Biographical Note

Dr. Mick Moloney (1944-2022) was a musician, folklorist, and Global Distinguished Professor of Music and Irish Studies at New York University. He immigrated to the United States in 1973, earning a Ph.D. in folklore and folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. He has recorded and produced over forty albums of traditional music, acted as an advisor for scores of festivals and concerts, and served as artistic director for the musical ensemble The Green Fields of America. In 1999, Moloney was awarded the National Heritage Award of the National Endowment of the Arts, the highest official honor of traditional artist can receive in the United States. Moloney is the author of Far from the Shamrock Shore (2002) and numerous essays on Irish music and musical culture, and the co-editor of  Close to the Floor: Irish Dance from the Boreen to Broadway (2009).

Sources: Steve Winnick, "From Limerick Rake to Solid Man: The Musical Life of Mick Moloney," Dirty Linen, No. 48 (October/November 1993) 1999 NEA National Heritage Fellowships: http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/fellow.php?id=1999_11 Mick Moloney, Musician and Folklorist: http://www.mickmoloney.com