March 2016 Martin Reilly Lecture Series

NUI Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies and Comhrá Ceoil have announced details of the next talk in the Martin Reilly Lecture Series for 2016. Taking place on Tuesday, 22 March at 6.30pm in the Galway City Library, the talk will be delivered by Dr Seán McElwain.

‘Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it: Retracing the musical imprints of the Sliabh Beagh region of Monaghan/Fermanagh’ draws on PhD research into the traditional musical heritage of the north Monaghan/east Fermanagh region conducted by Dr McElwain at Dundalk Institute of Technology. The album ‘Our Dear Dark Mountain with the Sky Over it’ is the culmination of this academic research and was recently awarded the prestigious TG4 Comharcheol Gradam Cheoil. Uncovering a wealth of previously neglected material, this lecture will present an overview of the research findings behind the recording project, illuminating some of the major musical figures in that region’s musical history.

From Co. Monaghan and now resident in Dublin, Seán is an academic researcher and member of the traditional group Téada, with whom he has toured and recorded extensively. He is centrally involved in the Scoil Cheoil na Botha traditional festival in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan.

This series of talks is dedicated to Martin Reilly, the celebrated Galway uilleann piper, and gives an opportunity to researcher-practitioners in Irish traditional music and dance to present their work in a public forum. The success of the series thus far confirms the interest in research of this kind in Galway, where traditional music and dance are part of the cultural fabric of the city.

Everyone welcome and free admission to all talks.

-ENDS-