Here are some excerpts from concerts I participated in last year, and on the 1st of January 2025.
Many thanks to Liam and Róisín Lonergan, Cosha, Peadar-Tom Mercier, Mícheál and Ann Holmes, Andrea Keogh and everyone else who was involved in them, and also to Eduardo Nogueira, Skyline Productions Dublin, Peadar Ó Ceannabháin, Jimmy Clarke, Muireann Ní Cheannabháin and Abby for the video and audio recordings.
April - Five Lamps Arts Festival, Dublin - 2 videos:
July - Supporting Cosha at The Workman's Club, Dublin:
September - Culture Night at Ionad Pobail an Mháma, Connemara, county Galway:
December - Pearse Holmes memorial weekend, Doohoma, county Mayo:
January 2025 - New Year's Festival, Meeting House Square, Dublin:
1st January 2025
Míle buíochas le Áine Ní Chuaig, a thug cuireadh dhom páirt a ghlacadh sa gclár Carna an Cheoil agus na n-Amhrán, an samhradh seo caite, agus le Cathal Ó Cuaig agus le chuile dhuine eile a raibh baint acab leis an gclár. Tá an clár ar fáil ar shuíomh TG4 anois.
Is clár atá ann faoi na bailitheoirí ceoil agus scéalta, fonnadóirí, ceoltóirí, daimseoirí, filí agus scéalaithe, as ceantar Chill Chiaráin, Carna, Fínis, An Aird agus áiteachaí eile in Iorras Aithneach, san am a bhí ann fadó, agus sa lá atá inniu ann.
Many thanks to Áine Ní Chuaig, who invited me to participate in the programme Carna an Cheoil agus na n-Amhrán, during the summer, and also to Cathal Ó Cuaig and everyone else who was involved.
It's a programme which gives an introduction to the music and story collectors, who collected music, songs and stories in Iorras Aithneach in the last century. It includes interviews and performances from singers, musicians, dancers, poets and storytellers, connected with Cill Chiaráin, Carna, Fínis, Aird and other areas on the Iorras Aithneach peninsula, from past to present times. The people interviewed in the programme either met the collectors, had family members whose music or stories were collected, and/or had researched and learned songs, music and stories from those collections.
The programme can now be viewed on the TG4 website here:
Seo físeán a thaifead mé le gairid, leagan Sheáinín Pheait Mhaidhle Mac Donncha dh'an Éan ar an gCrann. Chuala mé é dhá chasadh anuraidh ag féile Return to London. Thaitnigh a chuid leaganachaí dho na poirt go mór liom agus bhí sé an-deas castáil leis freisin.
Chuala mé an dara ríl ar shean taifead dho John Naughton, a roinn Aidan Connolly liom roinnt bliantaí ó shin. Níl mé cinnte cén t-ainm atá air.
Here is a video I recorded recently, of Seáinín Pheait Mhaidhle Mac Donncha's version of The Bird in the Tree. I heard him playing it last year at the Return to London festival. I really enjoyed his versions of the tunes & it was great to meet him, having heard various recordings before then. For anyone who hasn't heard Seáinín, he's an accordion player from Ceantar na n-Oileán in Connemara originally, & has been living in south London for many years.
The second reel was learned from an old recording of John Naughton, a concertina player from Feakle, east Clare, which Aidan Connolly shared with me several years ago. I'm not sure what it's called.
7th June 2024
Tá an clár faisnéise faoi albam Úna Monaghan, Aonaracht, ar fáil ar shuíomh idirlín TG4 anois.
The documentary about Úna Monaghan's album, Aonaracht, is now available to watch on the TG4 player website. I worked with Úna in 2017, 2019, at the beginning of 2020, and in 2021 for the piece I play on the album, Traditional Architecture. It's a collection of different Irish tunes and songs, some played directly from Moore's Melodies, with the same pieces then played in a traditional style as I might play them. There's also a tune composed by Úna, a lot of improvisation and responding to electronics, with some singing as well. It was one of the most interesting and unusual projects I've worked on.
The recording section of the documentary was partly recorded during the summer of 2021.
It's as Gaeilge and English subtitles are provided.
Here are some very short excerpts from an unreleased song I began composing several years ago. I recorded this version almost a year ago - it's a demo version. It doesn't have a title yet.
I am working on some new compositions at the moment which are between genres.
There are more pieces which are still in development.
9th April 2024
Many thanks to John Flynn a.k.a. John Francis Flynn for inviting me to join him to record for the Cumasc: Seisiúin sa mBlack Gate series, in Galway, last September.
I had sung and arranged a few songs with John several times between 2017 and 2020 but we never got a chance to sing them formally, in public. It was great to work with him again and the crew couldn't have been kinder. Unfortunately I had a bit of a cough and vocal strain on the second day, so wasn't able to sing the way I sang on the first day.
Many thanks also to all of the people working on the programme. Is féidir breathnú ar an gclár anseo:
Here are some short excerpts from the concert with Pádraic Keane at the Return to London Town Festival at the end of October 2023.
Many thanks to Karen Ryan and James Carty for the invitation, organisation and kind welcome, and to Libby McCrohan for the videos.
Short excerpts from the 75 years of Folkways concert
Here are some short excerpts from the 25 Years of Folkways Records concert in London, in November 2023. Many thanks to Milkweed, Ranjana Ghatak and Mataio Austin Deane for the videos. Thanks very much again to Campbell Baume of Broadside Hacks for the invitation to play in the concert.
Playing as a guest with Brighde Chaimbeul & Aidan O'Rourke at Féile Ealaíne an Earagail, 2023
Míle buíochas le Brighde Chaimbeul agus le hAidan O'Rourke a thug cuireadh dhom seit poirt agus amhrán a chasadh leob ag ceolchoirm i gcuimre ar na Campbells, ag Féile Ealaíne an Earagail, i rith an tsamhraidh, 2023.
Seo taifead den Chailín Deas Rua nár chuir mé ar líne cheana, ó 2018. Thaifead muid é nuair a bhí muid ag cleachtadh le haghaidh ceolchoirm.
Bhí muid ag foghlaim amhrán eile le gairid agus ag déanamh cóiriú air. Ag baint taitnimh as!
Here's an unreleased recording of An Cailín Deas Rua, from 2018. We recorded it when we were practising for a concert.
We were learning and arranging another song recently, and enjoying it!
An Cailín Deas Rua is a traditional song from the Déise Gaeltacht repertoire.
Vocals: Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha, Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha
Saileog Ní Cheannabháin
Uilleann pipes: Pádraic Keane Pádraic Keane
Photos: An Coinigéar & Ceann Heilbhic, Rinn Ó gCuanach, Co Waterford, by Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha & Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Traidphicnic 2017, Tionól Niocláis Tóibín 2018, The Cobblestone pub, 2018 - Shane Gormley, RTÉ 2021 - Rachel Breslin.
Recorded in NUIG, Galway city.
19th September 2023
Looking forward playing at the Return to London Town festival next month.
I'm scheduled to be playing in the concert on Saturday 28th October with Pádraic Keane, and also teaching a sean nós singing workshop on the same day.
Here is a version of The Geese in the Bog, learned from an old recording of Michael Carney. It's from the Knocklishen Beg house concert in April.
Uileacán Dubh Ó - a different arrangement
Here's a video we recently made of Uileacán Dubh Ó, a traditional poem set to music by Caitlín Maude, we were also influenced by Willie Clancy's playing of The Bold Trainor O, which has a similar air.
Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, 2015 S. Ní Cheannabháin
August 2021.
I learned these reels from listening to two great accordion and melodeon players from east Mayo - Alan Morrisroe and Paddy Joe Tighe. John Burke's Reel, Mam's Reel and Up Boyle's Hill.
An Cailín Deas Rua, with Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha & Pádraic Keane
Ag casadh le Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha agus Pádraic Keane ag an gCobblestone. Deacair a chreistint gur dhá bhliain ó shin a rinne muid an ceolchoirm seo. Hard to believe this was 2 years ago!
This video is now on YouTube:
Agallamh faoi Shorcha Ní Ghuairim
Interview about Sorcha Ní Ghuairim
2019
Seo nasc ag físeán ar iarradh orm páirt a ghlacadh ann an Nollaig seo caite,
Photo: sorchaníghuairim.ie
ag plé stíl amhránaíochta Shorcha, a tionchar, tuairimí faoin bhfonnadóireacht, agus ag rá cupla amhrán.
Siad Róisín Nic Dhonncha agus Mícheál Mac Lochlainn a bhí ag obair ar an suíomh nua faoi Shorcha atá ar líne le cupla mí anuas.
Here is a link to a video I was asked to take part in (in Irish) last December, to discuss Sorcha's singing style, her influence, opinions about singing, and to sing a few songs as well.
Róisín Nic Dhonncha and Mícheál Mac Lochlainn were working on the new website about Sorcha which has been live for a few months now.
As some of you may know, I have a lot of playlists on my YouTube channel, of my own recordings and performances, and also a lot of music that I listen to. I would like to be able to put the playlists of my own recordings and performances at the top of the channel, but this isn't possible, as YouTube reorganises them whenever I save a video to a playlist or update a playlist.
To make it easier to find the playlists of my recordings and performances, I am posting them all here on
Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Aidan Connolly, Marie McHugh - Roithléan album launch, October 2016.
Reels: Paddy Seán Nancy's 1 & 2, Johnny Henry's.
Venue: The Cobblestone pub
Video by Paul O'Connor
Sound by Shane Hannigan
Video & audio editing: Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, 2025.
An Bhinn Bhuí/The Maids of Mount Cisco - Live at Crane bar 2016: Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Jack Talty
Photo: Maurice Gunning
A bit of a blast from the past - a live recording from the Galway launch of Roithleán in 2016. I've had this particular recording for a long time but didn't put it up. The first tune is a composition of mine from 2009, the second one is traditional & attributed to Paddy Killoran. Always enjoy playing these tunes with Jack. Photo by Maurice Gunning.
Played by Saileog Ní Cheannabháin on an upright Petrof piano.
Recorded on a Tascam recording device.
Photo: La Maroma mountain, Sierra Tejeda range, Axarquía region, between the provinces of Málaga & Granada, Andalucía, Spain.
Cupla port - A few jigs
Roisín a' Chaladh, near Muighinis Photo: Saileog
Cupla port ó chupla bliain ó shoin...I'm working on a few different things these days. Will mention them in due course! In the meantime, here's a little slideshow video with a few jigs from the TCD Tradsoc concert Eoghan & I did a few years ago. I made it for fun a good while ago, found it recently by chance. The (very amateur) photos were taken by me in the summer of 2014, in various parts of Iorras Aithneach. Details about tunes are in the video description. https://youtu.be/vsB2BFO5vDY CIT Trad Society Cork School of Music lunchtime concert
Here are two videos recorded by David Vesey at the CIT Tradsoc lunchtime concert on the 21st of November. Many thanks to him for recording them and sending them, and photos also.
A couple of reels A couple of reels on the piano, recorded today (12/09/'19): Barr na Cúille, composed by Néillidh Mulligan, and two old reels, The Geese in the Bog, and Jenny Picking Cockles. I took the photo while on a walk on the bog near Carna, Connemara, in August 2014. https://soundcloud.com/saileog-n-cheannabh-in/barr-na-cuille-nmulliganthe-geese-in-the-bogjenny-picking-cockles Songs at Session with the Pipers concert The videos from the Session with the Pipers concert in December are online now. Many thanks again to Na Píobairí Uilleann for inviting me to sing. Here is the link: http://pipers.ie/source/gallery/?galleryId=1315
Image from Na Píobairí Uilleann
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Minor, Op. 32 No. 10
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Minor: This is a piece I was learning a few years ago, left it for a while and came back to it. Have been practising it a lot the past few months when possible. It's still in progress. Here is one of the better takes from last night, if you'd like to have a listen: https://soundcloud.com/saileog-n-cheannabh-in/rachmaninoff-prelude-in-b-minor-s-ni-cheannabhain
An Cailín Deas Rua: Féile Traidphicnic
Live performance of An Cailín Deas Rua at Féile Traidphicnic, An Spidéal, Co. Galway, on 30th June 2017.
Singers: Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin
Uilleann pipes: Pádraic Keane
A traditional sean nós song from Tipperary, this version is from Rinn Ó gCuanach, Co. Waterford. Arranged by Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha and Pádraic Keane.
CIT Trad Society Cork School of Music lunchtime concert, 2019 Here is a playlist of five sets of tunes and one song from the CIT Tradsoc lunchtime concert at Cork School of Music last week. Thanks a million again to Macdara Ó Faoláin, Muireann Ní Shé, David Vesey and co. for inviting me to play. https://soundcloud.com/saileog-n-cheannabh-in/sets/cit-tradsoc-cork-school-of
Songs at Session with the Pipers concert, 2018 The videos from the Session with the Pipers concert in December are online now. Many thanks again to Na Píobairí Uilleann for inviting me to sing. Here is the link: http://pipers.ie/source/gallery/?galleryId=1315
Image from Na Píobairí Uilleann
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Minor, Op. 32 No. 10
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B Minor: This is a piece I was learning a few years ago, left it for a while and came back to it. Have been practising it a lot the past few months when possible. It's still in progress. Here is one of the better takes from last night, if you'd like to have a listen: https://soundcloud.com/saileog-n-cheannabh-in/rachmaninoff-prelude-in-b-minor-s-ni-cheannabhain
An Cailín Deas Rua: Féile Traidphicnic
Live performance of An Cailín Deas Rua at Féile Traidphicnic, An Spidéal, Co. Galway, on 30th June 2017.
Singers: Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin
Uilleann pipes: Pádraic Keane
A traditional sean nós song from Tipperary, this version is from Rinn Ó gCuanach, Co. Waterford. Arranged by Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha and Pádraic Keane.
I took the photo while on a walk on the bog near Carna, Connemara, in August 2014.
