February 5, 2022 the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre welcomes Sorcha Costello, Catherine (Kate) McHugh and Elaine Reilly for the first in a series of concert performances featuring emerging female Irish Traditional musicians.
The concert will also be streamed live on our YouTube channel here and our Facebook page here.
Ardán is as an exciting series of concert performances featuring emerging female Irish Traditional musicians.
Curated and hosted by renowned Irish traditional musician, Louise Mulcahy, the concert series will feature both solo and group performances to a live and streamed audience. The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre is committed to develop the newest generation of traditional artists. In line with this Louise will work closely with the artists to deliver a special concert programme.
Sorcha Costello is a traditional Irish fiddle player from Tulla Co. Clare and hails from a family emerged in traditional Irish music. Sorcha was named Gradam Ceoil TG4 Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana 2021 which took place in Belfast last October. She performs mainly as a solo artist but is also part of other musical collaborations which includes a duet with her mother, Mary MacNamara. Sorcha is also a member of ‘The Provenance’, which is a fiddle group led by Frankie Gavin.Read more about Sorcha
From Annaghdown, County Galway, Catherine (Kate) McHugh is one of the most outstanding young accompanists in Irish traditional music today. Growing up in an area steeped in legends of Irish traditional music, she grew up listening to and playing with many of the outstanding East Galway musicians including Joe Burke, Conor Tully, John Joe Forde, Eddie Moloney, Paddy Carty and the legendary Keane Family of Caherlistrane. Her approach to piano accompaniment, heavily influenced by legends of the piano such as Charlie Lennon, Carl Hession, Fr Seamus Quinn, Brian McGrath and Kevin Brehony, is far beyond her years with a unique understanding of the music she performs.Read more about Catherine
She features regularly on Irish television and radio. In 2013 she won the prestigious All Ireland senior accompaniment competition at fleadh cheoil na héireann. She is also an accomplished fiddle player and this has enhanced her understanding of piano accompaniment greatly.
From Granard, Co Longford, Elaine Reilly is one of the foremost tenor banjo players of her generation. She is in high demand as an accomplished and much sought after performer and tutor. She has taught at many events including The Willie Clancy Summer School and Scoil Eigse and has toured extensively in Ireland, Britain and North America. In 2020, Elaine was chosen as one of 20 musicians for Trad Ireland’s 20/20 visionaries project and most recently has recorded with fellow Longford banjo player, Angelina Carberry.
Louise Mulcahy is an internationally renowned performer on both uilleann pipes, flute and whistle. Louise is a member of the highly acclaimed Mulcahy Family and no musical family today is more impressive in upholding the best principles of the tradition than the Mulcahy’s of Abbeyfeale, West Limerick. Alongside four album releases with father, Mick, and sister Michelle, Louise also appeared a number of years ago on Na Píobairí Uilleann’s compilation of young uilleann pipers entitled ‘A New Dawn’. Louise released her highly acclaimed début solo album titled ‘Tuning the Road’ in 2014. ‘A complete wonder of an album from a truly brilliant musician’ – Bill Margeson. Louise has toured extensively throughout the world including performances in Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, America and Canada. Most recently, Louise was presented with The Arts Council’s prestigious Markievicz Award by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TDRead more about Louise
Louise is a highly respected researcher in Irish traditional music and recently presented and researched a landmark documentary on women in uilleann piping for TG4 titled, Mná na bPíób. In 2020, Louise presented and curated a special half hour programme for ITMA titled, Drawing from the Well: The Liam O’ Flynn Collection. Louise was made custodian of Liam O’ Flynn’s B pipes by Na Píobairí Uilleann and contributed to the documentary on master piper Liam O’ Flynn titled, ‘Píobaire’.
Louise is a regular performer and contributor on television and radio. In February ’21, Louise performed on the Late Late Show traditional music celebration on RTÉ and also on the Late Late Show St. Patrick’s Day Special. Louise has featured on the TG4 Séamus Ennis Centenary Commemoration, presenting information on Séamus Ennis and performing material from his repertoire on the uilleann pipes. Louise featured on the television documentary titled ‘The Green Fields of Vietnam’ which aired on RTÉ in 2014. This documentary followed her travels to Vietnam with Professor of Irish Studies at NYU, Dr. Mick Moloney and her sister, Dr. Michelle Mulcahy. On this trip Louise collaborated with traditional Vietnamese musicians, promoted Irish Culture and explored the role of Irish Aid in Vietnam. Louise featured on the award-winning series Port for BBC Alba and TG4, where she collaborated with traditional Scottish musicians on the trip. Louise has also appeared on Fleadh TV in 2016, 2017 and 2018 as guest performer on the IFTA winning programme. Louise was a key contributor to the Uilleann Pipes UNESCO Heritage Bid short film submitted by the Department of Arts and Culture in 2016. On this video Louise presented spoken material and performed on the uilleann pipes. She also contributed to the TG4 series titled ‘Mná an Cheoil’ in 2016 and has performed on numerous occasions on the prestigious Gradaim Ceoil TG4. Louise performed on ‘Hup’ the Irish traditional music series for TG4 and has featured many times on Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann television series for RTÉ. Louise presented the traditional Irish Music series ‘Geantraí’ for the Irish language television station TG4. In March 2019, Louise featured on an hour-long radio documentary for The Rolling Wave on RTÉ Radio 1 where she presented her research on women in uilleann piping.
Louise has performed for such dignitaries as An t-Uachtarán Míchael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina and the Irish Ambassador of Ireland to Vietnam. During the 1916 commemorations, Louise co-produced, performed and researched the production titled ‘The Call of the Piper- Ceannt An Píobaire, 1916 Leader and Founder of Cumann na bPíobaire’. This project involved researching the repertoire and historical facts relating to the piping of Éamonn Ceannt and his involvement with Cumann na bPíobairí. This production was presented at the Arts in Action series at NUI Galway – 2016, Áras an Uachtaráin in April 2016 and Liberty Hall in April as part of the 1916 commemorations.
Louise has won many awards including Female Musician of the Year at the Live Ireland Awards 2017, jointly with her sister Michelle and previously in 2015 and 2005. Louise, alongside her father Mick, and sister Michelle, were recently awarded ‘Tradconnect Traditional Album of the Year’ for their latest album titled ‘The Reel Note’. Louise is a multi All Ireland Champion on the uilleann pipes, flute and whistle and won four Senior All Ireland titles on the same day at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Louise was named as one of the Stars of 2018 by the Irish times Culture Review. Louise graduated with her Masters degree from Trinity College Dublin in 2014 and was awarded the 2016 Doctoral Fellowship in Irish Music Studies at NUI Galway. Louise is currently researching the unique story of women in uilleann piping and has guest lectured at many Irish music festivals in Ireland, Scotland and the United States of America. Louise is bridging the gender divide “aided in no small measure by her ground breaking musicianship” – The Irish Times.
“ Louise is one of the finest musicians of her generation”. – Matt Molloy
“A gracious and brilliant talent.” – Fintan Vallely
“Mulcahy’s repertoire is as broad, welcoming and discerning as her instrumental virtuosity.” – Siobhán Long – The Irish Times
PLEASE NOTE
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