John Hoban

John Hoban is an acclaimed composer, singer, musician and author from Castlebar, County Mayo in the West of Ireland. John has played and taught music all his life in the Troubadour tradition. He chose to learn his music with care over many years from some of Ireland’s most respected master musicians. John combines the best of the Irish tradition with an intimate, warm and raw sensibility that is his own. He is an accomplished player of fiddle/violin, banjo, cello, whistles, mandocello, Kora in addition to being a singer and composer of songs and music. He is highly regarded nationally and internationally for the unique and deeply personal nature of his music. He has recorded solo song and instrumental CD’s as well as performing on many collaborative recordings. John brings music to various and diverse communities and has worked extensively with the elderly, people with disabilities, rural communities, refugees, etc. He is also a collector of all types of music, stories and folklore. John is renowned as a gifted teacher who has developed a unique approach to art and music teaching for all ages. John is the author of two books, “From the Plain of The Yew Tree: The lifetime journey of a County Mayo Musician” and “Sound Men and Women: Yarns, Musings and Fierce Wit.” John Hoban is a recipient of the Traditional Arts Bursary award from the Arts Council of Ireland and he has also received awards from Culture Ireland, Creative Ireland and Mayo County Council Arts Service.