Kieran is an Irish drummer, percussionist and bodhrán specialist currently working between Ireland, London and the USA. As a member of the Grammy nominated, PBS Special featured group ‘Celtic Woman’, he has toured all over the world since 2019 including North America, South America and Europe, and has just finished Celtic Woman's 20th Anniversary 79 date tour of the USA and Canada in 2024.

 

Post Covid, in 2023, he joined the grammy winning group 'Clannad' for their Farewell tour finishing in the sold out 3Arena Dublin. Other dates with Clannad in 2024 included a headline show in the Royal Albert Hall in October of this year celebrating their Grammy winning success of 1999 and their award winning soundtrack ‘Legend’ for the tv show, ‘Robin of Sherwood’.

 

In 2022 he joined signer songwriter Chloë Agnew (original Celtic Woman star) as her drummer and musical director. Plans for 2025 include the release of an exciting new album currently in production. This year (2024) Kieran was headhunted to perform as the drummer/percussionist with the Grammy winning production, ‘Riverdance’ in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.

 

Other international acts include bluegrass fusion group, JigJam, contemporary folk pop duo, The Brave Collide (who’s debut album is due to be released this year) and the award winning Irish Traditional Group, ‘Goitse’. He is also a founding member of the contemporary Irish quartet NxNW (North by northwest) with the aim of fusing the old Irish/Celtic traditions with a more modern feel taking inspiration from the Motown, funk and soul genres.

 

As one of the worlds leading exponents of the Bodhrán, his solo film credits include, Academy Award winning composer John Powell’s ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ soundtrack as well as Thomas Newman's 'Victoria & Abdul' recorded at Abbey Road studios in 2017. He was back in Abbey Road in October 2018, again working for John Powell on his ‘How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World’ film score. Live recordings include "Lost: In Concert" with composer Michael Giacchino. He is very fortunate to be an in demand session musician whilst also operating his own remote recording facility with credits including, ‘Hope Street’ Justine Barker & Anthony Eve (BBC), ‘Rainbow Six Siege Siege’ Jon Opstad (Ubisoft) ‘Anatomy’ Sally Potter and all of Celtic Woman’s albums over the last 5 years including the ‘20th Anniversary’ ‘Postcards from Ireland’ & ’Magic Of Christmas’ (Capitol Records & Manhattan Records).

 

He is incredibly proud and grateful to be endorsed by some of the leading company’s in the drumming world. A ‘Protection Racket’ artist since 2016, a deal with ‘Vater Percussion’ (drumsticks) arrived in 2019 and just this year (2024), he was signed to join the artist roster of ‘Zildjian’ cymbals. He has also endorsed ‘Metloef’ Bodhráns for over a decade.


 

Educated at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, London, he is still very active on the both the Irish & UK orchestral scene as a percussionist, timpanist and drummer working regularly with English National Opera and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Other orchestral engagements include the Ulster Orchestra (Guest Principal Timpani & Percussion + Drum Kit), RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Guest Principal Timpani), RTÉ Concert Orchestra (Percussion & Drum Kit) the Royal Northern Sinfonia, and the Irish Chamber Orchestra (Guest Principal)
In 2018 he made his West End debut, deputising on the musical 'Chess' at the London Coliseum, as well as the percussion & drum chair on ‘Bridges of Madison County’ (2019) & 'The Boyfriend' (2019/20) at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, 2019.

 

Other deputy engagements include the legendary, Stockton's Wing, Ralph McTell, Four Men & A Dog, Niall Hanna, The XCollective and the Tara Breen Band. He has worked across a range of television and radio broadcasts, as well as at venues including ‘Red Rocks’ Amphitheatre, CO (Celtic Woman), The 3Arena, Dublin (Clannad), The O2 Arena, London (Take That) and the Royal Albert Hall (Multiple Acts). He’s performed at the biggest music festivals in Ireland, ‘All Together Now’ and ‘Electric Picnic’ as well as the world famous ‘Milwaukee Irish Fest’.