Folk legends set for concert in Kilkenny venue

RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Singer of the Year 2022 Muireann Nic Amlaoibh will perform in concert with her Trio at Ionad Dara Goresbridge on Friday, September 6 at 8.30pm.

A renowned artist with a proven record of performance, recording and innovation, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is a multi-award winning traditional singer and musician from Corca Dhuibhne in West Kerry.

Muireann is a leading exponent of the sean nós style, and loves to engage with audiences to share her love of the Irish song tradition. Her childhood in West Kerry saw her immersed in a rich cultural environment and vital living tradition. This was to be hugely influential on the foundation of her distinctive vocal and instrumental sound. 

She has enjoyed a successful career as a touring artist, with over 13 years experience as lead singer and flute player with the Irish traditional supergroup Danú, as well as many years performing as a solo artist. She holds an MA in Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick. In 2022 Muireann was awarded ‘Best Folk Singer’ at the RTÉ Radio Folk Awards, and amongst many other awards, was Amhránaí na Bliana at the TG4 Gradaim Ceoil in 2011. 

Muireann is also a popular television and radio presenter, having hosted a range of programmes for Irish and Scottish TV over the past 15 years, and currently presents her own music programme “Folk on One” on RTÉ Radio 1.

Leading producer 

Dónal O’Connor is the son of the celebrated fiddler Gerry O’Connor and revered singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin of Lá Lugh, multi-instrumentalist Dónal O’Connor has established himself as one of Ireland’s leading producers. As a musician and composer he has played and recorded with the likes of Liam Ó Maonlaí, Duke Special, Grainne Holland, Davy Spillane, Moya Brennan, Dónal Lunny, Steve Cooney, Mary Dillon, Cathal McConnell, Bob Brozman, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, John Spillane, Lumiere and Barry Kerr.

Having inherited a musical legacy of at least five generations of fiddle playing he has toured the world from a young age as both a lead and backing instrumentalist with a number of bands including Lá Lugh, At First Light, Ulaid and the Irish song super group A Stór Mo Chroí.

Self-taught master

A native of the west of Ireland and reared there and in west Africa, Gerry O’Beirne is a self-taught master of the six and 12 string, slide guitar and ukulele and other stringed instruments. Many of his songs have been recorded by well-known artists on the Irish music scene including Mary Black, Maura O’Connell and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. His own albums have received much acclaim around the world, and he produced and arranged music for many others including Patrick Street, Kevin Burke and Micheál O’Domhnaill.

His writing is a hybrid of the passion found in traditional music and the freshness of contemporary song. Gerry has toured the globe as a solo artist and with the Sharon Shannon Band, Patrick Street, Midnight Well, Andy M. Stewart, Kevin Burke, Andy Irvine, and the Waterboys.

Support on the night will be provided by two of Ireland’s greatest mouth organ players in John and Pip Murphy from Carrick –on- Bannow in Co. Wexford.

The Murphy brothers are sons of the famous Phil Murphy who was a great mouth organ player and composer of music.

This concert promises to be a great night at Ionad Dara. Tickets are €23 and can be purchased from Gerry Kavanagh on (086) 0443152 or Eventbrite.ie