Sean Kelly

Sean hails from ‘Lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle’ but also has a very strong affiliation with Donegal, his spiritual home.

Sean’s’ interest in music started at a very young age listening to his mums’ record collection that featured Elvis Presley, Johnny cash and many of the Irish showband style singers including Brian Coll, Big Tom, Joe Dolan and Roly Daniels.

Sean’s first band was a rock outfit called Partisan that he joined when in London in 1986. Partisan enjoyed great live success playing at some of London’s best small music venues including The Mean Fiddler, Covent Garden’s Rock Garden and The Powerhouse.

When Sean came to New Zealand in 1990 he formed the original band Rat Race Choir which also enjoyed great live success playing in some of Auckland’s best live music venues, The Gluepot, Java Jive and the PowerStation.
When Auckland’s first Irish Bar, Kitty O’Brien’s opened up in 1992 his fate was sealed. Sean found his groove in the music of Christy Moore and continues to this day in that genre.

Sean is first and foremost a singer but also plays bodhran, whistle, low whistle and several years ago finally took up the guitar to write his own material which is now his first musical love. Sean has sung Irelands Call twice before Ireland Vs All Blacks’ games at Eden Park. His move to Thames in 2014 has allowed him to ‘give up his day job’ and he is now a full-time musician and that has allowed him to progress his musical chops as never before. The Sean Kelly & Friends gig at the Kauaeranga Hall in Thames is now an annual event occurring on the first Saturday of December and they have received much critical acclaim.

Sean is looking forward to the opportunity to be part of the Buddhist retreat at Sudarshanaloka over Easter weekend 2017 and particularly looks forward to communal song writing in the beautiful surroundings of Whakatete Bay in the Coromandel.