Hot Press is very saddened to report the death of highly-respected Irish concert promoter Larry Roddy.

One of the founding members during the 1960s of the Irish Blues Appreciation Society, he was responsible for bringing such legendary figures as Champion Jack Dupree and Mississippi Fred McDowell here during their heyday, and also championed local talent through his Folk, Blues And Beyond sessions.

A 2008 musical tribute gig to Larry found such stalwarts as Paul Brady, Clive Barnes, Niall Toner, Thom Moore, Freddie White, Declan Sinnott and John Spillane taking to the stage in his honour.
He toured all over the world with Jeff Muldaur, Chris Smither and Tim O’Brien, and handled booking duties for the long-running Castlebar International Blues Festival.

"Larry has promoted and booked gig's in Ireland since the late 60's in the roots/blues/country/trad forms," virtuoso guitarist Clive Barnes told Hot Press last week. "He's the man who gave me all my first breaks and introduced me to so many people I now call friends from home and abroad like Jeff Lang, Peter Mulvey, Jeffrey Foucault and Chris Smither."

Knowing that Larry had been put into palliative care, Clive Barnes was anticipating that it was only a matter of time.

"It's so extremely sad," he said. "Of all the people in the business it's Larry I'm most fond of and owe so much."

"I remember the gigs in Slattery's well," Niall Stokes, editor of Hot Press added. "They were hugely influential. I recall one where Eyeless, a band I was in with my brother Dermot and Garry O Briain played alongside a young band down from Donegal by the name of Clannad. The sessions were a breeding ground for all sorts of talent – and some of those involved went on to play a hugely important part in the development of Irish music, from a creative point of view. But Larry was open to all of that breadth of great music. He played a big part in pushing music that was authentic and soulful forward, and in opening Ireland up to a much wider array of influences. He will be greatly missed."

The funeral will take place in Baltinglass in Co.Wicklow on Sunday.