Twice Grammy nominated vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird returns to Triskel for what promises to be another glorious night of music. He will be joined by renowned pianist Cormac McCarthy and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.

About the Musicians

Iarla Ó Lionáird has carved a long and unique career in music both internationally and in Ireland. From his iconic early recording of the vision song “Aisling Gheal” as a young boy to his ground breaking recordings with Dublin’s Crash Ensemble and New York’s Alarm Will Sound, he has shown a breadth of artistic ambition that sets him apart in the Irish Music fraternity.

He’s a child of traditional music, born and bred in Cúil Aodha, in the belly of the West Cork Gaeltacht, with Seán Ó Riada a neighbour and indisputable early influence. His great aunt, the traditional singer Elizabeth Cronin, had forged a reputation for rich interpretation before him, paving the way for the young Ó Lionáird to still audiences with his plaintive, textured voice at Mass, and later, in parlours, front rooms, snugs, town halls and concert halls. The truth is, it’s the individual sonic qualities of Iarla Ó Lionáird’s voice that define him. That voice, with all its midnight depth and soaring breadth, transcends anything that might box or classify him as one thing or another.

A twice Grammy nominated artist, Ó Lionáird has worked with a stellar cast of composers internationally including Donnacha Dennehy, Dan Trueman, Kate Moore, Nico Muhly, Linda Buckley, Gavin Bryars and David Lang and he has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Sinead O’Connor. His unique singing style has carried him to stages and concert halls all over the world, from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and beyond. He has performed as soloist with concert and symphony orchestras including the Ulster Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Centre, USA, The Irish National Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Concert Orchestra.Also an accomplished broadcaster, O’ Lionaird’s recent Radio Series “Vocal Chords” on the mysteries of the human voice, for Ireland’s National Classical Music Broadcaster, RTE Lyric FM, won both Gold and Silver Awards at the “New York Radio Festival” 2016/2018

His own voice has graced the silver screen also, with film credits extending from The Gangs of New York to Hotel Rwanda and most recently as featured singer in the film Brooklyn starring Saoirse Ronan. He is the vocalist with the critically acclaimed Irish /American band The Gloaming.

“Magnificently expressive” – The New York Times
“One of the most dramatic voices in contemporary music” – The Guardian
“O’Lionaird’s real triumph is his voice: as soft as a feather bed and as searingly sharp as a blade when the mood calls” – The Irish Times
“His voice will astound you. It soars – and it’s as profound, simple and beautiful as wild horses… Genius is the operative word here.” – Time Out New York

Cormac McCarthy is a pianist, composer, arranger and conductor from Cork, Ireland. Noted for a diverse stylistic palette, and equally at home in a variety of genres, his music is said to “defy categorisation” (Lyric FM). In 2010, having completed his Masters degree in composition at the MTU Cork School of Music, Cormac received the prestigious Bill Whelan International Music Bursary, an award earmarked for young Irish composers studying abroad. He spent a number of years living in Chicago, where he completed a Masters in Jazz Studies at DePaul University.

His compositions and arrangements have been performed and recorded by artists including Phil Woods, Jeff Hamilton, Mick Flannery, Martin Hayes, Andrea Corr, Gavin James, Niamh Regan, Jack O’Rourke, The DePaul Jazz Ensemble, The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, The Crash Ensemble, The New Irish Jazz Orchestra and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra. A new string quartet commissioned by the National String Quartet Foundation will be premiered as part of a nationwide tour by the Carducci Quartet this Autumn.

As a pianist, he has performed extensively at concert venues, clubs and festivals throughout Europe and the US, sharing the stage/recording studio with artists across a wide musical spectrum, including Peter Washington, Nell Ní Chróinín, Billy Drummond, Liz Carroll, Donal Lunny, The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra & The RTÉ Concert Orchestra. In 2015, Cormac released Cottage Evolution, his debut LP as bandleader, to widespread critical acclaim. He is also a member of Martin Hayes’ most recent project, The Common Ground Ensemble. As a conductor, he has led the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra.

Cormac continues to be in demand as a composer, arranger and orchestrator in tandem with maintaining an active performance schedule. He lectures in piano, arranging and composition at the MTU Cork School of Music, and is director of the Cork School of Music Jazz Big Band.

Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh makes music on a 10-string fiddle called the hardanger d’amore. He has performed on some of the most beautiful stages in the world, including the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and the Carnegie Hall.

He has made eighteen recordings to date, ranging from quite traditional to fairly out there, and continues to explore the region where traditional music begins to disintegrate.

Caoimhín performs as a solo artist, yet is also widely known through his collaborative work, including groups The Gloaming and This is How we Fly, and duos with Dan Trueman, Thomas Bartlett, Garth Knox, Mick O’Brien and Brendan Begley. He has also performed with artists such as Laurie Anderson, Vincent Moon and Amiina.

He has made music for theatre and film, including music for the Oscar-nominated movie Brooklyn and Volker Schlondorff’s Return to Montauk.

“the most imaginative and fascinating musician in all of trad “– Earle Hitchner, Irish Echo, USA
“the missing link between Martin Hayes and Purple Haze” – Nick Kelly, Irish Independent, Ireland
“the most singular traditional Irish musician of [his] generation” – State Magazine, Ireland