A LIMERICK musician has been awarded the highest accolade in traditional Irish music.
Adare accordion player Derek Hickey was awarded a Gradam Ceoil TG4 award at a special concert at the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy.
Gradam Ceoil TG4, now in its 27th year, recognises and celebrates the best in performance and cultural impact across Irish traditional music.
Mr Hickey was bestowed with the award following an illustrious career in trad music, that started when he was 10 years old when he picked up the accordion.
He progressed to dance tunes within a matter of weeks, eventually beginning lessons with Dónal de Barra when he was 12 years old.
Three years later, when he was 15-years-old, his professional career began, joining Shannonside Céilí Band, founded by the Liddy family, with whom he toured all over England and Europe.
In 1991, Frankie Gavin asked Mr Hickey to join him on his regular sessions in Galway, joining Arcady the following year.
In 1996, Mr Hickey joined De Dannan recording two albums with them and paying with them until they disbanded in 2003.
He is now the button accordion tutor on the BA Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.
Mr Hickey is widely acknowledged as one of Ireland’s most prominent and influential accordion players, with his self-titled 2022 album deemed by fellow box player Dermot Byrne as “a recording of a pure genius”.
