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Ruadhraí O'Kane — Mixed Instruments
Ruadhraí O'Kane is a traditional musician from outside Dungiven, County Derry, and has been an important figure in the Ulster traditional music scene for more than three decades. He began on tin whistle before taking up the fiddle at around ten years of age. By fourteen he was a founding member of the traditional group Óige, alongside musicians including Cara Dillon, Paul McLaughlin and his brother Murrough O'Kane.
Ruadhraí spent around ten years playing fiddle with Óige. During that period the band recorded three albums and toured extensively throughout Ireland, Britain and continental Europe and further afield. Their festival appearances included major international stages such as Cambridge Folk Festival and Belgium's Dranouter Festival.
After settling in Belfast, Ruadhraí remained closely involved in the city's traditional music community as both performer and teacher. In 2004 he recorded the live album Roguery Road with Belfast concertina player Jason O'Rourke. He later became part of Good Morning to Your Nightcap, alongside Desy Adams, Ryan O'Donnell and Paul Maguire; their self-titled recording was made in Belfast in 2015.
Ruadhraí is also an experienced fiddle tutor, including teaching for BelfastTrad and at European festivals. He continues to teach workshops and was programmed as a fiddle tutor at the John Loughran Traditional Music Festival in 2026.
Ruadhraí O'Kane — Mixed Instruments
Ruadhraí O'Kane is a traditional musician from outside Dungiven, County Derry, and has been an important figure in the Ulster traditional music scene for more than three decades. He began on tin whistle before taking up the fiddle at around ten years of age. By fourteen he was a founding member of the traditional group Óige, alongside musicians including Cara Dillon, Paul McLaughlin and his brother Murrough O'Kane.
Ruadhraí spent around ten years playing fiddle with Óige. During that period the band recorded three albums and toured extensively throughout Ireland, Britain and continental Europe and further afield. Their festival appearances included major international stages such as Cambridge Folk Festival and Belgium's Dranouter Festival.
After settling in Belfast, Ruadhraí remained closely involved in the city's traditional music community as both performer and teacher. In 2004 he recorded the live album Roguery Road with Belfast concertina player Jason O'Rourke. He later became part of Good Morning to Your Nightcap, alongside Desy Adams, Ryan O'Donnell and Paul Maguire; their self-titled recording was made in Belfast in 2015.
Ruadhraí is also an experienced fiddle tutor, including teaching for BelfastTrad and at European festivals. He continues to teach workshops and was programmed as a fiddle tutor at the John Loughran Traditional Music Festival in 2026.
