Who we are
The Sean Shannon Music Foundation is an organisation that was set up in 2025 to honour and continue the legacy of Sean Shannon.
At its heart, the Foundation is about fostering a love of music in young people who face barriers to accessing a quality musical education and opportunities. We believe that music has the power to transform lives, to ignite creativity, and to build bridges across social divides.
To achieve this, we are launching an annual concert series featuring some of Ireland’s most renowned musicians, creating unforgettable experiences that both entertain and inspire. These events serve as the primary source of funding for our bursary program, which provides financial assistance to talented young musicians from socioeconomically challenging backgrounds. Our bursaries help cover costs associated with tuition, instruments, and other essential resources, ensuring that financial hardship doesn't stand in the way of their musical dreams.
But we offer more than just financial aid. The Sean Shannon Music Foundation strives to create a supportive community where young musicians can thrive. We connect them with mentors, provide performance opportunities, and offer guidance as they navigate their musical journeys. We believe in nurturing the highest standards of musical talent and providing opportunities for young musicians to reach their full potential.
The Sean Shannon Music Foundation invites you to be a part of our mission. Attend our concerts, spread the word, or consider making a donation to support the next generation of musicians. Together, we can keep the music alive and honour Sean's legacy by ensuring that access to musical opportunities is determined not by circumstance, but by passion and potential.
Sean’s Story
Sean was a talented and accomplished 18 year old pianist from Ennis, Co. Clare. He was renowned from a very young age as a gifted musician. He began his musical journey by teaching himself on a toy keyboard containing just 5 keys. He would recount melodies by ear, and learn songs and techniques by watching YouTube tutorials. Then at the age of 12, he was given access to subsidised piano lessons through Music Generation. Sean quickly excelled under the guidance of his first proper mentor, and soon gained recognition from his local community as a prodigy. At 14, Sean answered an open invitation to play the baby grand piano located in the foyer of glór. Sean would spend his afternoons from then on practicing in the foyer. He was quickly recognised by the glór creative directors and patrons for his incredible musicality and for the maturity of his sound, despite his tender age. Sean was named glór’s Young Associated Artist of 2022, which gave him the opportunity to perform his debut solo concert.
In 2021, Sean featured in a Nationwide special which showcased his extraordinary talents. In this program, he expressed his hopes of attending the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) for his Bachelor’s Degree and spoke of his ambitions to later study abroad in Europe. In 2022, Sean was awarded a full scholarship to the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
In 2023, Sean starred in the RTÉ TV special “Face The Music.” The documentary followed him as he navigated his first year in the RIAM.
Sean sadly passed away in August 2023 after a tragic accident whilst traveling abroad. He had just finished the first year of his Bachelor’s Degree in the RIAM.
Sean was an exceptional musician, son, brother, student, teacher and friend. With the Sean Shannon Music Foundation, we hope to keep Sean’s memory alive, and carry on his legacy for generations to come.
