The truly GREAT Paddy Moloney, The Chieftains founder, dies aged 83

The death has been announced of the founder and leader of The Chieftains, Paddy Moloney.

President Michael D Higgins has led the tributes, saying he was at the forefront of the renaissance of interest in Irish music. From Donnycarney in north Dublin, he grew up in a musical family and began playing the tin whistle and then the uileann pipes, learning from the pipe master Leo Rowsome. He formed several groups with musicians in duets and trios, and in 1962 formed the band that would become The Chieftains Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy.

The Chieftains went on to become one of the best-known Irish traditional groups in the world, winning six Grammys as well as many other awards.

Mr Moloney and The Chieftains worked with a vast range of artists over their long career, making guest appearances with and contributing to albums by Ry Cooder, Marianne Faithful, Mick Jagger, Elvis Costello, and Sinead O'Connor. In 1987 they recorded the acclaimed 1987 album Irish Heartbeat album with Van Morrison.

Mr Moloney, who also played button accordion and bodhrán, was the main composer and arranger of The Chieftains' music and composed for films, including Treasure Island, The Grey Fox, Braveheart, Gangs of New York, and Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.

He was married to artist Rita O'Reilly and had three children, Aonghus Moloney, Padraig Moloney, and the actress and producer Aedin Moloney.

So the current negotiating number is between 1.9 and 2.3tn dollars.

It might be a complete coincidence but the cost for the 3.5tn is spread out over 10 years so to fully fund the programs for 6 years would be 60% of 3.5 = 2.1 trillion, slap bang in the middle of the suggested negotiating numbers. I think most people would take that and hope that the Democrats can get 2 more Senators, to make this more of a permanent fixture.