Gregory Grene

Gregory Grene born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to a small farm in Co. Cavan, Ireland when he was five months old. He divided his time growing up between the two places, studying accordion with Sean Donaghue in Ireland and Liz Carroll in Chicago, under whose tutelage he won the Midwest Fleadh Ceoil in the Junior and Senior Divisions. At Trinity College Dublin he spent my time hanging out in the Buttery Bar, where he ended up founding the Dublin University Traditional Music Society and writing a Guide to Dublin Pubs which became the object of a libel lawsuit by the Shelbourne Hotel.

As a result he still has a thousand or so stacked in his apartment. He is the primary and only remaining member of the original lineup of the Prodigals and still tours with them to this day in their many incarnations.

Influences: Joe Burke, James Keane, Josephine Marsh, Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes, Solas, Tannahill Weavers, Relativity and Silly Wizard, Sharon Shannon, Dermot Byrne, Deanta, Shane MacGowan