The leader and founder of The Chieftains, six-time Grammy-winners and the world’s most popular Irish traditional music group, grew up in Donnycarney, Co. Dublin and inherited his love of music from his parents. His first instrument was a plastic tin whistle. He later graduated to the uilleann pipes learning to play from the great pipe master Leo Rowsome. The Chieftains will tour exclusively in the U.S. in 2011. In the near future Paddy will link up for a whistle and flute duet with astronaut Cady Coleman who took one of Paddy’s whistles with her to the International Space Station.