Following on from multiple 5 star reviews of her album Róisín ReImagined with The Irish Chamber Orchestra, RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Singer of the Year 2022, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is embarking on an Irish tour, accompanied by celebrated musicians Gerry O’Beirne (guitar, vocals) and Dónal O’Connor (fiddle, keyboards, vocals). This concert is an engaging and varied programme of songs in Irish and English along with lively instrumental pieces, and the trio are well known for their warm rapport with audiences.
“One of today’s great singers” — Irish Echo
“One of the earthiest and most distinctive voices, not just in traditional circles by everywhere” — The Irish Times
“Mysterious perfection” — Dónal Lunny
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
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, 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.
Muireann has enjoyed a successful career as a touring artist, with over thirteen years’ experience as lead singer and flute player with the Irish traditional supergroup Danú, as well as a 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. Always keen to explore new ground, she has collaborated with many musicians in genres ranging from traditional to classical, world music to electronica. Most recently Muireann recorded “Róisín ReImagined” an album of sean nós songs arranged by contemporary Irish arrangers with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Gerry O’Beirne
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 twelve 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. He has performed at the White House, opened for the Grateful Dead, and played electric guitar with Marianne Faithfull. He lives near Dingle in West Kerry.
“A sublime talent….opens new creative vistas for acoustic guitar music” — fRoots
Dónal O’Connor
Son of the celebrated fiddler Gerry O’Connor and revered singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin of Lá Lugh, multi-instrumentalist Dónal O’Connor has establishing 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. He has composed music for theatre, television and film and has presented music shows for BBC ALBA, BBC NI, TG4, BBC Radio Ulster and Raidio na Gaeltachta. Dónal is also the producer of the recent collaboration between Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and The Irish Chamber Orchestra, “Róisín ReImagined”.
“O’Connor’s winning blend of pace and lyricism transmits his enthusiasm for the music directly to the listener with irresistible impact” — Herald Scotland