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06 Sept 2025

Pictures: Special event brings Ancient Voices to stunning Kells Priory in Kilkenny

Event aims to connect communities to their local history through contemporary performance

Reporter:

Kilkenny People

29 Jul 2024 7:59 PM

Email:

sam.matthews@kilkennypeople.ie

The first event in a series entitled Ancient Voices at Kells Priory took place last weekend.
A unique event in Ireland's Ancient East, the event aims to connect communities to their local history through contemporary performance. The audience were invited to ‘Lift the Gate’ into their memory by local poet Ben MacCaoilte who took the audience through a journey of performance poetry and storytelling of people and places that resonated with him.
Ben was accompanied by the simply outstanding Eire Ní Fhaolain on harp and fiddle. Éire's sean-nós singing was the musical highlight of the evening. Special guest was Cuan Duignan from Johnswell on Saxaphone who opened up the evening and the trio got together to get the audience participating for the final act of the evening, just as the sun set.
Event organiser Liam O’Sullivan was thrilled with the response to the first event: "We knew we were onto a winner when the event sold out in advance and we could see people were willing to travel to see a performance here," he said. "It’s a very special place, visually draw dropping yet serene and peaceful. Kells Priory oozes 800 years of history and stories to be told. We know artists will want to experience what it’s like to perform here; the backdrop is jawdropping, the high walls add a dimension to the acoustics and there’s a spiritual dimension here that you just don’t get anywhere else.”
 
The next event in the series will see Bafta Award Winner Kevin Toolis from Achill Island explore the Irish traditions of death in his performance ‘My Fathers Wake’ which has already toured extensively. Kevin is in Kells on August 31 at 7pm and tickets are on sale via Eventbrite. You can follow Ancient Voices at Kells Priory on Facebook and Instagram.

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