As well as being an accomplished
jazz pianist, he was most famous for being the conductor of many Irish entries to the
Eurovision Song Contest, beginning in 1966 and ending in 1998. He conducted five winning Irish entries, in 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, and 1996. In 1994, the winning song was performed without orchestral accompaniment. However, an entry rated second that year, "
To nie ja!" performed by
Edyta Górniak from
Poland, was also conducted by Kelehan. He also conducted the entry from
Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993. In total, Kelehan conducted 29 Eurovision entries, 24 of them Irish. In 1999, after Kelehan retired, the use of an orchestra was discontinued at the Contest. He died at the age of 76, in
Dublin on 6 February 2012, after a long illness. His funeral took place in Dublin on 9 February 2012. ==Performance credits==