This is a list of composers from Ireland working in the classical (art music) tradition. It does not contain composers for pop, rock, trad, jazz, or film music. For Irish film music composers search for the 'Irish film score composers' in the search box above.

A – D

* Michael Alcorn (born 1962), contemporary composer *

Michael William Balfe Michael William Balfe (15 May 1808 – 20 October 1870) was an Irish composer, best remembered for his operas, especially ''The Bohemian Girl''. After a short career as a violinist, Balfe pursued an operatic singing career, while he began to co ...

(1808–1870), romantic opera composer best known for ''

The Bohemian Girl ''The Bohemian Girl'' is an Irish Romantic opera composed by Michael William Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Miguel de Cervantes' tale, ''La Gitanilla''. The best-known aria from the piece is "I Dreamt I D ...

" * Gerald Barry (born 1952), contemporary composer * Walter Beckett (1914–1996), 20th-century composer *

Ed Bennett Ed Bennett (born 15 March 1975) is a composer of contemporary art music. Biography Bennett was born in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Having studied with Brian Irvine at North Down College and with Michael Finnissy at the Guildhall S ...

(born 1975), contemporary composer. * Seóirse Bodley (born 1933), contemporary composer *

Michael Bowles Michael Andrew Bowles n Gaelic: Micheál Ó Baoighill(30 November 1909 – 6 April 1998) was an Irish conductor and composer, who was also active in New Zealand, the US, and England. Life Bowles was born in Riverstown, County Sligo, and grew u ...

(1909–1998), 20th-century composer *

Brian Boydell Brian Patrick Boydell (17 March 1917 – 8 November 2000) was an Irish composer whose works include orchestral pieces, chamber music, and songs. He was Professor of Music at Trinity College Dublin for 20 years, founder of the Dowland Consort, con ...

(1917–2000), 20th-century composer * Ina Boyle (1889–1967), female 20th-century composer * John Buckley (born 1951), contemporary composer *

John Wolf Brennan John Wolf Brennan (born 13 February 1954) is an Irish pianist, organist, melodica player, and composer based in Weggis, Switzerland. Career Brennan was born in Dublin, Ireland. His family moved to Switzerland when he was seven years old. He be ...

(born 1954), Switzerland-based contemporary composer *

Thomas O'Brien Butler Thomas O'Brien Butler (3 November 1861 – 7 May 1915; lost on the ''Lusitania''), was an Irish composer who wrote the Irish-language opera '' Muirgheis'' (1903). Biography O'Brien Butler, as he was generally known, was born in Caherciveen, Cou ...

(1861–1915), Celticist composer * Charles Thomas Carter (c.1735–1804), 18th-century composer * Thomas Carter (1769–1800), 18th-century composer * Patrick Cassidy (composer), contemporary composer * Charles Clagget (1740–c.1795), 18th-century composer *

Seán Clancy Seán Clancy (7 July 1901 – 17 September 2006) was a veteran of Ireland's War of Independence. Clancy served in the war as a member of Irish Republican Army, and later as a commander of the Fifth Infantry Battalion in the Irish Defence Fo ...

(born 1984), contemporary composer * Rhona Clarke (born 1958), contemporary composer * Ann Cleare (born 1983), contemporary composer * Siobhán Cleary (born 1970), contemporary composer * Philip Cogan (1750–1833), classical period composer * Rhoda Coghill (1903–2000), 20th-century composer * Houston Collisson (1865–1920), opera and ballad composer * Thomas Simpson Cooke (1782–1848), early 19th-century composer * Frank Corcoran (born 1944), contemporary composer resident in Germany * Shaun Davey (born 1948), 20th-century romantic composer *

Jerome de Bromhead Jerome de Bromhead (born 2 December 1945) is an Irish composer, classical guitarist, and member of Aosdána. Biography Jerome de Bromhead was born in Waterford, Ireland. He studied with A.J. Potter and James Wilson at the Royal Irish Academy ...

(born 1945), contemporary composer * Raymond Deane (born 1953), contemporary composer *

Donnacha Dennehy Donnacha Dennehy (born 17 August 1970) is an Irish composer and leader of the Crash Ensemble specializing in contemporary classical music. According to musicologist Bob Gilmore, Dennehy's "high profile of his compositions internationally, togeth ...

(born 1970), contemporary composer and founder of the Crash Ensemble * Seán Doherty (born 1987), contemporary composer *

Roger Doyle Roger Doyle (born 17 July 1949) is an Irish composer best known for his electro-acoustic work, for which he was made a Saoi of Aosdána, and for his piano music for theatre. Education Born in Malahide, County Dublin, Doyle studied piano from ...

(born 1949), contemporary composer known for electro-acoustic music *

Arthur Duff Arthur Knox Duff (13 March 1899 – 23 September 1956) was an Irish composer and conductor, best known for his short orchestral pieces such as the Handel-inspired ''Echoes of Georgian Dublin''. His career also encompassed senior positions in the ...

(1899–1956), 20th-century composer * Benjamin Dwyer (born 1965), contemporary composer

E – K

Michele Esposito Michele Esposito (29 September 1855 – 19 November 1929) was an Italian composer, conductor and pianist who spent most of his professional life in Dublin, Ireland. Training Esposito was born at Castellamare di Stabia, near Sorrento. As a boy ...

(1855–1929), Italo-Irish composer *

Hormoz Farhat Hormoz Farhat ( fa, هرمز فرهت; 9 August 1928 – 16 August 2021) was a Persian-American composer and ethnomusicologist who spent much of his career in Dublin, Ireland. An emeritus professor of music, he was a fellow of Trinity College, ...

(born 1929), 20th-century composer * Eibhlís Farrell (born 1953), 20th-century composer *

Howard Ferguson George Howard Ferguson, PC (June 18, 1870 – February 21, 1946) was the ninth premier of Ontario, from 1923 to 1930. He was a Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1905 to 1930 who represented the eastern provinci ...

(1908–1999), Northern Irish composer based in England * John Field (1782–1837), romantic composer and pianist, notable for cultivating the nocturne *

Aloys Fleischmann Aloys Fleischmann (13 April 1910 – 21 July 1992) was an Irish composer, musicologist, professor and conductor. Life Fleischmann was born in Munich to Ireland-based German parents. Both were musicians, both graduates of the Royal Academy of Mu ...

(1910–1992), 20th-century composer *

W. H. Grattan Flood Chevalier William Henry Grattan Flood (baptised 1 November 1857 – 6 August 1928) was a noted Irish author, composer, musicologist, and historian. As a writer and ecclesiastical composer, his personal contributions to Irish music produced endu ...

(1857–1928), composer and music historian * David Flynn (born 1977), contemporary composer * Charlotte Milligan Fox (1864–1916), composer, arranger and folksong collector * Thomas Augustine Geary (1775–1801), 18th-century composer *

Patrick Gilmore Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (December 25, 1829 – September 24, 1892) was an Irish-born American composer and bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848. While serving in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, Gilmor ...

(1829–1892), Irish-American composer and bandmaster *

John William Glover John William Glover (19 June 1815 – 19 December 1899) was an Irish composer, conductor, organist, violinist, and teacher. Life and music Glover was born in Dublin, where he initially became an orchestral violinist as early as 1830. In 1848, he ...

(1815–1899), 19th-century composer * Deirdre Gribbin (born 1967), contemporary composer *

Wellington Guernsey Wellington Guernsey (correct name: William Greville Hudson Guernsey) (8 June 1817 – 13 November 1885) was an Irish composer, poet, and military man. Biography Guernsey was born in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, studied briefly as a boy with the well ...

(1817–1885), ballad and piano composer * Ronan Guilfoyle (born 1958), contemporary composer and jazz bassist *

Carl Hardebeck Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community *Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of tel ...

(1869–1945), early 20th-century composer and arranger *

Hamilton Harty Sir Herbert Hamilton Harty (4 December 1879 – 19 February 1941) was an Irish composer, conductor, pianist and organist. After an early career as a church organist in his native Ireland, Harty moved to London at about age 20, soon becoming a w ...

(1879–1941), late romantic composer and a leading conductor of his time *

Swan Hennessy Edward Swan Hennessy (24 November 1866 – 26 October 1929) was an Irish-American composer and pianist who lived much of his life in Paris. In his pre-War piano music, he excelled as a miniaturist in descriptive, programmatic music. After joining ...

(1866–1929), Irish-American, Paris-based composer *

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...

(1859–1924), Irish-American composer of musicals * Arthur Hervey (1855–1922), late 19th-century composer and music critic *

Michael Holohan Michael Holohan (born 27 March 1956) is an Irish composer. Biography Michael Holohan was born in Drumcondra, Dublin. He was educated at O'Connell's Schools, University College Dublin (BA, 1978) and Queen's University in Belfast. He studied c ...

(born 1956), contemporary composer and writer *

Ciaran Hope Ciaran Hope (born 4 August 1974) is an Irish composer of orchestral, choral, and film music. He is the composer of Hollywood film soundtracks such as ''Screw Cupid'', ''Truth About Kerry'' as well as the contemplative soundtrack for ''The Let ...

(born 1974), contemporary composer * Herbert Hughes (1882–1937), composer and skilful arranger of traditional music * Francis Ireland (1721–1784), late baroque composer * Fergus Johnston (born 1959), contemporary composer * T. R. G. Jozé (1853–1924), organist and composer * William Henry Kearns (1794–1846), 19th-century composer * Vincent Kennedy (born 1962), contemporary Irish composer * Michael Kelly (1762–1826), tenor and opera composer * T.C. Kelly (1917–1985), neo-romantic 20th-century composer * John Kinsella (1932–2021), contemporary composer

L – O

John F. Larchet John Francis Larchet (13 July 1884 – 10 August 1967) was an Irish composer and teacher. He studied at Trinity College Dublin (MusB 1915, MusD 1917), also at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) with Michele Esposito. Larchet was music direc ...

(1884–1967), late romantic composer and influential teacher * Richard Michael Levey (1811–1899), 19th-century composer, violinist and conductor *

Samuel Lover Samuel Lover (24 February 1797 – 6 July 1868), also known as "Ben Trovato" ("well invented"), was an Irish songwriter, composer and novelist, and a portrait painter, chiefly in miniatures. He was the grandfather of Victor Herbert. Life Lov ...

(1799–1868), composer of operettas and songs * Michael McGlynn (born 1964), contemporary composer, founder of choral group

Anúna Anúna (stylized in all caps) is a vocal ensemble formed in Ireland in 1987 by Irish composer Michael McGlynn under the name An Uaithne. Taking the current name in 1991,Allmusic Biography/ref> the group has recorded 18 albums and achieved a ...

* John McLachlan (born 1964), contemporary composer *

Paul McSwiney Paul McSwiney or Paul Mac Swiney (March 1856 – 17 November 1889) was an Irish composer and dramatist who emigrated to the United States. A talented artist with a number of pioneering performances in both Cork and New York, he unsuccessfully trie ...

(1856–1890), 19th-century composer * Philip Martin (born 1947), contemporary composer and pianist * Frederick May (1911–1985), 20th-century composer * Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950), early 20th-century English composer with Irish connections *

James Lynam Molloy James Lynam Molloy (19 August 1837 – 4 February 1909) was an Irish composer, poet, and author. His songs were praised by his contemporaries; one said that he "will be remembered, or certainly his songs will, long after the 'superior' and so-c ...

(1837–1909), composer of popular ballads * Peter K. Moran (1767–1831), early 19th-century composer * Gráinne Mulvey (born 1966), contemporary composer *

Alicia Adelaide Needham Alicia may refer to: People * Alicia (given name), list of people with this name * Alisha (singer) (born 1968), US pop singer * Melinda Padovano (born 1987), a professional wrestler, known by her ring name, Alicia Places * Alicia, Bohol, Phil ...

(1863–1945), composer of popular ballads *

Havelock Nelson Havelock Nelson (25 May 1917 – 5 August 1996) was an Irish composer and conductor. Life Nelson was born in Cork and studied in Dublin with Dina Copeman and Dorothy Stokes at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, organ with George Hewson and comp ...

(1917–1996), 20th-century light music composer * Ailís Ní Ríain (born 1974), contemporary composer *

Robert O'Dwyer Robert O'Dwyer (in Irish: Riobárd Ó Duibhir) (27 January 1862 – 6 January 1949) was an Irish composer mainly known for having written one of the first operas in the Irish language. Biography Robert O'Dwyer was born to Irish parents in Brist ...

(1862–1949), early 20th-century composer * Kane O'Hara (c.1711–1782), composer of burlettas (early comic operas) * Eoin O'Keeffe (born 1979), contemporary composer *

Joseph O'Kelly Joseph O'Kelly (29 January 1828 – 9 January 1885), composer, pianist and choral conductor, was the most prominent member of a family of Irish musicians in 19th- and early 20th-century France. He wrote nine operas, four cantatas, numerous piano ...

(1828–1885), Franco-Irish romantic composer * Arthur O'Leary (1834–1919), 19th-century composer *

Jane O'Leary Jane O'Leary (born 13 October 1946) is an American-born Irish musician and composer who has been living in Ireland since 1972. Biography Jane O'Leary (née Strong) was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She graduated ''summa com laude'' from Vassa ...

(born 1946), contemporary American-Irish composer *

Seán Ó Riada Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971), was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figur ...

(1931–1971), 20th-century composer and arranger of

traditional Irish music Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there we ...

George Alexander Osborne George Alexander Osborne (24 September 1806 – 16 November 1893) was an Irish composer and pianist. Biography Osborne was born in Limerick. He left Ireland at the age of eighteen for Brussels, where he was appointed music instructor for the el ...

(1806–1893), 19th-century piano composer

P – Z

Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer (, 8 October 1882 – 29 November 1957) was an Irish composer, mainly of operas and vocal music, among them the first musical settings of poems by James Joyce. Biography Palmer was born of Protestant Irish parents in S ...

(1882–1957), 20th-century composer * Annie Patterson (1868–1934), early 20th-century composer and musicologist * A. J. Potter (1918–1980), 20th-century composer * Joseph Robinson (1815–1898), 19th-century composer, conductor, and teacher *

William Michael Rooke William Michael Rooke (29 September 1794 – 14 October 1847) was an Irish violinist and composer. Biography Born William Michael O'Rourke in South Great George's Street, Dublin, he was the son of a local tradesman. He studied counterpoint with P ...

(1794–1847), 19th-century opera composer * Thomas Roseingrave (c.1690–1766), baroque composer *

Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 – 29 March 1924) was an Anglo-Irish composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Romantic era. Born to a well-off and highly musical family in Dublin, Stanford was educated at the ...

(1852–1924), prominent late romantic composer *

John Andrew Stevenson Sir John Andrew Stevenson (November 1761 – 14 September 1833) was an Irish composer. He is best known for his piano arrangements of ''Irish Melodies'' with poet Thomas Moore. He was granted an honorary doctorate by the University of Dublin and ...

(1761–1833), composer of operas and of the original accompaniments to Moore's Melodies *

Robert Prescott Stewart Sir Robert Prescott Stewart (16 December 1825 – 24 March 1894) was an Irish composer, organist, conductor, and teacher – one of the most influential (classical) musicians in 19th-century Ireland. Biography Stewart was born in Dublin; his gr ...

(1825–1894), 19th-century composer, organist and conductor *

Hope Temple Hope Temple, born as Alice Maude Davis (27 December 1859 – 10 May 1938) was an Irish songwriter and composer. She was also known as Mrs André Messager. Life Alice Davis was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was known professionally as Hope Temp ...

(1859–1938), composer of popular ballads *

George William Torrance George William Torrance (25 July 1835 – 20 August 1907) was an Irish composer, mainly of church music, who was resident in Australia for many years. Early life Torrance was born in Rathmines, Dublin and became a choirboy at Christ Church Cat ...

(1835–1907), 19th-century composer *

Joan Trimble Joan Trimble (18 June 1915 – 6 August 2000) was an Irish composer and pianist. Education and career Trimble was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. She studied piano with Annie Lord at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, ...

(1915–2000), 20th-century composer *

Gerard Victory Thomas Joseph Gerard Victory (24 December 1921 – 14 March 1995) was a prolific Irish composer. He wrote over two hundred works across many genres and styles, including tonal, serial, aleatoric and electroacoustic music. Biography Victory w ...

(1921–1995), 20th-century composer *

Kevin Volans Kevin Volans (born 26 July 1949) is a South African born Irish composer and pianist. He studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Mauricio Kagel in Cologne in the 1970s and later became associated with the ''Neue Einfacheit'' (New Simplicity) mov ...

(born 1949), contemporary composer born in South Africa, now an Irish citizen * Joseph Augustine Wade (1796–1845), 19th-century composer * W. Vincent Wallace (1812–1865), 19th-century composer of operas and piano music *

Jennifer Walshe Jennifer Walshe (born 1 June 1974) is an Irish composer, vocalist and artist. Biography Jennifer Walshe was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1974. She studied composition with John Maxwell Geddes at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, ...

(born 1974), contemporary composer and vocal artist * Bill Whelan (born 1950), contemporary composer * Ian Wilson (born 1964), contemporary composer * James Wilson (1922–2005), prolific Irish-based composer * Charles Wood (1866–1926), late romantic composer, known for his church music * Richard Woodward (c.1743–1777), baroque composer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish Composers, List Of

Composers A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...