Cathal Hayden

Who is Cathal Hayden?

Cathal Sean Hayden is an Irish fiddle and banjo player of note. He was born on 13 July 1963, in the village of the Rock, County Tyrone, outside Pomeroy, an area immersed in traditional music.

The third in the family of eight, he was born into a deep musical background. His father played the banjo and fiddle, and his mother was a pianist, while both grandfathers were fiddle players. Hayden has been All-Ireland Champion on both banjo and fiddle. He is a member of the group Four Men and a Dog whose first album, Barking Mad won the Folk Roots best new album award in 1991.