Seosamh Ó hÉanaí

Ard East is the birthplace of Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, the Sean-nós singer who carried hundreds of forgotten Irish songs from Connemara to London, New York and Seattle. He remained shy until twenty, yet his voice grew strong enough to fill the Sydney Opera House and inspire a yearly festival in Carna. The boy who learned English at school and won prizes in Dublin became a global keeper of ancient melody, proving that one quiet child can preserve an entire culture.