Proinsias Ó Maonaigh

Proinsias Ó Maonaigh (Irish pronunciation: [ˈpˠɾˠɪn̠ʲʃiəsˠ oː ˈmˠiːn̪ˠiː]) or Francie Mooney (28 April 1922 – 28 March 2006[1]) was a fiddler from Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Ireland.

Born in Gaoth Dobhair in 1922 as the youngest of eight children, he was a son of a famous musician from the area Róise Mhór who would have played with An Píobaire Mór ("The Great Piper") Tarlach Mac Suibhne.

Scottish folk group Battlefield Band popularised the song as "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" (which they recorded and released in 1976 on their debut album Farewell to Nova Scotia).

His funeral was one of the biggest ever seen in County Donegal[citation needed], and acts such as Skara Brae, Altan, Paul Brady and Clannad paid tribute to him at the requiem mass in Gaoth Dobhair.

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's début solo album, Imeall (2009) features a piece of music which she composed in memory of her father entitled "An Fidleoir" (The Fiddler).

Francie's grandson and fiddle player Ciarán Ó Maonaigh is the recipient of the 2003 TG4 Musician of the Year Award.

[6] In late 2013 / early 2014, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, her siblings Anna Ní Mhaonaigh (whistle) and Gearóid Ó Maonaigh (guitar), and her nephew Ciarán Ó Maonaigh (fiddle & bouzouki) formed the Irish folk music band Na Mooneys on the occasion of the very last Frankie Kennedy Winter School which occurred in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland[nb 1] where they performed their first ever show.

Francie's grave at Machaire Gathlán Cemetery in Gweedore, County Donegal.