- Begley was renowned as a raconteur and for his stage presence and wit and influenced many younger singers and musicians.
- Begley was invited to perform on the An Irish Christmas tour in America and this led to a duet album with Oisín Mac Diarmada, Le Chéile/Together, on accordion and fiddle only, and An Irish Christmas Soundscape, both in 2012. In the same year, he was invited to join the group Téada, of which Mac Diarmada is a member, and the box player performed and recorded with the band over the subsequent decade. He also undertook a Music Network tour with Scottish musicians Catriona Mckay and Chris Stout.
- In 2013, Begley was presented by Mary Black with the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Amhranaí na Bliana/Singer of the Year award.
- In a 2020 'Se Mo Laoch documentary on TG4, Begley explained the importance of music in his life: (...if it wasn't for music... I often talk to my children Méabh and Eoin about it... Where would we be? Where would we be without music? What would we be doing? I couldn't imagine it.).
- In 2015 he released his solo album The Bold Kerryman, which featured Damien Dempsey in a duet of the song 'The Banks of the Sweet Primroses'.
- Begley was regarded as one of Ireland's greatest accordion players.
- Begley learned his music at home and began playing at the local céilí at the age of 13.
- One of a family of nine, his father, Breandán Ó Beaglaoich, owned the local dance hall and was a well-known accordionist.
- He collaborated with Steve Cooney on the album Meitheal in 1992.
- Waterboys frontman Mike Scott called him the finest of all Irish musicians adding that Begley was perhaps the most beautiful singer he had ever heard.
- He was an Irish accordion player, fiddler and Irish traditional musician.
- Begley and his sister paired up again on Planxtaí Bhaile na bPoc in 1989, the same year he played at the Glastonbury Festival with Steve Cooney.
- He released his first album, An Ciarraíocjh Mallaithe, with his sister Máire in 1973.
- Begley partnered with the likes of Jim Murray, Mary Black, Sharon Shannon and Tim Edey, producing further albums.
- Seamus was one of the most popular Irish traditional musicians, coming from one of the most musically acclaimed Irish families. He was the quintessential Irish musician, an eager storyteller known for his sharp wit and famous for pumping out tune after tune at all-night sessions. He played with an energy that was alarming, bringing a frisky spontaneity to his box-playing, belting out jigs, slides and polkas with rapid sprays of reckless ornamentation before making a sudden key change into a bitter-sweet air, sung or played on the accordion. His repertoire reflected his own place and his style of playing was much influenced by a now gone generation of accordion and fiddle players who came to céilí in his family home.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content