Junior Brother
Irish folk singer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronan Kealy (born 1993), known as Junior Brother, is an Irish alternative folk singer-songwriter from County Kerry.[1][2]
1993 (age 32–33)
Junior Brother | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ronan Kealy 1993 (age 32–33) Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland |
| Origin | County Kerry |
| Genres | alternative folk |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | guitar, tambourine |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Label | Strange Brew |
| Website | juniorbrother |
Early life
Kealy grew up in County Kerry. He attended St Brendan's College, Killarney and studied English in University College Cork and Ballyfermot College of Further Education.[3]
Career
Junior Brother moved to Dublin in 2014 to begin his career.[4] His stage name is taken from a character in the Elizabethan play The Revenger's Tragedy.[5] He was named as one of RTÉ's Rising Irish Stars of 2018,[6] and as one of The Irish Times' "Irish music contenders ready to break through in 2019".
His first album, Pull The Right Rope, was nominated for the Choice Music Prize.[7] In a 4-star review for The Irish Times, music journalist Tony Clayton-Lea wrote: "...the tales told here are full of wide-eyed wonders and keen observations. Between the clatter of one and clarity of the other, Junior Brother’s songs are the real deal."[8] Music website The Last Mixed Tape wrote of the album: "An album of pure expression, Pull The Right Rope is a masterclass in the sheer joy of creation."[9]
In March 2019 he appeared on The Tommy Tiernan Show,[10] and in April 2020 on Other Voices (Irish TV series).[11]
His third album The End was nominated for the 2025 Choice Music Prize. [12]
