Boylan Jnr makes all the right sounds

Sean Boylan junior was often seen standing beside his father when the legendary Meath manager would run on the pitch at the end of games, but the youngster still chose a career far away from football.

Boylan, now 22, is fast establishing a reputation as one of Ireland’s best young baritones, and he’s quick to point out that there was more to life than GAA in his Dunboyne household.

“Music was always a part of family life at home. At any available opportunity, I would sit at the piano and make music and family parties took place around it,” he explains.

Boylan first began singing in the local primary school choir and under director, the late Josephine Healy, everybody got an opportunity to sing solo. At secondary school at Belvedere College he got the lead in the musical in first year.

Also at school, a teacher heard him playing and suggested he take some formal lessons. So he began organ and piano lessons in autumn 2006. The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) must have been very pleased with their new recruit when a year later Boylan won the Junior Organ Cup in the Feis Ceoil and the Esposito Cup for Piano.

While progressing with his keyboard studies, Boylan began taking singing lessons on the side. Halfway through he switched to voice. “Singing just naturally took over. I was spending so much time every day trying to sing on another instrument and suddenly I thought, well why can’t use the instrument I already have, my own voice.

“I always loved theatre, and I became more interested in opera. One Christmas Eve, I played at Mass in my alma mater, and as a thank you, the late Gerry Haugh gave me a CD of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. From the moment I heard that overture and the opening scene, I was hooked.”

The clincher came when Boylan was accompanying a student singer at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival. “I was simply blown away by the power, colour and excitement of the sung voice up-close then I thought, yes, I have to know more about this. I began to take my singing a lot more seriously.”

Having graduated from RIAM, next year will be a very busy one for Boylan. “I won’t be on a full-time course in an institution but I have designed a course of my own. I will travel to investigate masters courses abroad, work on my languages, as well as singing many recitals, and opera roles.”

Boylan name-checks three people who have inspired him in his career.

“Virginia Kerr has taught me to treasure and respect my voice, and has always guided me with honesty and my best interests at heart. Ann Murray, for being the master of whatever it is she sings. Simon Keenlyside, for being a storyteller. For me, the aim is to communicate, not just make nice sounds.”

Since Sean Boylan Snr retired from managing the Meath football team, he has largely concentrated on the family tradition of herbalism. Sean Jnr is glad of the help to keep his voice in check.

“There is a tonic my dad prescribes for the voice; it’s wonderful. The late Margaret Burke-Sheridan was a great fan of this (she got it from my grandfather) and she brought it all around the world with her.” If his career continues in its current trajectory, Sean Jnr could soon be doing the same.

Sean Boylan sings the lunchtime recital in Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh, Dublin, accompanied by David O’Shea, piano at 1.10pm on Friday, August 22. He also plays the role of Amida in the 2015 RIAM production of Cavelli’s Ormido.