Dr Ryan Molloy

    Music

    Gaeilge agus fáilte

    Associate Professor

    Logic House
    109
    (01) 708 3730
    http://www.ryanmolloy.ie

    Biography

    Ryan Molloy’s compositional work engages with the boundary of contemporary music and traditional Irish music, drawing on his extensive experience as a traditional Irish fiddler and pianist. Ryan’s has written over fifty works and his music has been performed to audiences on four continents for over fifteen years, as well as featuring regularly in national and international TV and radio broadcasts (including BBC, RTÉ and UTV). Ryan was awarded the prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil Composer of the Year in 2024. He has been commissioned by both RTÉ and the BBC, as well as a range of renowned performers such as the Danish String Quartet, Ulster Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, and Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble. He has represented Ireland at the prestigious ISCM World New Music Days festivals in Hong Kong (2015), Vancouver (2017) and Auckland/Christchurch (2022).

    Ryan has recorded on over thirty albums as a pianist, composer and arranger and in both 2020 and 2021 he was nominated in the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Best Folk Instrumentalist category in recognition of this work. Described as a ‘milestone’ in traditional piano performance, Ryan’s critically acclaimed first solo recording ‘pianophony’ was released in 2019 and his recent works, including casúir ’s cnaipí and PIANOBOXING, showcase his innovative approach to traditional piano performance.
     
    Ryan is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre (www.cmc.ie).

    Visit     www.ryanmolloy.ie for information on other works, performances and recordings.

    Research Interests

    • Irish ‘art music’ from the late twentieth century to the present;
    • Irish traditional music and its development in the late Twentieth Century;
    • Postmodern nationalist aesthetics in Irish art music;
    • Microinterval modality in older traditional Irish music; 
    • New compositional styles allowing fuller incorporation of Irish traditional music in the contemporary medium;
    • The examination of identity in contemporary art and the response of contemporary performers to ‘traditional’ material;
    • The place of contemporary composition in modern society;
    • Cultural contexts of improvisation
    I am interested in hearing from potential MA or PhD students or postdoctoral collaborators. If you have any queries or proposals, please contact me at [email protected].

    Composition

    Year Publication
    2024 Ryan Molloy; David Stifter (2024) Rétglu etir rind. [Composition]
    2023 Ryan Molloy (2023) PIANOBOXING. [Composition]
    2021 Ryan Molloy (2021) Sraith na Búille (The Boyle Suite). Dublin: [Composition]
    2021 Ryan Molloy (2021) dlúthinneach. Dublin: [Composition]
    2021 Ryan Molloy (2021) Casúir ’s Cnaipí. Dublin: [Composition]
    2020 Ryan Molloy (2020) The Ballycommon Suite. Dublin: [Composition]
    2020 Ryan Molloy (2020) Luasc. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2020 Ryan Molloy (2020) Arcady. Dublin: [Composition]
    2020 Ryan Molloy (2020) Síoglór. Dublin: [Composition]
    2019 Ryan Molloy (2019) Gealán. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2019 Ryan Molloy (2019) Adeste Fideles Fanfare. Dublin: [Composition]
    2019 Ryan Molloy (2019) Trí Amhrán. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Dúchann. [Composition]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Ogham. [Composition]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) The Mountains of Pomeroy. [Composition] [Link]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Loinnir Laoise. [Composition] [Link]
    2018 Ryan Molloy & Martin Dyar (2018) Buaine na Gaoithe. [Composition]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Béal. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Tu Es Petrus. CMC: [Composition]
    2017 Ryan Molloy (2017) Amhrán Fheilimidh. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2016 Dr Ryan Molloy (2016) Be Thou My Vision. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2016 Dr Ryan Molloy (2016) Violin Concerto. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2016 Dr Ryan Molloy (2016) for Morton O'Leary. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2016 Dr Ryan Molloy (2016) Gortnagarn (II). Dublin: [Composition]
    2016 Dr Ryan Molloy (2016) Death and the Post Office. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2015 Dr Ryan Molloy (2015) Meithealated Spirits. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2015 Dr Ryan Molloy (2015) Irish Suite. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2015 Dr Ryan Molloy (2015) Innisfail. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2014 Dr Ryan Molloy (2014) Seisiún. [Composition] [Link]
    2014 Dr Ryan Molloy (2014) Cantaireacht. [Composition] [Link]
    2014 Dr Ryan Molloy (2014) Bodhrán v.1.0. Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2014 Dr Ryan Molloy (2014) Clearances (III). Dublin: [Composition] [Link]
    2013 Dr Ryan Molloy (2013) Concertino. [Composition] [Link]
    2013 Dr Ryan Molloy (2013) Gealach Críoch Lochlann. [Composition] [Link]
    2013 Dr Ryan Molloy (2013) Salve Regina. [Composition]
    2012 Dr Ryan Molloy (2012) Sliabh Geal gCua. [Composition] [Link]
    2012 Dr Ryan Molloy (2012) Between The Tunes. [Composition] [Link]
    2012 Dr Ryan Molloy (2012) Jolly, Slender Beggarman. [Composition] [Link]
    2012 Dr Ryan Molloy (2012) For A Lone Piper. [Composition] [Link]
    2012 Dr Ryan Molloy (2012) Innisfail. [Composition] [Link]
    2011 Dr Ryan Molloy (2011) Séamsur II. [Composition] [Link]
    2011 Dr Ryan Molloy (2011) Séamsur IV. [Composition] [Link]
    2011 Dr Ryan Molloy (2011) Gortnagarn. [Composition] [Link]
    2011 Dr Ryan Molloy (2011) Séamsur III. [Composition] [Link]
    2010 Dr Ryan Molloy (2010) Third Epistle to Timothy. [Composition] [Link]
    2010 Dr Ryan Molloy (2010) Aisling Airt Mhic Cumhaigh. [Composition] [Link]
    2010 Dr Ryan Molloy (2010) Séamsur I. [Composition] [Link]
    2009 Dr Ryan Molloy (2009) An Seilgeoir. [Composition] [Link]
    2008 Dr Ryan Molloy (2008) Sætre Brygge. [Composition] [Link]
    2008 Dr Ryan Molloy (2008) Mise Éire. [Composition] [Link]

    Recording

    Year Publication
    2025 Fergal Scahill; Ryan Molloy (2025) The Gannet's Dive. [Recording]
    2024 Conor Caldwell; Ryan Molloy (2024) Oh, Listen to the Band!. [Recording]
    2023 Brian Fitzgerald; Ryan Molloy (2023) Turning Hay with a Crowbar. [Recording]
    2023 Ryan Molloy; Charlie Le Brun (2023) Breton. [Recording] [Link]
    2023 Conor Arkins; Paul Clesham; Ryan Molloy (2023) The Morning Thrush. [Recording]
    2022 Cathal Ó Curráin; Ryan Molloy; Marty Barry (2022) Cosán Ceoil. [Recording] [Link]
    2022 Ryan Molloy; Stephen Doherty; David Doocey; Kieran Leonard (2022) NxNW. [Recording] [Link]
    2021 Ryan Molloy, Martin Dyar, The Damselfly Trio, Liz Pearse (2021) Buaine na Gaoithe. [Recording] [Link]
    2021 Ryan Molloy; Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble (2021) Gortnagarn II. [Recording] [Link]
    2021 Ryan Molloy (2021) Tempered. [Recording] [Link]
    2020 Ryan Molloy; Barry Kerr; Niamh Dunne (2020) Cairn. [Recording] [Link]
    2019 Ryan Molloy (2019) Pianophony. [Recording] [Link]
    2019 Fergal Scahill & Ryan Molloy (2019) One Day :: November Woods. [Recording] [Link]
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) new music::new ireland 3. [Recording] [Link]
    2017 Alexander Bernstein & Ryan Molloy (2017) Innisfail & other piano works. [Recording] [Link]
    2016 We Banjo 3 (2016) String Theory. [Recording] [Link]
    2015 We Banjo 3 (2015) Live in Galway. [Recording] [Link]
    2014 Seamus Walshe (2014) Turas. [Recording] [Link]
    2013 David Doocey (2013) Changing Time. [Recording] [Link]
    2012 Fergal Scahill & Ryan Molloy (2012) Wayfaring. [Recording] [Link]
    2012 Trad Noise Trio (2012) twentytwelve. [Recording] [Link]
    2012 David Munnelly & Mick Conneely (2012) Tis What It Is. [Recording] [Link]
    2010 Shauna Mullin (2010) The Wishing Tree. [Recording] [Link]
    2009 Dean Warner (2009) The Northern Box. [Recording] [Link]
    2009 David Munnelly Band (2009) Tight Squeeze. [Recording] [Link]
    2008 Paul McGlinchey (2008) Unearthed. [Recording] [Link]
    2008 Fergal Scahill & Ryan Molloy (2008) The Dusty Bridge. [Recording] [Link]
    2007 Paul Brock & Enda Scahill (2007) Humdinger. [Recording] [Link]
    2006 David Munnelly Band (2006) By Heck. [Recording] [Link]
    2006 Kieran Munnelly & Aidan O (2006) In Safe Hands. [Recording] [Link]

    Media

    Year Publication
    2015 Dr Ryan Molloy (2015) Good Boy. Belfast: [Media]

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2019 Ryan Molloy (2019) Future Folk A summary of recent performance and compositional practice in Traditional Irish Music Newnham College, Cambridge University, 05/09/2019-07/09/2019.
    2017 Ryan Molloy (2017) Folk Music Analysis 2017 Microinterval Modality In Irish Traditional Music - An Empirical Approach Málaga, ES, .

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2007 Molloy R.; Danielsson A.; Karlsson L.; Eland J. (2007) 'Double photoionisation spectra of small molecules and a new empirical rule for double ionisation energies'. Journal of Chemical Physics, 335 (1):49-54. [DOI]
    2006 Molloy R.; Eland J. (2006) 'Double photoionisation of toluene'. Chemical Physics Letters, 421 (1-3):31-35. [DOI]

    Invited papers

    Year Publication
    2015 Ryan Molloy (2015) Traditional Irish Music in String Quartet Form: the fabric of 'Gealach Chríoch Lochlann'. [Invited papers]

    Invited Seminars

    Year Publication
    2018 Ryan Molloy (2018) Traditional Contemporary Music: Conflicts of Identity/Influence. [Invited Seminars]
    2017 Ryan Molloy (2017) Traditional Contemporary Music: Conflicts of Identity/Influence. [Invited Seminars]
    2013 Ryan Molloy (2013) A Survey of Recent Compositional Work. [Invited Seminars]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    Music Generation Co-Chair of Local Music Education Partnership (Cavan-Monaghan) 01/01/2021 - 01/01/2026
    Association of Irish Composers Member 28/02/2013 -
    Irish Composers Collective Member 12/03/2010 - 30/04/2015

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    26/03/2024 TG4 Cumadóir na Bliana/Composer of the Year TG4
    10/11/2021 Nominee - Best Folk Instrumentalist, Best Traditional Folk Track RTÉ
    12/11/2020 Nominee - Best Folk Instrumentalist RTÉ
    01/01/2013 BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellowship
    01/01/2010 Winner - West Cork Music Composition Competition
    01/01/2009 Highly Commended - Jerome Hynes Composition Competition

    Education

    Start date Institution Qualification Subject
    Queen's University Belfast PhD in Composition
    University of Oxford MChem
    Queen's University Belfast MA in Composition

    Languages

    Language Reading Writing Speaking
    French Fluent Fluent Fluent
    Irish Fluent Fluent Fluent

    Recent Students

    Graduation date Name Degree
    2024 Pàdruig Morrison PhD in Composition
    2020 Kilian O'Kelly PhD in Composition