Sisters Nollaig Casey [voice, fiddle], Máire Ní Chathasaigh [harp], and Mairéad Ní Chathasaigh [voice, fiddle]
Saturday 25 February
Shanagarry, County Cork
Three renowned sisters from West Cork — singer and fiddle player Nollaig Casey; harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh ; and singer and fiddle player Mairéad Ní Chathasaigh — have released their début CD, Sibling Revelry, together. The Daily Telegraph named it a Folk Album of the Year and The Irish Times called it ‘a radiant collection’.
Ballymaloe Grainstore is delighted to welcome the sisters for their Sibling Revelry concert on Saturday 25 February.
“Blissfully beautiful… channelling mythology, nostalgia and geography to bewitching effect in heartfelt music” * * * * — Songlines
Nollaig Casey’s powerful presence has graced two of Ireland’s most ground-breaking bands, Planxty and Coolfin. She made her Carnegie Hall début in 2006 as soloist in a double concerto for classical violin and traditional fiddle by Evan Chambers. She has toured the world with Riverdance and performed at the 2003 Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. A soloist in more than twenty feature films, she has recorded with Enya, Van Morrison, Sinéad O’Connor, Nanci Griffith, Ricky Skaggs, Rod Stewart, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Mary Black, Carlos Nuñez, Jim Rooney, Andy Irvine, Moving Hearts, Elvis Costello, Christy Moore, Liam O’Flynn, Dan ar Braz, Shaun Davey and Sharon Shannon. She was recently seen playing on BBC’s Transatlantic Sessions with Alison Krauss, James Taylor and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
“Exquisite fiddle- playing and superb vocals” — The Irish Times
“I would happily sit all night in a cold theatre to listen to Nollaig Casey” — Fortnight (Belfast)
“Nollaig’s performance was stunning for its sheer musical artistry, seducing some into quiet amazement and inducing others to insist on encore after encore” — The Irish Times
Máire Ní Chathasaigh, “the doyenne of Irish harp players” (Scotland on Sunday), was awarded Female Musician of the Year in the Live Ireland 2016 award. In 2001 she was the recipient of Irish music’s most prestigious award, Gradam Cheoil TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year “for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp in Ireland and for the positive influence she has had on the young generation of harpers.”
She was recently a multiple All-Ireland and Pan-Celtic award winner. Máire has developed profoundly influential techniques for harp performance of traditional Irish music as heard on her pioneering New-Strung Harp (1985) which The Irish Examiner hailed as “a milestone in Irish harp music”. She has made seven recordings with guitarist Chris Newman, with whom she tours worldwide.
“Bewitching string fantasies and a wonderfully clear and expressive voice” — The Times
“Dazzling virtuosity” — The Daily Telegraph
“In a class of her own” — The Guardian
“Takes one of the most effete instruments in traditional music and breathes a fire into its belly” **** — The Irish Times
Multiple All-Ireland, Oireachtas and Pan-Celtic-winning Mairéad Ní Chathasaigh‘s sweet soaring voice and subtle, very traditional fiddle playing ground the music deeply in its roots. Mairéad has a deep knowledge of the Irish singing tradition and a special interest in the Sliabh Luachra fiddle repertoire and style. She has toured the USA, Canada, Italy, Belgium and France, given traditional singing workshops in Ireland and the UK, and is a regular adjudicator at Fleadhanna Cheoil throughout Ireland and at Fleadh Cheoil na h-Éireann.
Of their new CD, Sibling Revelry, the critics say:
“First-class musicianship… wonderfully atmospheric” * * * * The Daily Telegraph
“Elegant and beguiling” RTÉ Lyric FM
“Stunning… a superb album” The Living Tradition
“Blissfully beautiful… channelling mythology, nostalgia and geography to bewitching effect in heartfelt music” * * * * Songlines
“Shows the mastery that’s given them global reputations… High-end music-making, virtuosic yet presented (with) warmth and intimacy, rich, flowing, soulful expression… (and) sheer depth of feeling for the Irish tradition” The Herald Scotland
Tickets for the Sibling Revelry concert in Ballymaloe Grainstore on Saturday 25 February are €23. They may be booked online at www.ballymaloegrainstore.com or by phone on 021 465 2531.