I was shocked and saddened to hear (on Raidió na Gaeltachta a few days ago) that this young singer has died. He was only 27 years old.

while the news is worst for his family and close friends, I feel sad for myself that I won't get to hear Ciarán sing again, nor attend another workshop with him teaching. He had a beautiful voice and way of singing which I believe would be appreciated even by people who don't especially enjoy the sean-nós. I'm glad that Ciarán was amply recognised in his short lifetime; he was last year's recipient of Corn Uí Riada

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0207/1233867925302.html

Tributes to scholar and sean-nós singer
Lorna Siggins, Western Correspondent

TRIBUTES have been paid to linguist and sean-nós singer Ciarán Ó Con Cheanainn who has died suddenly at the age of 27.

"A great light gone out," was how Dr Lillis Ó Laoire, NUI Galway lecturer in Irish and folklore, described Ó Con Cheanainn's death yesterday, while Cumann Merriman described his death as a great loss for Irish cultural life.

Ó Con Cheanainn, who was found dead earlier this week, was from Salahoona in Spiddal, Co Galway, and took his undergraduate degree at NUIG. He pursued postgraduate work at UCD and was lecturing there while also completing his doctorate on Irish language song tradition.

Dr Ó Laoire described him as a very accomplished writer, singer and academic, who was a "great hope" in terms of Irish language research and culture. "He was both a performer and a scholar, shy and unsure but with a wonderful instrument in his voice," Dr Ó Laoire said.

Last year, Ó Con Cheanainn became the youngest winner on record of the Corn Uí Riada at Féile an Oireachtais before an audience of 700 people.

The award is regarded as the ultimate accolade for sean-nós singing.

He was also a committee member with Sean-Nós Cois Life, the Dublin sean-nós festival.