Donoghue, also toured with the band, further enriching its musical legacy.

Today, Ray lives in Oranmore, Co. Galway, and worked with Údarás na Gaeltachta, continuing his lifelong commitment to the Irish language and culture.