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Johnny Óg Connolly is an accordion player and composer from Conamara.
He learned a great deal of his music from his father Johnny Connolly, and from Micheál Mheáirt Ó Coisdealbha. He was also greatly influenced by musicians Joe Burke and Andy McGann. Aged fourteen, he spent some time playing with the Conamara group Na hAncairí. His music has brought Johnny Óg across the world and in 2013 he settled in Conamara.
He has recorded three solo albums to date, Joshua’s Dream in 2011 which won Traditional album of the year in the Irish Times Ticket Awards. This was followed by Siar in 2016 and Fear Inisbearachain in 2018, a melodeon tribute to his father.
All of his albums contain some of his own compositions. He has recorded two duet albums with Brian Mcgrath and the late Charlie Lennon. He has also composed two song cycles based on poems by Máirtín Ó Direáin (An tEarrach Thiar) and Fad Saoil featuring poems by the late Joe Steve Ó Neachtáin. His most recent work was a commision from The Arts Council and Stiúideo Cuan called An Cosán Draíochta, an original mix of tunes, song and narrative based on the life of his father Johnny Connolly who hailed from from the Conamara island of Inis Bearachain. Cosán draíochta was the name the islanders gave the path that appeared during low tide from Inis Bearachain to the mainland.
He is also in receipt of a bursary from Ealaíon na Gaeltachta to research Conamara music.
Most of the ten tunes that Johnny composed for the Saothar series in February 2025 are new compositions and will form part of a wider recording commission he has received from The Arts Council.
